# Cooling Fan Heat Problem I Think



## EDDIE BUCK (Jul 17, 2005)

About a year ago my computer started shutting down quite often, and blowing out and cleaning the fans and fins solved the problem.

It has started back shutting down, so I cleaned them again,but no help this time.:shrug:
My question is if a fan stops working, how do you determine which one, and are all three fans suppose to run anytime the computer is on, or are they controlled by a thermostat to come on at a certain temp? The computer still comes on ok,but it might run for an hour,or run maybe five minutes before it shuts down. Thanks folks, eb


----------



## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

It varies from computer to computer. If you can rotate the fan blades easily with a finger and the fan comes on some of the time, or changes speed, it is likely controlled by a thermostat. Of course thermostats can go bad too... _In general_, power supply fan should run continuously. CPU should run, but possibly at two speeds. Graphic cards - dunno, haven't seen enough high end ones to comment. Cheap ones don't even have fans. Case fans - meh - I've always found them to be cheap and fail first.


----------



## EDDIE BUCK (Jul 17, 2005)

Thanks for reply.

Well I'm sure now that all three fans are running at start up,but not sure about their speed. I'm also sure no dust is causing heat buildup.Fans and fins are spotless.

Is it possible a virus,trojen horse or maleware could cause the shut downs???


----------



## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

All sorts of things can cause shutdowns. Do you hear an on number of beeps on startup? Than can indicate the BIOS has determined a problem. Memory that is bad or unseated can cause a shutdown. Not sure about malewear, but malware won't _usually_ do that. Viruses can and do.

If you can boot from a disk or USB drive, get a clean copy of an operating system, boot from it, and let the computer sit. If it shuts down, it is a hardware problem. If it doesn't, it is somehow software related.


BTW - please mention details when asking a question like this
which operating system
computer make
CPU and memory
major use
antivirus and anti malware installed
any changes since last time it worked properly
etc.

sometimes there will be a clue in that.


----------



## EDDIE BUCK (Jul 17, 2005)

Well yesterday it stayed on long enough to run Spy-bot Search & Destroy.It fixed fifty-six threats.Haven't had anymore shutdowns since. Sooo . Thanks Harry


----------



## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

Most of those are probably cookies and low level threats, but it could have found something that was affecting things. Hope that takes care of the problem.


----------

