# computer is acting weird...



## Melissa (Apr 15, 2002)

It is very slow and it randomly shuts down.

I have the free version of AVG running. I use malware bites, and CleanUp. Nothing is showing up on any of these, but something is obviously wrong. Any ideas? Keep it simple, I am not that savvy!


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## larryfoster (May 15, 2009)

Try to download cc cleaner (free)
How much space is left on your hard drive?

Run a defrag.
These may not fix your problems but will do some housekeeping which should be done

HTH


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

Back up your key files now, before doing anything else. There simply isn't enough information to do a definitive diagnosis. The first thing I would check is that the fan on the CPU and fan in the power supply are both functioning.


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## Forlane (Jul 17, 2010)

The last computer I built was approaching 10 years old before I finally decided to start from scratch again. By the end of its life I had to have the case sides removed with a box fan blowing into it due to overheating causing it to shut down. Video card was overheating the CPU


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

When it shuts down, does it just flat out *boom* reboot, or does it freeze up, causing you to reboot?

Also...where is it physically located (your PC)? On a carpeted floor? Behind a cabinet, etc. I'm thinking overheating, as Forlane mentioned.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Melissa said:


> It is very slow and it randomly shuts down.


Sounds like heat to me. I would open the case to verify that all fans are turning and that heatsinks are not matted with dust. While you are in there, vacuum out any dust bunnies you see in the case. That can be a nightmare to do with a laptop, but pretty simple for a desktop machine.


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## larryfoster (May 15, 2009)

Compressed air is your friend


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## wannabechef (Nov 20, 2012)

Sounds like a heat problem to me as well. It is also possible the memory is failing.


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## Melissa (Apr 15, 2002)

It is a fairly new computer. It is sitting out on the counter, not covered at all, and it is not that warm in here! When it shuts down the screen comes up that says there was an unexpected shut down and allows me to select the mode to restart.

I actually might have found a problem. I had AVG loaded so I popped it up to manually have it scan the computer. I updated it, then hit scan now and it instantly shut down. I turned the computer back on, started it again, opened AVG, hit scan now and it shut down again. Did this three times. I uninstalled AVG and now it is working fine. Is it possible that a file in AVG was infected?

I ran the windows scanner- that checks for malware etc... and it said the computer was clean. 

So should I reload AVG again, or try some other virus software?


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## wannabechef (Nov 20, 2012)

Melissa said:


> It is a fairly new computer. It is sitting out on the counter, not covered at all, and it is not that warm in here! When it shuts down the screen comes up that says there was an unexpected shut down and allows me to select the mode to restart.
> 
> I actually might have found a problem. I had AVG loaded so I popped it up to manually have it scan the computer. I updated it, then hit scan now and it instantly shut down. I turned the computer back on, started it again, opened AVG, hit scan now and it shut down again. Did this three times. I uninstalled AVG and now it is working fine. Is it possible that a file in AVG was infected?
> 
> ...


Never liked AVG, try Avast.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Melissa said:


> It is a fairly new computer. It is sitting out on the counter, not covered at all, and it is not that warm in here! When it shuts down the screen comes up that says there was an unexpected shut down and allows me to select the mode to restart.
> 
> I actually might have found a problem. I had AVG loaded so I popped it up to manually have it scan the computer. I updated it, then hit scan now and it instantly shut down. I turned the computer back on, started it again, opened AVG, hit scan now and it shut down again. Did this three times. I uninstalled AVG and now it is working fine. Is it possible that a file in AVG was infected?
> 
> ...


Please post back if the problem persists.


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## WhyNot (Jun 21, 2011)

Melissa....if you install AVG again or any other antivirus and when you tell it to scan it either shuts down like it did right away or shuts off in the middle of a scan...you really do have a hardware problem.

If it is less than a year old, you are under manufacturer warranty. Call them and tell them that everytime you run a program that demands full hard drive access and a good amount of processing power your computer shuts off without warning and without going through the shut down process. You will get an idiot probably the first time you call...demand that they go through hardware diagnostics with you over the phone.

BE AWARE that a full battery of GOOD hardware diagnostics can actually finish damaging your system. This means that if your processor or hard drive really are having issues, that decent diagnostics software can make it NO WORKY because it stresses each bit of hardware. 

BACK up anything you feel is important and you do not want to lose....right now. And no...not just a "restore point".


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