I've experienced lots of computer problems before, but random shutdowns?

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Jawnskeel

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Ok so here's the story. The computer has vista (user doesn't want to upgrade, even with the free update disc from when he purchased the computer). I thought it was an OS probem initially. But, even with some DOS, it shuts down while using the computer. I thought okay, cpu overheating, but even stress testing the computer with stressing programs, no reboot. Then I started surfing the internet for more solutions, and it randomly shuts down on me. I decided to use this Fedora Live CD I had to see how it performs in Linux, and it had memtest on it. Memtested, the first time it shut down. The second time it completely went through the memory test.

So I don't think it's the RAM. I loaded up Fedora, and it said the hard drive has bad sectors. First time a hard drive has ever failed on me.

But it still works most of the time. And why would the hard drive cause a random reboot on a DOS? Or in Memtest???


Very confused, and I'm going to reccomend the owner opens up the computer and cleans as much dust out as possible. But some bad sectors on the drive doesn't mean the drive is completely dead though does it?



I don't experience BSODs, but it does shut down. Please help me narrow down the issues. I wish I had a spare drive to swap out, but I'd have to order one. I guess it may be time to update my macbook to an SSD so I'd have a spare drive.

Edit: Installing google chrome works fine, except for an issue loading a user profile or something. After a random shutdown and boot-up, it disappears.


Edit2: I have an installation of windows 7 on one of my laptops that has an SATA hard drive. I use this installation for installing/reinstalling phone software, doing hardware tests, and basically allowing anything to go on. No important or secure information on it, and no antivirus. I'll just reinstall the OS on it on the other computer and see how it runs. The OS took forever to load on the other hard drive, and even after it loaded, loading different windows took very long as well. It has a pentium dual core with 3GB ram, so it definitely shouldn't be that slow.





Edit 3: The swapped hard drive works perfectly well. I still don't understand the random shut downs while on DOS, but it seems to be very responsive now, loads up in a flash, and stays responsive while in use. Also reboots do not cause any data to be lost.
 
Sounds like a very screwed up job you have there,but how often does the user check his computer for software problems, defrag and any other stuff like that ??
Truth be told, he won't like this when you tell him this but I think sp1 and sp2 is in order to keep most things patched up.
When a os does not even have that with no antivirus watching the front door for pests or even cleaning out some stuff.... yeah your asking for hurricane andrew to come on through with that pc.

Just to be safe test his power supply with a voltage meter, any computer that starts that up with constant reboots with a black screen trying to get into windows and will eventually give you a bsod, is letting you know the psu maybe weakening.
 
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