Why Spybot S&D switches my PC off?

[janesmythe]

Since recently I can't run Spybot because it switches my PC off somewhere close to the last third of scanning. This only happens with v.1.4 as I have another PC with v.1.3 that scans just fine. My OS is XP Professional, and I've got Norton Antivirus 2002. Uninstall/install Spybot doesn't help. Any idea what's going on?

[md usa spybot fan]

Since recently I can't run Spybot because it switches my PC off somewhere close to the last third of scanning.
Laptop?

Possibly the CPU is overheating and the system is shutting down to protect the processor. Make sure that the fans are running and that dust is cleared from any ventilation ports in the case.

By the way this problem is not limited to Spybot 1.4. It was reported in the past with Spybot 1.3 and other processes such as anti-virus scans. Also the problem is not limited to laptops although the problem is more prevalent in laptops than in desktops.

If you have one of the following processers:
Mobile Pentium III-M
Mobile Pentium 4-M
Mobile Pentium 4
Mobile Pentium M / Centrino
Mobile AMD
Take a look at following suggestion by 100mill (http://forums.spybot.info/member.php?u=2965):
Notebook CPU running hot during Spybot scan
http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=1816

[janesmythe]

Thanks for your reply, but it's a desktop. Spybot is behaving quite odd. Like I said it all started recently, let's say three weeks ago and at first it was happening from time to time. At one time it runs nicely, at some other time it shuts the machine down. Just today, while I was running Norton (that's why I mentioned it), clicking on Spybot shut PC down. After that I was able to run it up to the same point (last third of the scanning) and then it shut the PC down. I'm just wondering if it's possible that some program being scanned shuts it down, because it always happens at the same point?

[md usa spybot fan]

Thanks for your reply, but it's a desktop.
That sound somewhat like a dismissal of the possibility that the problem could be a physical problem rather than a software problem. As I tried to indicate thermal shutdowns are not necessarily limited to laptops, just more prevalent in laptops. Did you physically check to make sure that the CPU/enclosure fan is running (not the power supply fan)? Also in some systems the fan will increase in speed if the CPU heats up, Does yours? Have you ever/recently cleaned/dusted the inside of your PC?

Since the system is shutting down, it is possible that cause of the shutdown is being captured in a log. These logs that may help diagnose the problem.
In Windows XP software problems may be captured in the Event Viewer:
Click Start and Control Panel.
Double-click on Administrative Tools. If you do not see the Administrative Tools icon, you need to change your view. On the left-hand side of the window, click "Switch to Classic View", then double-click on Administrative Tools.
Double-click on the Event Viewer.
Click on "System" in the left-hand column.
Now, in the right-hand side of the window, look for any event which might give you an idea as what is happening.
Double-click on the event and it will open the Event Properties with additional details.
Some system capture hardware problems that may help determine the cause.
My Dell has a in a BIOS "System Event Log" that records problems. To view it you have to re-boot, press F2 to get into the BIOS screen and then select "System Event Log".


Just today, while I was running Norton (that's why I mentioned it), clicking on Spybot shut PC down.
Loading the Spybot program or starting a scan with it?


After that I was able to run it up to the same point (last third of the scanning) and then it shut the PC down. I'm just wondering if it's possible that some program being scanned shuts it down, because it always happens at the same point?
During the running of a Spybot scan ("Check for problems") the status bar shows the following:
"Running bot-check(xxxxx/yyyyy:zzzzzz)" where:
xxxxx = Current check count
yyyyy = Total check count
zzzzz = Malware being checked for
The xxxxx or the zzzzz portion of the status display would indicate if you were actually at same point in the scan and if the same malware was being checked when the system shut down. If this varies it would indicate to me that it is not a specific malady in the system causing the problem.

That is all the advice that I can give you. If it not a physical problem with your PC the only other advice I can offer is to visit the Malware removel forum and have the helper there check your PC for software problems.

Follow the instructions here:
Before you post a log
http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=288
Then post in the following forum:
Malware Removal
http://forums.spybot.info/forumdisplay.php?f=22