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Does your Windows computer keep crashing or spontaneously reboot itself without warning?
Computer crashes are very frustrating. This is particularly true if it happens while you were in the middle of working on a spreadsheet or other important project and have not saved your work.
Computer crashes can be caused by any of several factors. Listed below is a list of some of the most common causes of computer crashes:
1. Power Supply: Power supplies wear out. If you have a cheap computer then it was most likely built around a cheap power supply and their mean time before failure (MTBF) rating will not be as high as a quality unit. But even the best of power supply units will eventually wear out. Factors that can contribute to power supply failures include:
Power surges and spikes: An uninterruptible power supply is the best protection for your power supply and all of the components contained in your computer.
Deferred maintenance: Dust and dirt sucked into your computer power supply and computer case can cause more components to fail than just a power supply unit.
Under-powered units: A cheap 200 watt power supply will start to choke when you add additional components such as CD-RW drives, DVD drives, second hard drives, and higher powered graphics cards.
2. Overheating: If your central processor unit (CPU) fan should fail, your computer will experience episodes of spontaneous reboots. A failed power supply fan will also contribute to start overheating because it will not properly evacuate hot air from the inside of your computer.
3. Bad Memory: Memory chips can also go bad if they are subjected to any instances of electrostatic discharge (ESD). ESD can be caused by reaching into your computer case and touching components when you are not properly grounded. ESD can also be caused by a buildup of dust, pet hair, and other contaminants that collect on the surface of your computer's electronic components.
(Click for full size)
The photo above was taken of a computer that had suffered a failed hard drive. What you see in this photo is about two years worth of accumulated dust and dirt. This computer's hard drive likely died as a result of electrostatic discharges (ESD) happening all over areas of the motherboard. As you can see, it's important to keep your computer's internals clean.
So if you're experiencing spontaneous and mysterious reboots and system lockups, then you should consider having your computer checked and cleaned. We offer an affordable onsite PC Checkup service that can keep your computer's hardware running smooth thoughout the life of your machine.
(If the Tip-of-The-Week generates additional thought-provoking questions on your part that you would like us to personally answer, give us a call at 895-5016 to set up an appointment, or consider using our online AskBrightIdeas.com service.)
