Computer likes to turn off on me

[AshleeSimpson]

Alright, this is making me mad. WHenever i make my computer do something wich needs some effort, like play a game, or play some movie clips, or use some software, it just reboots all of a sudden. If the computer is just sitting there, or im browsing the internet, its fine most of the time. I cant play games on my comp any more wich makes me mad. When the computer comes back on, it says windows recoverd from a critical error. Any one heard of this problem? Do you need more details from me?

[Knightmare]

Update your video card drivers.

[maws]

Could of course be an overheating problem. Try cleaning out your vents on the case, or if it's stuck in a corner move it to somewhere more ventilated. As a last resort, open the case up and stick a fan in there.

[EmSixTeen]

 

1. Right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.

Click the Advanced tab.

Under Startup and Recovery, click Settings to open the Startup and Recovery dialog box.

Clear the Automatically restart check box, and click OK the necessary number of times.

Restart your computer for the settings to take effect.

That turns off automatic restarts and re-enables the BSOD, so when it happens again you can see what your problem is. Do as Knight said first though, and see if it fixes the problem.

[Knightmare]

Could of course be an overheating problem. Try cleaning out your vents on the case, or if it's stuck in a corner move it to somewhere more ventilated. As a last resort, open the case up and stick a fan in there.

Yes, but if it's something to do with movies/games, my first guess would be the video card. Starting up a movie/game doesn't heat it up so fast in one second that it would overheat and restart. If games worked for a few minutes and then quit, it would be overheating, but I think upgrading or downgrading the drivers would fix this problem.

 

Then again, it's always nice to have clean vents.

[Wolf68k]

Could be heat.

Could be the PSU dying

Could be the mobo dying

Could be the RAM failing

Could be the CPU failing

 

Heat should be easy to track. Get something like MBM5 and have it log the temperatures which it records to a text file. Play a game and wait for it to die. When you bring the system back up check the log file to see what the last recorded temp was when it died.

 

PSU is next. What max wattage is it rated for? What is the full details specs of your system, be sure to include case fans and lights (not the case LEDs for power and HDD), or whatever.

 

mobo you pretty much have to wait until it doesn't start up any more before know it's the problem. Sh*tty thought I know, but unless you have the right meters and know how to use them you can't tell until it goes.

 

RAM is kind of easy, put in new RAM and see how it goes.

 

CPU, remember what I said about the mobo? Well there you go, minus the use of meters.