If you are faced with such a problem as an involuntary shutdown of the computer, then you need to know the reasons for what is happening, which will tell you what to do next in order to get rid of such abrupt shutdowns of the PC. We would like to note right away that both a computer and a laptop can turn off itself, and most importantly, this does not always cover some serious problems with the "hardware", perhaps this is just the action of a virus. But let's talk about everything in order.
6 reasons why the computer turns off by itself
- Virus. One of the most common reasons is a virus that forces the computer to shutdown on its own without your instruction. To do this, you should check the entire PC for viruses.
- Overheating of computer components... Swipe, as a layer of dust can cause overheating, and pay attention to coolers, they should all spin quickly.
- Fault in the power supply. Another common reason is the breakdown of the power supply, it can burn out from voltage surges and excessive load from the components.
- Malfunction in RAM. This type of malfunction is characterized by the fact that, before shutting down, the computer starts to freeze and slow down all functions. To exclude RAM from the list of reasons for shutting down the computer, we recommend inserting another instead of it, as well as contacting the specialists at the service center.
- Damage to the motherboard. Spontaneous shutdown of the PC will be caused either by a crack or a chip on the motherboard, or by a burned-out capacitor. In general, this happens due to blows to the system unit or its fall, or due to the fact that the motherboard has already "outlived its useful life." We do not exclude, of course, also marriage, but it is quite rare. Again, you cannot independently determine whether the motherboard is to blame for this without using special equipment.
- Bad contact. Determining and fixing this breakdown is quite simple - check the tightness of all cords, starting from the outlet, because there may be a problem in the surge protector. All plugs must be firmly inserted, both outside the system unit and inside it.
And ultrabooks. I tried to break the article into points, in order of increasing complexity. Start from the beginning and until you achieve stability. If the problem persists, please describe it in the comments and write what you did. Let's try to figure it out together.
It is advisable to follow the steps given in the paragraph and test the computer - to work as usual for a day or two. If the problem persists go to the next step.
If your computer is under warranty, you do not need to open the system unit (unless specified by the warranty conditions). Do what is possible and if the computer turns off, take it to a service center. Let them fulfill the warranty obligations.
Clean your computer from viruses
We open the case and reconnect all connectors. It is necessary to remove and reinsert all cables leading to the motherboard and peripherals (hard drives, SSDs, optical drives, memory card readers, etc.).
Remove overclocking
Overclocking is a business for stable computers. We remove it.
We set the nominal frequencies and voltages of the processor and video card.
For the processor, this is usually done in the BIOS.
Frequencies and voltages for the video card can be set from MSI Afterburner. If you do not know the standard operating parameters of a video card, you can read a review of your product, for example, at overclockers.ua. You can also see the operating frequencies on the website of the graphics adapter manufacturer (where you downloaded the driver).
You can set the processor to normal operating mode by resetting the BIOS to default. More about it below.
Reset BIOS to default
The motherboard manufacturer sets up universal settings - suitable for most computer configurations. At default settings, usually everything should work stably. We go into the BIOS and reset the settings.
Check the battery on the motherboard
The battery on the motherboard or "battery" saves the BIOS settings and the time when the computer is disconnected from the 220 V. The nominal voltage of the battery is 3 V. If it drops below 2.5 V, it is better to replace it.
If you don't have a multimeter to measure the battery, simply replace the old one with a new one. You can buy in any market from people who sell batteries and accumulators.
Test separately the processor, memory, hard disk drive (HDD) and video card
If you want to test processor only- in the Test mode field, select - Small set... If processor and RAM — Medium set... If you want to test processor, RAM and motherboard- choose Big set.
To test the processor, select the Small set. We install the version of the test for the capacity of the system.
I have 64 bits. We leave the rest of the settings untouched and run the test.
If the computer shutdown happened, then there is a great chance that the processor is to blame. I would replace the thermal grease and inspect the connector and debris and damaged legs. Damaged feet on the socket or processor are not covered under warranty. We are trying to fix it ourselves (with a knife or a small screwdriver, for example). If this does not work, you will have to replace the damaged part.
If the processor passes the test successfully - we carry out diagnostics of RAM .
If the test ends with errors, you need to determine which of the modules fails (if you have more than one). Set one memory stick and run the test again. Then do the same with the other module. If you cannot tell exactly which of the modules is faulty, try installing one at a time in different slots. The connector in the motherboard may be faulty.
We test the hard drive. Details -.
If the components have passed the test separately, we check the motherboard. How to do it below.
Test processor, memory and motherboard -
I will check the motherboard with the OCCT test with a large set. There the processor, RAM and motherboard should be tested. Although this is an open question. If anyone has other options to check the motherboard, please write in the comments.
We set the Testing Mode - Large set and run the computer.
If the computer shuts down or the test fails, it is most likely the motherboard. We tested everything else (processor and RAM) separately.
If there is no guarantee for the motherboard, you will have to buy a new one.
Test the power supply -
We tested all components separately. Remaining power supply. Let's check it out with the help of the familiar OCCT. Go to the POWER SUPPLY tab in the video card field from the drop-down list, select a discrete video card (if any) and start the test with the ON button
This test puts stress on the processor and video card forcing the power supply to work to its maximum.
If damaged files were found (for example by viruses) and restored, we reboot and check the stability of the computer with our daily work for a couple of days.
Reinstalling OC and Drivers
If none of the above helped, then I would reinstall the operating system.
Then the risk tends to 0. Details on how to update or reflash the BIOS -.
Conclusion
Friends! In this article I tried to bring my entire arsenal of ways to restore stable computer operation. I hope it will help you and your computer will stop spontaneously.
What do we usually do when we bring a computer with similar symptoms? We remove the HDD for diagnostics on another computer. We also check it for viruses there. In the meantime, we purge the system unit from dust, check the battery voltage (change it if necessary) and put the RAM test. If everything is good, we test the rest of the components. If the computer shuts down, change the power supply and repeat the tests.
If you have any questions please write. I will try to answer.
Computer shutdown spontaneously is a signal that cannot be ignored. The reasons for this misfortune are different, but they can be divided into two main groups- something is overheating and something is broken.
First, let's exclude unlikely:
Someone "joked" by installing an alarm clock program.
Such software, if configured appropriately, will shutdown the computer at specified hours. While generating tons of indignation from the unsuspecting user. If you are sitting on Windows 7, type in the word “autorun” in the “search”. Enter it, this folder should not contain third-party programs. You can also use the command "msconfig" (start-run) Field "Startup", check the running processes. (if something is unknown, you can unsubscribe in the comments)
A spontaneous computer shutdown is the first sign of overheating.
What in the computer can overheat? How can I check and fix it? Let us examine these questions in order.
Step 1
Therefore, the temperature of these devices must be checked. If it is higher than certain values, the trigger installed in the computer will work and the device will turn off, for you it will look like a spontaneous shutdown, but in fact, these are measures to protect your PC.
You can find out the temperature with the Aida program (or its older version - Everest).
Step 2. Bios versions are different, so I will not give screenshots, I will only say that you should look for inscriptions like “shut down the computer at a temperature ...” (translation: turn off the computer at t °)
It should also be remembered, when installing the drivers from the disks, were there any additional programs installed? Many of them can carry the same function, i.e. turn off the PC.
Step 3. Eliminate overheating - eliminate spontaneous shutdown.
A) Disconnect from the outlet, gently sweep the dust from the devices with a brush, you can do this with a can of compressed air or a vacuum cleaner.
B) Change the thermal paste under the heatsink on the CPU cooler. (CBT-8 is pretty good)
If you have a laptop, then more on that. + buy the same cooling pad, the issue price is 1000 rubles.
P.S. do not forget to clean the power supply unit. And if he is a Chinese no-name, installed by default in the case of the system unit - even more so.
Bloated conduits, non-working coolers- the second reason for the spontaneous shutdown of the computer.
It is checked elementary. All fans should spin, do it without unnecessary noise and rattling.
As for the conduits- here it is a little more difficult, good lighting is needed, we will examine two things: the motherboard and the power supply unit. We will search for barrels (see the picture)
How many conduits have you counted? (the correct answer is 5)
They should be smooth, free from swelling, swelling, darkening, rust, etc. If you find something like this, then alas, this is exactly what is the reason for the spontaneous shutdown of the computer.
What else?
If your device turns off only during games, or under heavy load, and you are sure that the high temperature is not the reason, then most likely the matter is in the lack of power supply unit.
Interesting on the blog:
Does your laptop shut down by itself? This is an alarm bell, which indicates that there are some problems with the laptop. Indeed, in most cases, the laptop turns off on its own due to the activation of the overheating protection. This prevents the possibility of damage to the device or its components.
Although there are other reasons why the laptop turns itself off. Therefore, below are the most common problems, as well as ways to solve them.
These tips are universal and suitable for any laptop - Asus, Acer, Lenovo, Sony Vaio, Samsung, HP Pavilion. After all, a similar problem happens to everyone.
One of the classic reasons. The laptop shuts down by itself, as it heats up quickly due to its compact size. Especially if you load it with games or heavy programs. And even more so if you use a laptop on a couch, bed or sitting in an armchair.
The fact is that it has special holes through which air circulates. This is how the laptop is cooled. And if you put it on a blanket or a thick tablecloth, then the holes are blocked, and air circulation is disrupted. The cooling system does not cope with its work, so at critical moments the laptop spontaneously turns off. As mentioned above, this triggers the overheating protection.
Typical signs that your laptop is overheating:
- does not turn on immediately after shutdown (it takes time for the components to cool down - then it will start);
- automatically turns off under heavy load - during a game, encoding files, or when running several programs at the same time (the greater the load on the processor, the faster it heats up);
- the case is too hot (you can feel this by the buttons on the keyboard - it will be impossible to touch them).
The solution to this problem is simple: use the laptop only on the table. Or on another flat surface. And if you buy a cooling pad, it's generally super. After all, you can sit with her on the couch, bed, in an armchair. In addition, it has a slight slope (convenient to work) and is equipped with additional fans to help cool the laptop.
But this only works if overheating was due to a violation of air circulation. If the reason is different (dust, thermal paste), then the solution will be different.
Dust clogging
Another reason why the laptop turns itself off during operation is dust. This is perhaps the most common problem. And the most common one is that users rarely clean their laptops, as a result of which they are constantly dusty. If the laptop began to turn off by itself - in 90% of cases, the reason is precisely in the dust.
By the way, this problem is very closely related to the previous one. After all, dust accumulates everywhere: on the processor, video card and in the cooling system. And if you use your laptop on a fluffy blanket, then it will clog up even faster.
As a result, the cooling system does not cope with its task:
- air circulation is disturbed (in advanced cases, the dust layer is 5-10 mm);
- the fan is buzzing loudly;
- the laptop starts to overheat, slow down, freeze.
And after a while, the laptop turns off by itself. And this again triggers the overheating protection.
These two reasons are the most common. If you clean the laptop of dust and make sure that the temperature is normal, then in most cases the problem will be solved. But there are others as well.
Laptop suddenly shuts down while running on battery
If the laptop turns off by itself without overheating, then the first thing to check is the condition of the battery. To do this, connect the laptop to the network and work on it for a couple of hours. If it no longer turns off, then the problem is in the battery.
The fact is that the batteries usually last for 2-3 years. While laptops last 5-7 years. This is a common thing: batteries always fail quickly.
Typical signs of their malfunction are:
- incorrect determination of the charge level;
- instant shutdown of the laptop when pulling out the power cord (here the battery is already completely inoperative);
- "Absence" of the battery (the laptop cannot determine it, considering that there is no battery at all).
Virus infection
Another reason why the laptop turns off by itself is viruses. There are a lot of them today, but this list includes such an infection as miners. They are used for mining (earning) bitcoins - the now popular virtual currency. This is a rather insidious virus that loads the processor and video card by 100%. This is how it is needed to mine (earn) bitcoins.
As a result, even on the desktop, your laptop will get very hot, slow down and freeze. And if you open the task manager, then there will be a high load on the CPU (central processing unit). Even if you didn't include any heavy programs.
Therefore, if the laptop constantly turns off by itself, it makes sense to check it for viruses. To do this, install any antivirus (Kaspersky, Avast, Avira), and at the same time scan the Windows system with a special utility to remove malware.
Faulty motherboard
Another reason that the laptop turns off unexpectedly is the breakdown of the motherboard (motherboard). This is the main component on which the rest of the components are installed (video card, RAM, processor), so even microcracks can lead to unexpected consequences.
Typical motherboard breakdowns:
- mechanical impact (accidentally dropped the laptop, hit with a heavy object, etc.);
- pouring water, tea, coffee;
- incorrect actions (disassembly and incorrect assembly).
There may also be problems with USB ports, cooling system (overheating of bridges), video adapter.
The wizards will help you solve this problem. After diagnostics, they will tell you why the laptop suddenly turns off, and if the reason was in the motherboard, they will offer you to fix or replace it.
The laptop often turns off by itself: other reasons
If the laptop shuts down by itself, and the temperature is normal, then the reason sometimes lies in the drivers. Because of them, there are many problems, including spontaneous shutdown of the device. You won't be able to check them manually, so here it is better to use a special program that will determine the relevance and operability of the drivers. And if necessary, it will offer to update them.
Another reason why the laptop turns off by itself is the BIOS. Errors in the firmware can turn off the device. If you have installed a new firmware and it is unstable, it is recommended to roll it back to the old one. In some cases, resetting BIOS settings helps.
There are two more reasons why the laptop shuts down on its own. They are quite rare, but they do happen sometimes. The first is a problem with the power supply. Due to constant voltage fluctuations, the laptop often turns itself off. And the second one is problems with RAM. Here, the easiest way is to change it (after all, it is inexpensive), although you can give your laptop for diagnostics - perhaps it will be repaired.
That's all. Above were listed the main reasons when the laptop itself turns off while working or starting a game. Therefore, if you encounter this problem, go through the list and try to fix the problem yourself. The main thing here is to determine for what reason the laptop turns itself off. And then all that remains is to fix the problem - on your own or by contacting the master for help.
