Member Avatar for impaktfims

Not sure if this is a virus or spyware issue... but my Sony Vaio desktop is shutting off about 5-7 times a day, seems like something is causing it to crash... It shuts off when the computer isn't being used as well. Any idea what might be causing this? Any and all help is greatly appreciated. Thanx in advance.

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Quick, practical path to isolate the cause (builds on and ): back up important data first. Note whether the machine truly loses power (fans/LEDs off) or reboots — that distinction points to hardware (power/PSU/motherboard) versus software/drivers/BSOD. Record the exact times of shutdowns so you can match them to logs or events later.

Suggested checklist (in order, keeping safety/warranty in mind):

  • Reproduce and observe: does the shutdown happen under load or when idle? Do fans stop immediately?
  • Power basics: try a different mains outlet/cable/UPS. If possible, test with a known-good PSU or PSU tester before opening the case.
  • Persistent hardware checks: run a multi-pass memory test (Windows Memory Diagnostic or MemTest86). Run an overnight SMART/offline test with the drive maker's utility (drive failure can cause hangs that look like power loss, as experienced).
  • OS diagnostics: as pointed toward logs, capture Windows System events around the time (look for Kernel-Power / Event ID 41 or unexpected shutdown entries). Disable automatic restart on system failure to capture a blue screen if one occurs. Run sfc /scannow and chkdsk /r, and scan with an up-to-date antimalware tool.
  • Isolation step: boot from a Linux Live USB and run for a day — if it still powers off, hardware is almost certainly at fault.

Next steps: replace the failed component (PSU/hard drive/motherboard) once testing isolates it, or try a clean OS install if software issues persist. If the machine is under warranty, contact Sony/VAIO support before opening the case.

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Member Avatar for Chaky

Look at event viewer logs if you can find any clue to what is going on (part of administrative tools). If you find any errors or warnings, be sure to post them here.

Member Avatar for Geeek

I had a similar problem on a Vaio notebook. Turned out to be a defective hard drive. Diagnosis software did not pick it up initially.

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