PC crashing every day

My Pc is crashing every day , sometimes 2 or 3 times a day .. i have AVG security and have done a scan and no threats or viruses are detected..
please can somebody advice me the best course of action to take .. when it crashes i rec the message below ..and to re start the PC i have to switch it off at the socket and start again as i lose the mouse pointer and it all goes dead .. Thanks so much for any help and advice ... Micky

 

looks like the fan on top of the processor has stopped working and the processor is overheating. Easy to determine if this is the cause by removing the cover and starting it up. If the fan is not working you need to get a new one fitted. Don't forget to ground yourself to remove static electricity before touching anything inside your computer.

 

Thanks Anthorn .. not sure really as it mainly crashes when im either playing a simple game or watching a u tube clip or in fact any other clips .. it never crashes with normal use like sending or rec e mails .. i can hear a whirring noise coming from the tower ? .. would that be the fan ? .. though its not very loud .. but i cant remember how loud the fan is or was .. seems like when you ask the PC to something a little more demading it crashes ..

 

Thanks Marley for your time a very intresting link .. am having a read through
Micky

 

Often a problem with hardware drivers. Less often a problem with the hardware itself.

Sounds like the display driver is corrupt. I.e. the piece of software that controls the video display. Games and youtube will use 'hardware rendering' whereas less video intensive stuff wont. If you have the installation CDs/DVDs for your computer, it might be worth reinstalling the hardware drivers. If not, you can usually get them off the web.

Again possibly video related, but could also be overheating if the fan isn't doing its job. Is it a laptop or a desktop? Desktops have a tendency of doing an impression of a vacuum cleaner. After a while they become chock full of dust, and things can start to go wrong as a result. Sometimes it is a simply case of opening the case and vacuuming it all out.

 

Thankyou clueless my PC is a desk top so i WILL have a look to see if its full of dust and needs a vac out first of all ... Micky

 

The whirring noise is probably the case fan or the fan on the graphics card. I'm 99% certain that it's the processor fan because I've had the same problem a few times: On top of the processor is the heatsink and on top of that is the fan - pretty much impossible to miss because the heatsink is big. You won't do any damage just having a look so long as you don't touch anything inside while it's running.

It could also be dust clogging the vents and even the processor fan itself but you'll still have to open the computer case to see it.

 

Good point. There are a couple of safety precautions to follow (both for the owner and the PC).

1. Obviously it should be disconnected from the mains before opening it up (Ok, I don't practice what I preach, but that's because I'm daft).

2. It is possible to kill some electronic components with static. Touch a radiator or other earthed thing before poking about inside the computer. It just discharges most of any static that's built up on your skin so that it doesn't discharge into any sensitive components.

 

A soft hair/bristle (not nylon) brush around the PC's case vents and the fan blades on power supply, main processor and video (if fan cooled) processor will loosen any dust or crud. I then use a blower rather than sucker to blow out the dust as using the vac on suck means getting the nozzle close to the PCB and risking static charges damaging the components.
It's well worth de-dusting once a year as the heat developed in the main processor and video processors is very considerable and the extraction of heat via the heat sinks and fans is critical to their operation.

 

only asking: Have you added or changed ANYTHING recently?

I looked for a video about a processor fan, couldn't find a good short one, so I made this; It's what a processor fan looks like, its this pc by the way.



As for earthing yourself, switch the computer off, (at the socket as well) leave it plugged in and the case will still be connected to earth.

(and yes, the dust is building up on this pc.)

 

Hi watergarden ... no i havent added any thing at all .. thanks for making the video very intresting and will give all this a go later .. you guys have been so helpfull many thanks to all ... Micky

 

Up date .. i looked at the fixings / screws/ nuts on the pc tower and thought i dont fancy taking that apart .. so what i done was to blow hard several times through the fan vent and have a vacuum cleaner turned on using the nozzle to try to suck away the dust that was flying about.. well that was this morning and all has been fine so far .. i think the fan sounds louder too .. so may have been just what was wrong that it was dusty and needed a blow out .. ive used the pc on and off all day and has not crashed .. ' YET ' so hopefully i and with your good help here on GC have solved the problem.. many thanks Micky