Computer randomly shuts down and I am gettin frustrated

[crayolacracker]

Alright.. So I just got my computer back from the shop. I needed a new motherboard so.. whalla.. New motherboard!.. Not sure what type it is but I read it had overclocking.. Not sure what that is either. I am pretty computer illiterate.

Idont have much installed on my computer.. Yahoo, Ventrilo, World of Warcraft and some music files and what not.. Anyway.. Aside from needing more memory, I was wondering if my video card was out of date...

When my computer turns off. It doesnt completely turn off. I can hear it power down, and my monitor goes black but to restart I must turn it on and off. Before taking it back into the expensive per hour computer shop I was hoping to possibly solve some of my issues beforehand.

Could it be that I do not have enough ram that my computer craps out within moments of being turned on, or could it be an outdated crappy video card that shuts it down? What is overclocking? Could that be what's turning it off?

I heard in lots of threads like mine, that it has to do with the cpu itself but that doesnt make sense because I just got it back from the shop and everything tested to be fine. It's also been said that it could be overheating.. but my room is halfway underground with only but a small space heater to keep me warm so, I really really doubt it's overheating.

I can take the cover off of my computer.. I'm sorry I don't know what type of motherboard was installed (I left the booklet at my lovers house and he's gone for the weekend) All I know is, if I can get in a good 10 minutes of computer time before it shutting down i'd be a happy camper.

I can't even poke around windows, to uninstall or reinstall programs to see if that is what the issue is. Sometimes it works for me, and I can play on it for hours, but others, it gives me lots of trouble. Help me if you can please!!!

Thanks for your time!

-CrayolaCracker-

*Edit* Forgot to mention, when I do restart, and if I can get in a "windows recovered from an error send report?" Thing, it comes up with a video card issue. Some sort of stop error thingy. Tells me to down the work of the video card or something or try to update my drivers. It's all updated.. so I was curious as to if this WAS my problem or is this their answer to every type of computer crash?

[vikonava]

some computers do that especially toshibas since they get real hot and ther turn off automatically

[crayolacracker]

Alright so I figured out that it isn't a video card issue..

I removed the device driver thing that came with the hardware, and my computer stopped randomly turning off. So it isn't the hardware it's the software I had used to install the wireless itself. I tried to download the drivers online, toss em onto a disc and then do it that way but, it still randomly turns off. It says its compatible with windows, BUT obviously not my windows haha.. Anyone know a way to fix the driver other than updating all of my stuff? IS contacting the company worth the time?

[jbennet]

is your wireless by any chance a Belkin 802.11 g PCI card?

I got that one and it makes XP reboot (it hates it) - i googled and found out what chipset it used (ralink) and downlaoded that driver of the chipset manufacturers site