Desktop suddenly shuts down (DVD, bios, game, blue screen)

[psychofan]

I have a two years old HP Pavillion Slimline desktop s3000 (not sure exact model at the moment) that is giving me fits. For some strange reasons, the fan for this desktop is almost ALWAYS running. It's not a big deal at all. However, the last couple of times when I tried to run a complete antivirus scan of my computer, the scan would run for about 2 minutes then all of a sudden the computer just shuts down. Not a slow lack of activity shutdown process, but the entire system just "dies". It's like someone decided to pull the plug on the PC itself. Any ideas? I've used this computer to create DVDs of home movies before and once in a while, this sudden shutdown would occur (but not very often). No sudden shutdown with normal websurfing and game play (fan is again constantly running). Like I said, it has suddently shut down every time I run the antivirus scan and once in a while for DVD movie creation. I'm guess higher processing activity is forcing the sudden shutdown?

Any ideas on how to diagnose and fix the problem for someone who only has basic comprehension of computers.
OS is Vista.

[thecoalman]

Sudden unexpected shutdowns especially when doing processor intensive things like encoding video is usually indicative of a overheating CPU. Computers are designed to be self preserving, when they get to a critical stage they'll shut off. A case fan constantly running would be an indication of that but only if it's one that will go faster or slower depending on the heat. Some are just on all the time, depends on what type you have.

Open up the case and check the heatsink on the CPU, it's most like caked with dust and can't get rid of the heat. It will most likely be a aluminum looking "box" with fins and fan on top of it.

heatsink - Google Image Search

[psychofan]

Thanks, I'll open it up and check on that. With regards to the fan, yep, it does run faster and slows down quite a bit during the always running state.

[swagger]

97% likely to be heat - "thecoalman"s advice is dead-on. The PC's 2 years old - have you ever opened it up and blown the dust out of it? You should do that every 3-6 months as routine maintenance. You can get cans of compressed air at office supply stores, computer stores, etc.

[thecoalman]

Forgot to add the important stuff ...


Word of warning, be sure to disconnect everything from the case before opening it and keep in mind static electricity will fry it faster than you blink your eye if you touch the wrong thing. They have little wrist bands to prevent this. Most techs just touch a metal part of the case.

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by thecoalman

Forgot to add the important stuff ...


Word of warning, be sure to disconnect everything from the case before opening it and keep in mind static electricity will fry it faster than you blink your eye if you touch the wrong thing. They have little wrist bands to prevent this. Most techs just touch a metal part of the case.

Just don't touch components on the motherboard or any expansion cards that may be installed, and keep the heel of your hand or arm resting on the bare metal chassis. Also much less of a problem in the warmer humid months, vs. during cold weather.

But I agree with others here, this is very likely a heat, overheating problem. Suprised that you don't get a BIOS message when you power it back on that it shut down due to overheating (I've seen a number of Dell's do this)

[NHDave]

As mentiond your CPU heatsink is likely clogged with dust. DO NOT vacuum out the dust, blow it out, vacuuming can create a static charge that can fry the logic board and/or other electronic components.

[Draconiator]

I had the same problem with the fans mysteriously changing speeds.. After a few days I decided to check the CPU fans to see what was going on. I found like 5 huge dustballs in there (I couldn't reach a 6th) and ever since I cleaned it, my CPU fan has been running normally.

[Roselvr]

Originally Posted by Asheville Native

But I agree with others here, this is very likely a heat, overheating problem. Suprised that you don't get a BIOS message when you power it back on that it shut down due to overheating (I've seen a number of Dell's do this)

Usually a computer blue screens or restarts.
The OP needs to go into the control panel and set it to show the message instead of restarting.

This is for XP - I don't have my vista side running right now dual boot). I think putting the control panel on classic view will give the same options as XP.
Control panel - system - advanced - startup & recovery.

Originally Posted by NHDave

As mentiond your CPU heatsink is likely clogged with dust. DO NOT vacuum out the dust, blow it out, vacuuming can create a static charge that can fry the logic board and/or other electronic components.

I 1st take a paintbrush (not a fine one but a nicer sized round one) and pull the dust out that way. I also have small needle nose pliers (carefully using them) that work well.

I don't like to just blow the dust out of fans, and when I do blow the fan, I hold it in place so that the fan doesn't spin with the air.

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by Roselvr

Usually a computer blue screens or restarts.
The OP needs to go into the control panel and set it to show the message instead of restarting.

This is for XP - I don't have my vista side running right now dual boot). I think putting the control panel on classic view will give the same options as XP.
Control panel - system - advanced - startup & recovery.

No it doesn't, this is a BIOS function, not an OS function, and it will POWER ITSELF OFF if it senses the CPU is too hot with any OS, or even NO OS, but simply powered on. The temperature at which this occurs can even be set in some BIOS's.

Read the OP's description of symptoms where they said the system just dies like someone "pull the plug on the PC itself" and that is not a BSOD, but a power off very possibly the result of a sensed overheating problem.