Computer turns off

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Name: Kevin Underwood

My computer will turn off unexpectably while i am working on it. I think it is getting hot. I am not sure what to do.

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If you think that it’s a heat issue then the first thing that I would suggest is to go and buy a package of canned (compressed) air and blow out the computer with it. While cleaning make sure to clean out the heatsink over the processor really well.

Because of the continuous volume of air that is passed through the heatsink fins dust tends to build up in those narrow spaces. This then makes the fins retain heat because the dust not only acts as an insulator, but also stops much of the air from flowing.

You can check your processors temperature in the BIOS of many modern computers. Hit DEL, F1 or F2 a few times right when you turn on the computer and it should let you into the BIOS. In there there should be a section called “PC Health” or something similar. (Sometimes it’s hidden in the power settings menu)

That’ll give you an idea as to how hot your CPU is getting. Generally you want it to be below 120 degrees farenheit. (Modern processors actually run quite a bit cooler than their predecessors of only a couple of years ago)