Computer Shuts Off

This started about a month ago. I have a Compaq Presario 6000 (6300US), with
Windows XP Home Edition SP2. Purchased in 2002.

I've run virus scans, even went in and manually searched for
"worms", nothing. The fan seems to be working fine. Sometimes it will be
fine for a few days, then it can shut itself off 2-3 a day.

I found a thread about "unchecking automatically restart", but
that didn't help. I had also seen a thread about updating the BIOS, but
can't seem to find it now. I know it's time for a new computer, but how can
I fix this one?

I haven't loaded any new software or done anything different
except the automatic downloads from Microsoft.

Thanks for your help.

Paul

Presuming you are 100% free of all types of malware (viruses and worms
are not the only things you need to worry about) you may have a failing
power supply. That would not be unusual for a 6-year old machine. A
technician can check it for you.

---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est

Paul wrote:
> This started about a month ago. I have a Compaq Presario 6000 (6300US), with
> Windows XP Home Edition SP2. Purchased in 2002.
>
> I've run virus scans, even went in and manually searched for
> "worms", nothing. The fan seems to be working fine. Sometimes it will be
> fine for a few days, then it can shut itself off 2-3 a day.
>
> I found a thread about "unchecking automatically restart", but
> that didn't help. I had also seen a thread about updating the BIOS, but
> can't seem to find it now. I know it's time for a new computer, but how can
> I fix this one?
>
> I haven't loaded any new software or done anything different
> except the automatic downloads from Microsoft.
>
> Thanks for your help.
>
> Paul
>

On Fri, 16 May 2008 04:02:01 -0700, Paul
<Paul@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> This started about a month ago. I have a Compaq Presario 6000 (6300US), with
> Windows XP Home Edition SP2. Purchased in 2002.
>
> I've run virus scans, even went in and manually searched for
> "worms", nothing. The fan seems to be working fine. Sometimes it will be
> fine for a few days, then it can shut itself off 2-3 a day.
>
> I found a thread about "unchecking automatically restart", but
> that didn't help. I had also seen a thread about updating the BIOS, but
> can't seem to find it now. I know it's time for a new computer, but how can
> I fix this one?
>
> I haven't loaded any new software or done anything different
> except the automatic downloads from Microsoft.


This far more likely to be a hardware problem than a software one. For
example the power supply could be failing.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

"Ken Blake, MVP" wrote:

> On Fri, 16 May 2008 04:02:01 -0700, Paul
> <Paul@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
> > This started about a month ago. I have a Compaq Presario 6000 (6300US), with
> > Windows XP Home Edition SP2. Purchased in 2002.
> >
> > I've run virus scans, even went in and manually searched for
> > "worms", nothing. The fan seems to be working fine. Sometimes it will be
> > fine for a few days, then it can shut itself off 2-3 a day.
> >
> > I found a thread about "unchecking automatically restart", but
> > that didn't help. I had also seen a thread about updating the BIOS, but
> > can't seem to find it now. I know it's time for a new computer, but how can
> > I fix this one?
> >
> > I haven't loaded any new software or done anything different
> > except the automatic downloads from Microsoft.
>
>
> This far more likely to be a hardware problem than a software one. For
> example the power supply could be failing.
>
> --
> Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
> Please Reply to the Newsgroup
>

Thanks for taking the time to reply and the info.

Can you please tell me what the "ATMhelper" is? I went into "eventvwr" and
found alot of errors concerning this "program"? I believe it was under System.

Thanks again to both of you.

On Fri, 16 May 2008 09:26:01 -0700, Paul
<Paul@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>
>
> "Ken Blake, MVP" wrote:
>
> > On Fri, 16 May 2008 04:02:01 -0700, Paul
> > <Paul@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> >
> > > This started about a month ago. I have a Compaq Presario 6000 (6300US), with
> > > Windows XP Home Edition SP2. Purchased in 2002.
> > >
> > > I've run virus scans, even went in and manually searched for
> > > "worms", nothing. The fan seems to be working fine. Sometimes it will be
> > > fine for a few days, then it can shut itself off 2-3 a day.
> > >
> > > I found a thread about "unchecking automatically restart", but
> > > that didn't help. I had also seen a thread about updating the BIOS, but
> > > can't seem to find it now. I know it's time for a new computer, but how can
> > > I fix this one?
> > >
> > > I haven't loaded any new software or done anything different
> > > except the automatic downloads from Microsoft.
> >
> >
> > This far more likely to be a hardware problem than a software one. For
> > example the power supply could be failing.
> >
> > --
> > Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
> > Please Reply to the Newsgroup
> >
>
> Thanks for taking the time to reply and the info.
>
> Can you please tell me what the "ATMhelper" is? I went into "eventvwr" and
> found alot of errors concerning this "program"? I believe it was under System.


Sorry, I know nothing about it myself. But Google has some info:
http://www.google.com/custom?hl=en&l...& q=atmhelper

or http://tinyurl.com/6lvg3r

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

Paul

Please post complete copies of Error Reports from Event Viewer.

You can access Event Viewer by selecting Start, Control Panel,
Administrative Tools, and Event Viewer.

A tip for posting copies of Error Reports! Run Event Viewer and double
click on the error you want to copy. In the window, which appears is a
button resembling two pages. Click the button and close Event
Viewer.Now start your message (email) and do a paste into the body of
the message. Make sure this is the first paste after exiting from
Event Viewer.

What do you mean when you say "I found a thread about "unchecking
automatically restart", but that didn't help. " That when the system
shut off that there was no Error Message or that you found the message
unhelpful?

What are your anti-spyware arrangements? What firewall are you using?

ATMhelper links you in some way to Yahoo. In general terms please
clarify what the link is?


--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Paul wrote:
> "Ken Blake, MVP" wrote:
>
>> On Fri, 16 May 2008 04:02:01 -0700, Paul
>> <Paul@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>>
>>> This started about a month ago. I have a Compaq Presario 6000
>>> (6300US), with Windows XP Home Edition SP2. Purchased in 2002.
>>>
>>> I've run virus scans, even went in and manually
>>> searched for "worms", nothing. The fan seems to be working fine.
>>> Sometimes it will be fine for a few days, then it can shut itself
>>> off 2-3 a day.
>>>
>>> I found a thread about "unchecking automatically
>>> restart", but that didn't help. I had also seen a thread about
>>> updating the BIOS, but can't seem to find it now. I know it's time
>>> for a new computer, but how can I fix this one?
>>>
>>> I haven't loaded any new software or done anything
>>> different except the automatic downloads from Microsoft.
>>
>>
>> This far more likely to be a hardware problem than a software one.
>> For example the power supply could be failing.
>>
>> --
>> Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
>> Please Reply to the Newsgroup
>>
>
> Thanks for taking the time to reply and the info.
>
> Can you please tell me what the "ATMhelper" is? I went into
> "eventvwr" and found alot of errors concerning this "program"? I
> believe it was under System.
>
> Thanks again to both of you.