Computer Shutting Down By Itself? Could Be Overheating!
Heat is a leading cause of damage to computer hardware. Computers produce a massive amount of heat during normal operation. The heat is dissipated using a variety of strategies, including heat sinks and fans. This allows the computer to work at a safe operating temperature. If computers overheat, they are prone to random restarts and shut downs. In the worst case scenario, an overheated computer will simply operate until the CPU is destroyed. At that time, its bye bye computer. Lets take a look at the most common reasons for a computer to overheat, and some strategies to help prevent a disaster
The CPU is the single most biggest heat producer inside your computer. CPU temperatures are kept under control by means of a heat sink and fan. The heat sink is a cube shaped chunk of metal with multiple fins on the top, and a flat bottom. These fins help dissipate and distribute the heat coming off the CPU. The flat bottom sits on top of the CPU. A fan sits on top of the heat sink, which blows cool air through the fins. This essentailly “blows away” the heat and in turn keeps the CPU cool. So what we have here is a 3 layer sandwich. It looks like this:
Fan
Heat Sink
CPU
There are 3 main reasons why CPU’s overheat:
1) The CPU settings have been incorrectly configured at the BIOS level and the CPU is running way too hot. If you don’t know what the BIOS is, please pretend you never read this. If you are currently pretending you never read this, please do not worry about reason number 1; you absolutely positively have nothing to worry about 
2) The CPU fan has died, or is in the process of dying. If the fan is not operating 100%, the heat will not be blown off the heat sink and the result is an overheated CPU. This is a relatively common problem. Bad, very bad.
3) The heat sink is clogged with dust, dog hair, and debris. The heat sink will not be able to do its job in this situation, therefore compromising the safety of the CPU. This is an extremely common problem.
How can you tell if your computer may have fallen victim to overheating?
-Your computer may be very hot to the touch. Specifically, on the right side of the tower (if you are looking at the computer from the front).
-The “sounds” coming from inside the computer tower change over time. It will get louder and noisier, or start to “rattle.” Conversely, the computer may be dead quiet and you will hear almost no noise at all. These scenarios indicate a dying fan, a dead fan, or a clogged heat sink.
-The computer restarts randomly, or shuts itself off. This is a safety feature built into the hardware. Some systems will shut themselves down when they reach a certain temperature to prevent any permanent damage.
What can we do to stop this from happening? Well, there are a couple of things you can do to help keep dust and debris out of your system.
-Keep your computer up off the floor to prevent rolling dust bunnies from being sucked into the computer.
-Make a habit of vacuuming around the computer tower, especially if you have pets.
Above all else, trust your gut instinct. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, call a professional computer technician. Have your computer hardware serviced on a regular bases to avoid problems with dying fans, or clogged heat sinks. It’s always better to be safe than sorry!
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June 29th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Hi :- I have had trouble with my computer shutting off since Friday .When I brought this site it was very helpful . Wilma
July 1st, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Hello Wilma,
Thanks for taking the time to comment! I’m glad you were able to find some value in this blog entry. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate. Take care!
July 1st, 2008 at 5:56 pm
Hi Colin :- I had to take my Computer in to my service man . It was the Power Supply he had to replace it. But I did find your site very informative.I would also like to thankyou for the reply it was really appreciated. Wilma
July 2nd, 2008 at 7:25 am
Gud work….Thanks for this….ur site is very much infromative….!
I had a same problem now its solved..!
Thank You..!
Niti5h 4n4nd
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:20 am
Wilma,
Yes a dead or dying power supply is the most obvious culprit when a computer will not turn on or stay on. Its good news that a power supply solved your problem, as they are not too too expensive.
Please come back again! Can I suggest that you subscribe to my RSS feed?
All the best!
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:23 am
Hey Jack,
Your kinds words are very much welcomed. Thanks!
Good to hear that you were able to get to the bottom of your computer issue. Happy surfing, and please do come back! If you know any Non Techies, let them know about the blog!
Take care!
July 6th, 2008 at 9:27 am
My computers fan broke a year ago and since then I have been a regular (wall) fan behind the computer to lower the temperature.
Ever since then periodically the computer would overheat and automatically shutdown (if the fan was off or tilted in the wrong direction) or manually be shut down after overheating and I’ll have to cool it down and unplug and replug the computer to start it up again
A few nights ago my computer overheated when the fan was off and after about 2 hours someone pulled the plug and didn’t cool down the computer and now it wouldn’t turn on at all.
Is the CPU fried or is something wrong with the power supply?
How would I know/do about it ?
July 7th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Hello yt,
Thanks for stopping by at Technology For Non Techies.
First things first. You should never ever operate a computer without the proper heatsink and fan for your CPU. A wall fan will not serve the same purpose. You should have the CPU fan replaced immediately.
Once the CPU reaches a certain temperature, it will shut down as a safety precaution. It is not good to continually allow the CPU to reach maximum operating temperature, cool, and repeat; this is a disaster waiting to happen.
To diagnose your situation, you must first determine if your power supply is good. The easiest way to do this is to temporarily install a known good power supply, and see if the computer will start. If so, you’re old power supply is dead. If the computer will still not start, your CPU is likely fried. It could also possibly be the motherboard, but this is far less likely.
I really hope that your hardware is still alive! All the best.
July 14th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Hello,
I have a question, I am skilled in networking, but not so much in hardware.. My cousin just gave me a laptop which has been over heated while he was driving (hes a truck driver and accidentally put a sweater on the computer while its was on). It still turns on and all but when it starts to heat up and the fans start working on full power, the computer shuts down all of the applications, the screen, and speakers right away, how ever it appears to still be on and the fans are working and all of the motherboard lights are on. Does any one know what could be the problem?
All suggestions would be helpful!
Thanks so much,
Maciej
July 15th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Maciej,
I appreciate you leaving a comment on the technology blog. Thanks!
If you believe the computer is overheating, you may want to try clearing dust and debris from the exhaust port. The exhaust port is where you feel the warm air expelled during laptop operation. If you have access to compressed air, try shooting some air through the exhaust port to clear the dust. Laptops can be very temperamental when it comes to dust clogging the heatsink; it may in fact only be a thin layer which is causing the problems.
If this fails to rectify the problem, you should seek the opinion of a qualified computer technician.
All the best Maciej!
July 16th, 2008 at 4:14 am
hello , i have almost the same problem yesterday my friend he put on my pc a tower cooller for my CPU and it works fine at his place. when i got home i turn on the pc and start workin on it turn off after 10 mins or 5 mins to restart and sometimes it freez and i have a bad screen DELL ! and the VGA give my like vabratine lines on the screen like when ur phone calls near to the screen any one can help ? :S
i have a :
Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.00GHz (2 CPUs) Dual core
2 GB of DDR2 ram
160 GB hard disk
ATI RADEON XPRESS 200 Built in
Realtek HD Audio output Built in
My board is Intel 102 original
Samsung dvd writer 16
i was thinking about the probolme that i have is it maybe from my PSU ??
July 16th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
I found your blog while researching the possibilities as to why my daughter’s computer would not turn on. I opened the computer, pulled out the power supply, and vacuumed and dusted everything I could. I heard something rattling in the power supply, so I opened it up and I found a little cylinder shaped thing (I’m thinking it’s a transistor or fuse…I don’t know what it is called). It is blue and black, it has the following written on it: 220mF (it’s not really an M, but I can’t make the symbol) and then it has 2.5V. I thought I saw a spot where it came out of, so I matched up the negative side and stuck it back in. It turns out that it was better off without it, as you will see. I carefully put the plug back in and the fans whirred and spun for a bit and then a little green light lit up on what I think is the motherboard. I think this means that the power supply is working, but the computer will still not turn completely on. Any suggestions? Oh - I just left that little cylinder thing out for now. I guess I could show it to a tech at Best Buy or something if necessary. I’m hoping I can replace whatever is not working myself. I think that the heat got to the computer. My daughter is upstairs (it’s hot up there) and has a tendency to leave the computer on (much to my chagrin). Thanks for any tips you can offer.
July 16th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
Hi Joesph,
If the computer is freezing & restarting, I would definitely suspect a thermal issue. Have a technician verify that you are indeed using the correct heatsink and fan for your CPU, and that it is working properly free of dust and debris.
Thanks for the message, and all the best!
July 16th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
Debbie,
Thank you for the question!
Firstly, I do not recommend that you open up a power supply; more importantly you should not operate your computer after removing a component from the power supply. If you suspect the power supply is dead or dying, simply replace it and away you go. They are not too expensive, around $50 give or take. I would definitely try this first and see if it rectifies the problem.
Good Luck Debbie!
December 12th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Hi,
I have a 2 year old Dell Dimension E521 desk computer. For the past month, it has been shutting down every few mornings as soon as it is on. I’ve to reboot it and then it goes on for the day. Would you know the reason for the shut down as the tower is turned off for the night, so it is not the case of overheating? I am concerned that it is not leading to a computer crash, die on me suddenly.
Thanks
Bill
December 21st, 2008 at 6:49 pm
Hey Bill,
I would have the computer check out by a qualified technician. Its hard to say if its a thermal issue, hardware failure, or a software problem. Have you tried doing a virus scan on the computer with AVG? Viruses are a possibility. Your best bet is to have the computer checked out by a professional. In the mean time, make sure to make backups of everything you would want to keep in the event of a complete system failure. Burn the data to a blank DVD +R and keep it in a safe place.
Good Luck,
Colin.
December 25th, 2008 at 7:38 am
i got crazy about my laptop is always overheating and shutting down instantly so i opened it up, took my vacuum cleaner, cranked it to max power and sucked out all the hair and dust.
it runs perfectly now, also, its so silent again. the fan doesn’t make all that noice it did before. first, i was really worried id killed the fan but i can feel the airflow.
a real success for an amateur, hope this helps someone!!
January 17th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
ollie,
Yes laptops are especially sensitive to heat and the slightest buildup in the thermal distribution system can cause big problems. Freeing the airways from hair, dirt, and debris was a smart thing to do! I’m glad it worked for you ollie.
Thanks for the comment,
Colin.
February 17th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
From what I can tell the biggest cause, by far, is to much dust. The easiest way to prevent overheating is by using canned air or and air compressor to blow out the computer. Compressed air seems to work better than a vacuum at getting all of the dust out of the fins of the heat sink.
March 31st, 2009 at 9:48 am
Hey Jon,
Thanks for leaving that piece of advice. For the ambitious do-it-yourselfer your tutorial may be a light forward. Much care must be taken when blowing out the dust with an air compressor. Moisture and too much pressure can create more problems than being solved.
Jon Cool website! Would you like to exchange blogroll links?
Come back soon,
Colin.
June 8th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
What you might do when computer is off, get a small magnifing glass and check the diodes on the MB. See if it looks like the top might be a light to dark brown or if it looks like the top has ruptured, this will cause the problem discribed….Take it to a good repair shop or replace the MB. You could also replace it yourself if you feel you are good at soldering…..Not really that hard…..
December 17th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Hi JAmes,
Thanks for your expertise. Indeed, a blown Diode or Capacitor is a tell-tale sign of motherboard failure. That dark brown substance that you are referring to is the electrolyte oozing from the capacitor. A dying motherboard can cause random behaviour before a complete failure occurs.
Cheers,
Colin.
May 12th, 2010 at 10:49 pm
Because I have two cats I have to clean but my machine at least once a month. Some people are very surprised to actually see all the dust, dirt and hair that gets trapped in your computer. Very important computer repair tip.
July 16th, 2010 at 7:18 pm
Hi Slow Computer,
Yes, very good point - Having pets around the home can greatly increase the frequency in which the Tower will become clogged with hair. We love our pets, but they don’t get along well with computers (If I had a nickel for every time a cat walks across a keyboard, I’d be wealthier than Mr. Gates)
Smile,
Colin