Sign in with
Sign up | Sign in
Your question
Solved

What is causing my computer to crash?

Tags:
  • Pentium
  • Computers
  • Crash
  • CPUs
  • Fan
Last response: in CPUs
Share
April 20, 2014 5:56:00 PM

I'm running an Intel Pentium D CPU 3.4GHz, 4G RAm, 32Bit, Windows 7 Home. I just had a brand new fan installed, but the same thing keeps happening. I can hear my fan working hard.

What happens is I can be using a program or programs for about 10-15 minutes, and my CPU usage will spike to 90-99%, and bam-shutdown or restart. With nothing running, my memory is always at least close to 1G. I've run scans via antivirus, anti-malware, anti-adware, etc. Nothing is coming up. Everything is clean.

The biggest programs I use are Quickbooks, Google Chrome (which is surprisingly and annoyingly big), and Microsoft Office programs. If you're going to say stop using Chrome, let me first tell you that I've gotten the same results with Firefox and IE.

So, can someone help me, please? I really don't want to get rid of my computer. The tech that helped me said to change the fan, which I did, but to no avail. I'm wondering if a bad graphics card can cause the overheating? Thanks.

More about : causing computer crash

Best solution

a b à CPUs
April 21, 2014 12:50:01 PM

That CPU gets very hot. If you installed the fan wrong on it, or if your case gets hot, it will crash. Same thing for the video card.

Make sure you have everything installed properly, including new heat grease. Check the motherboard for any bad capacitors (they should be flat and shiny), maybe try running on only some of your RAM sticks to rule those out.

A new Windows setup won't hurt, will rule out software issues as causing the crash.

If you have hardware issues, next step is to start replacing things, outside of the CPU and video card, power supply, RAM and moatherboard are likely issues.

You may be better off just buying a new system or at least a newer used one. A Core 2 Duo in the 2.4gig + range should be about $100, cheaper than replacing parts in your current system.
Share
April 22, 2014 8:20:59 PM

hang-the-9 said:
That CPU gets very hot. If you installed the fan wrong on it, or if your case gets hot, it will crash. Same thing for the video card.

Make sure you have everything installed properly, including new heat grease. Check the motherboard for any bad capacitors (they should be flat and shiny), maybe try running on only some of your RAM sticks to rule those out.

A new Windows setup won't hurt, will rule out software issues as causing the crash.

If you have hardware issues, next step is to start replacing things, outside of the CPU and video card, power supply, RAM and moatherboard are likely issues.

You may be better off just buying a new system or at least a newer used one. A Core 2 Duo in the 2.4gig + range should be about $100, cheaper than replacing parts in your current system.


Finally! An answer that makes some kind of sense and encompasses all that could be wrong! Thank you so much. I'm going to try your suggestions and get back to you with the results.

I don't know if it's the ram. I went from 2G to 4G, both with the same result. I guess I'll start with checking the thermal paste. Hopefully, we get somewhere. If not, I might just follow your advice with the C2Duo.

m
0
l
!