Computer turns off

[At Work Chris]

Hello guys,

I have been trying to solve this issue for a week now. My computer will just turn off about 12 times per day. The fan kicks in like there are a ton of things running when they are not and then it will just turn off.

I have tried the following to no avail.

1. Norton scan - Runs all the way through and does not find any infections. All of my virus definitions are also up to date.
2. Ad-Aware scan - Scanned on Friday and found 4 things. I removed all 4 of these.
3. Spybot scan - This scan shuts off the computer in the middle of the scan.
4. Windows Defender scan - This scan also shuts off the computer in the middle of it.
5. Disc Defragmentation - I performed this last week and the report said there were some files that could not be moved.
6. Scan Disc - Completed last week.
7. Booted in safe mode and tried fixing there. No resolution
8. Booted with the last known good configuration of windows. Did not solve the issue.
9. Trend Micro online scan - Computer shut down during the scan.

Anyone have any other options to help me out?

[md usa spybot fan]

It is possible that the CPU overheating and the system is shutting down to protect the processor.

Skeptical? If you doubt that this can be the cause of a shutdown during a Spybot scan and other CPU intensive scans, read the following:
Spybot causes shut down (Solution - Blew out heat sink)
http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=2163
PC crashes while Spybot is running (Solution - Blew out heat sink)
http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=2230
Spybot wont run (Solution – Vacuumed the fan ["hovering the fan" actually])
http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=2685
spybot related shutdown (Solution – Member did not specify the corrective action taken, but did comment: "Success!!!! Yes!!! It worked. Thats amazing.")
http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=3796
spybot shuts down computer while scanning (Solution – Fixed loose heat sink)
http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=4582
Suggestions:
Make sure that the fans are running and that dust is cleared from any ventilation ports in the case.
For desktops (See Caution! below):
Consider opening the case and checking to make sure the CPU heat sink is not dusty or loose. There is a tutorial on cleaning desktop computers here:
Cleaning the Interior of your PC
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial118.html
For laptops (See Caution! below):
If your owner's manual tells you how to open the case (IBM ThinkPads and Dell Inspirons generally do), consider opening the case and checking to make sure the CPU heat sink is not dusty.
If you have a laptop with one of the one of the following processors:
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
Caution!
Before open the case on any PC make sure that you read the owner's manual for that specific PC. This is extremely important not only for your well being due to electrical hazards but also for your PC's well being due to the possibility of static electricity discharges that can damage your PC.
If you are in the least bit hesitant about opening the case of your PC, please err on the side of caution and seek professional help.

[At Work Chris]

It is possible that the CPU overheating and the system is shutting down to protect the processor.

Skeptical? If you doubt that this can be the cause of a shutdown during a Spybot scan and other CPU intensive scans, read the following:
Spybot causes shut down (Solution - Blew out heat sink)
http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=2163
PC crashes while Spybot is running (Solution - Blew out heat sink)
http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=2230
Spybot wont run (Solution – Vacuumed the fan ["hovering the fan" actually])
http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=2685
spybot related shutdown (Solution – Member did not specify the corrective action taken, but did comment: "Success!!!! Yes!!! It worked. Thats amazing.")
http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=3796
spybot shuts down computer while scanning (Solution – Fixed loose heat sink)
http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=4582
Suggestions:
Make sure that the fans are running and that dust is cleared from any ventilation ports in the case.
For desktops (See Caution! below):
Consider opening the case and checking to make sure the CPU heat sink is not dusty or loose. There is a tutorial on cleaning desktop computers here:
Cleaning the Interior of your PC
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial118.html
For laptops (See Caution! below):
If your owner's manual tells you how to open the case (IBM ThinkPads and Dell Inspirons generally do), consider opening the case and checking to make sure the CPU heat sink is not dusty.
If you have a laptop with one of the one of the following processors:
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
Caution!
Before open the case on any PC make sure that you read the owner's manual for that specific PC. This is extremely important not only for your well being due to electrical hazards but also for your PC's well being due to the possibility of static electricity discharges that can damage your PC.
If you are in the least bit hesitant about opening the case of your PC, please err on the side of caution and seek professional help.


I would normally not be skeptical of what you are saying but the computer does not only shut down during CPU intensive scans. I can boot it up and leave it sit with nothing running. It will still shut down within 30-45 minutes.

And I do not have it set to turn off hard drives or monitor or computer after a certain amount of time.

[bitman]

I would normally not be skeptical of what you are saying but the computer does not only shut down during CPU intensive scans. I can boot it up and leave it sit with nothing running. It will still shut down within 30-45 minutes.

And I do not have it set to turn off hard drives or monitor or computer after a certain amount of time.

This follows perfectly with a heat problem, especially if the fan starts running at high speed just before the computer shuts dowm, since that's its last resort to protect itself from damage. It should happen even faster if you perform a scan since that works the processor harder.

The difference in your case is that you're having the problem even without heavy use, which indicates a severe problem like blocked vents, another failed fan, or possibly problems with the CPU heatsink/fan assembly not being properly fused to the processor with either heatsink tape or compound.

You didn't recently have the processor replaced or anything else inside the case changed by any chance?

No matter what, you've got a hardware problem based on your description, and a quite severe one. I'd either open the case and take a quick look or else contact the store/manufacturer if it's either still in warranty, recently upgraded or you just aren't comfortable doing it yourself.

Bitman