Technological help

[Rakala]

Okay, I don't have much time. My computer keeps screwing over and I can't get much done. My problem is this, if I leave it on for too long it will start to buzz and it will either turn it self off, restart, or give me the blue screen of death. Every time it does this I have to reset all my firewalls and defenses. I'm baffled as to what the problem is. I've cleaned out the harddrive, done 3 successive virus scans, all different programs and to no avail. Please give me some ideas before I go to a shop for help.

[Tapewolf]

First, boot and run memtest 86+.  You can download an ISO image here:

http://www.memtest.org/

Also, after a failure, you might want to go into the BIOS and check the system temperature, in case one of the fans has stopped, since an overheating system can have similar symptoms to what you're describing.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Wot he said. ;-]

Sounds very much like overheating, or a problem with the power supply. The latter, memtest86 is likely to show it, as well, though.

[Tapewolf]

We lost two machines at work to overheating.

One of them was early on in the life of the business - around 2003 - and it was a 200MHz machine we were using as our server, because it was too feeble to do much else.  One day we were working away when there was a sound like someone digging up the road with one of those circular saws.  Since we were on the top of a four-storey building, I was kind of curious and looked out the window, but I couldn't see the workmen.  Then the network went down.
About that point I realised that the noise was coming from the server.  We opened it up and I found that all the fans were completely caked with dust.  Taking them apart and cleaning them out completely got it to boot but something unfortunately permanent had happened to it and we weren't able to get W2K3 to start - or even reinstall - ever again.

The second casualty, last year, was a 1998 HP machine at about 533MHz which I was using as a Linux box for cgi development.  It began to reboot of its own accord, which it had never done before, and it did this again and again.  When I touched the cover, it was very, very warm.
As I took the lid off, there was this great wave of heat radiating out of the thing.  I had to leave it to cool down before I could check anything!  Unfortunately it wouldn't even switch on afterwards, much less boot 

[Rakala]

I was thinking it was overheating for awhile. But now it won't even stay on for 2 hours before failing. I'll try your suggestion but honestly I'm not optimistic. But usually when it goes out it's out of commission for the rest of the day. Thanks for the advice, I will tell you the result.

[Reese Tora]

honestly, overheating sounds likely, and the shortening time sounds like confirmation (as dust builds up, the time to over heat decreases)

The quickest and cheapest thing to try is to grab a can of compressed air at any computer store, open up the case, and blow air at anything that looks dusty, concentrating on the heatsink and fan on the CPU.

The buzzing sounds is probably the fan on the CPU spinning faster and faster, but not quite right because of a build up of, again, dust.

Fortunately, more modern PCs have a built in heat sensor that turns off the computer to prevent permanent damage from occuring. (turning off and restarting are possibly results of this feature)

[Rakala]

Well I tried the compressed air again. I don't know if it's worked yet or not because I had to leave. I'm currently on a friends computer. I will find out if it worked or not about 3:00 (Central time)

[Rakala]

After trying many things including cleaning out the computer, doing the memtest, and even running 4 successive virus scans of different programs, I have gained nothing except an extra half hour at a time. Has there ever been just a computer that just gave up one day? I think maybe Victor (that's what we call my computer) just needs to be put down. If there are any other suggestions I'm open but I'm not optimistic at this point.

[Tapewolf]

What temperature is the BIOS reporting?

[Rakala]

ACtually it was quite cool. I'm thinking I need to take it in for professional help.

[Llewelyn]

When it's on, try putting your ear near the power supply and listening.  Maybe try listening near the other fan locations if you rememebr where they are with the system closed. If you can figure out where the sound is coming from in the first place that could be a big clue.

[Rakala]

Too late. It's already in the store for diagnostics. Depending on the problem I may be able to fix he problem myself, or I may have to pay them again to fix it because I'm not hardware savvy.