The modern world, teeming with high technology, has changed the lives of billions of people. Today, almost every home has a personal computer or a mobile gadget, for example, a laptop connected to the Web. Thanks to the “smart cars” we got the opportunity to communicate with relatives through video communications, have fun, playing online games, and also show off new photos on social networks. However, even the most reliable equipment can fail. If you are racking your brains and cannot understand why the computer restarts on its own, we suggest that you consider the main causes, as well as troubleshooting methods.
Overheat
Overheating of components is the most common problem, because of which the computer can restart on its own. As a rule, it appears during the launch of demanding games or applications on a PC. The central processor, video card, hard drive and motherboard chipset can heat up to critical temperatures. Possible causes and solutions are as follows:
- Broken coolers. Cooler - a fan that provides efficient heat dissipation from the components. To find a broken cooler, you need to remove the side cover from a working system unit and carefully inspect the inside. As a rule, coolers are located on the video card, central processor and rear panel of the case. If you notice an idle or badly spinning cooler, it should be dismantled and cleaned. Before installing it back, it is advisable to lubricate the bearings with machine oil. For these purposes, a revision (a small hole) is located on the radiator case (in the center). If such manipulations did not give the desired result, the cooler should be replaced with a new one.
- If you removed the side cover and saw that everything inside is covered with a thick layer of dust, you may find it easier to clean the PC. Often, the computer reboots by itself due to the fact that the debris located on the components interferes with the efficient removal of heat. Dust can be removed using a special vacuum cleaner or a regular brush. However, you should be extremely careful. In no case do not make sudden movements, as this may damage the microcircuit. Also, do not blow the PC with compressed air, as it contains condensate, which can lead to corrosion of components.
- The thermal grease has dried. If your PC is clean from the inside and all the coolers are working properly, but you still wonder why the computer reboots by itself, while it is very hot, you need to check the thermal paste that is applied between the radiator and the chip. Thermal grease serves to more efficiently cool the chip and has the ability to dry. You can replace it yourself. To do this, you need to purchase the thermal grease itself, dismantle the cooler and radiator. With a piece of cotton wool slightly moistened with alcohol, you need to remove the remaining paste from the chip and radiator. After that, a uniform thin layer of fresh thermal paste is applied, then a radiator and a cooler are installed. If you are not confident in your own strengths and capabilities, it is better to entrust this occupation to specialists.
- If the computer restarts by itself and at the same time heats up, but all of the above methods did not give a positive result, pay attention to the location of the system unit. Perhaps it is very close to the heating radiator, cluttered with things or standing in direct sunlight.
Unstable operation of a household network
Power surges are a fairly common problem in both large cities and modest towns and villages. Modern gadgets and household appliances consume a lot of electricity, "squandering" the network. Power surges adversely affect the PC power supply, disabling fuses and capacitors. Also, the stability of the PSU can be affected by dust, which causes overheating, so it should also be cleaned periodically. If the computer periodically reboots on its own, try connecting a working, more powerful power supply. Perhaps this will solve the problem.
New devices
If the computer restarts on its own during operation, the reason may be recently added devices, for example, flash memory, video card, SSD-drive. They should be temporarily disabled by going to the device manager, and observe the operation of the PC.
Bad contact
The reason that the computer restarts by itself may be poor contact. To confirm or refute this version, you must turn off the PC, remove the side cover from the system unit. Then alternately disconnect and connect each connector. Pay particular attention to the power of the motherboard. Quite often, the Reset button, which can be disabled, is unstable.
Viruses
Today, there are a huge number of viruses that quite easily bypass standard Windows protection. Does the computer restart by itself? Install a reliable anti-virus, for example, Kaspersky. You can also check the system for malware using programs such as Malwarebytes, CCleaner.
Problem hard drive
The reason that the computer restarts by itself may be a malfunction of the hard drive. Over time, in the hard drive, as a rule, broken sectors appear. If their total number reaches a critical value, then the computer will start to work unstably or even stop turning on. You can check the integrity of the hard disk using special programs, for example, Victoria.
RAM problems
A spontaneous reboot of the PC can lead to problems with RAM (RAM). You can check RAM using the Memtest program.
Conflict of components and programs
Modern technologies are developing so rapidly that a computer purchased several years ago can be safely classified as obsolete. Developers with enviable regularity release updates for their applications, games, programs. Each new version becomes more demanding, which can lead to unstable operation of the system.
Power Button Sticky
A similar problem can occur as a result of sticking of the Power button located on the system unit. Because of this, the contact does not open to the end, which provokes spontaneous turning on or off of the computer. To fix the problem, carefully disassemble the housing, remove the button itself and adjust the spring. If the mechanism itself is broken, then the button needs to be replaced.
Statistical stress
As a rule, many peripheral devices, such as scanners, printers, are connected to a modern computer. It often happens that in the area of USB inputs, static voltage is concentrated, which leads to a short circuit. To fix this problem, you must turn off all peripherals, clean the case and contacts from dust.
Summarizing
In order for your personal computer to work stably, it is extremely important to periodically clean it, change thermal grease, and also check for system errors and viruses. If you do not have enough technical knowledge and there are no specific skills necessary for the dismantling and installation of components, we strongly recommend contacting specialists. Remember that computer prophylaxis can protect you from unforeseen and significant material investments in repairs or the purchase of new components.