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Computer related questions => PC computer questions, tips and how to's => Topic started by: jinky on June 20, 2014, 02:50:47 PM

Title: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: jinky on June 20, 2014, 02:50:47 PM
Twice since coming back off holiday I have left my PC on in the day with the monitor switched off to go bacvk to and then found on hitting return / mving the mouse that the PC doesn`t fire up. It has switched itself off somehow. When I press the PC start button it comes on telling me that windows was not closed down properly and then starts up again OK. Never happened before. It happened before and after most recent updates and the only relatively new software put on was glary a couple of weeks back. I looked it up and read a post saying it was caused by windows 7 fixing a glitch ad then  restarting itself as it was set as a restart buried in the my computer start up and recovery button in system protection settings. It suggested just disabling it as a default would stop it happening which I have done. Not closed down again since but wondering is it right to just disable it? Anyone else know what might be causing this or solution?
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: Hinfrance on June 20, 2014, 03:42:53 PM
Any chance of a screenshot of the parameter you are changing?
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: jinky on June 20, 2014, 04:15:50 PM
This one in my computer, system properties, start b& recovery, advanced, system restart

(http://cameracraniums.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10154/normal_screenshot.jpg) (http://cameracraniums.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=16050&fullsize=1)
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: Oldboy on June 20, 2014, 08:46:53 PM
No, you don't need to worry about changing that as it writes the error to the system event log so doesn't need a reboot. Any major crash would force the system to reboot anyway and not all errors are critical.  :tup:
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: jinky on June 20, 2014, 10:08:27 PM
Thanks oldboy. It`s not switched itself off today after doing that so maybe ok now. Never understand why computers suddenly start doing stuff like that! It`s like another "fault" I have where windows tells me fro time to time that my Avast is not switched on when it clearly is and then next time I look it`s ok without doing anything!!! :uglystupid2:
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: Hinfrance on June 21, 2014, 07:55:12 AM
Automatic restart is the default setting. If your computer has suddenly started to restart there will be a reason that you can see in the event log. In my case it was the constant restarts that led me to discover that one of my bank of RAM chips had completely failed.

To find out what was causing the shutdowns, click on the windows button and type 'event viewer' into the start box. After the logs have loaded you'll get a list of faults, most of which, as Oldboy says, will be of no consequence. You are looking for critical errors:

(http://cameracraniums.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10146/normal_event_viewer.jpg) (http://cameracraniums.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=16055&fullsize=1)

You see I have four from the last seven days - from moving the memory modules about to find the faulty one.
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: jinky on June 21, 2014, 08:09:55 AM
Looks like I am getting a similar message about 2 events in 7 days in Kernel Power/ system, source / log. What did you do about it? Remember I am a lay man with no knowledge of these things. I have had no further episodes. Is it likely to continue - lead to bigger problems? expensive replacement / repair?

I thought a kernel was something to do with a nut  :uglystupid2:

The only thing I had done recently was to install and run Glary. I `m uninstalling it for a bit to see if it makes a difference as one entry I looked up linked this fault with software from zone alarms and I read that these faults are hard to track down.
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: Oldboy on June 21, 2014, 08:35:13 AM
You need to look at the message witten in the log, as this gives you a clue of what caused the event. Shutdown is triggered by a number of events like over heating chip, flaky power supply or software trying to write to a reserved/restricted area. Sometimes a software update can cause a shutdown without asking you or it starts a countdown, but if you are not there to see it and cancel it, the computer will shutdown. If you don't have any more problems over the next few weeks just ignore it.  ???
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: jinky on June 21, 2014, 09:00:33 AM
How do you see the longer message. It was very hot in that room the 2 days it happened. Hoping it goes away :knuppel2:

Found it and got this gobbldygook:
- <Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
- <System>
  <Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power" Guid="{331C3B3A-2005-44C2-AC5E-77220C37D6B4}" />
  <EventID>41</EventID>
  <Version>2</Version>
  <Level>1</Level>
  <Task>63</Task>
  <Opcode>0</Opcode>
  <Keywords>0x8000000000000002</Keywords>
  <TimeCreated SystemTime="2014-06-20T13:33:26.700437200Z" />
  <EventRecordID>575934</EventRecordID>
  <Correlation />
  <Execution ProcessID="4" ThreadID="8" />
  <Channel>System</Channel>
  <Computer>PbyPD</Computer>
  <Security UserID="S-1-5-18" />
  </System>
- <EventData>
  <Data Name="BugcheckCode">10</Data>
  <Data Name="BugcheckParameter1">0xfffff8a0001f78f8</Data>
  <Data Name="BugcheckParameter2">0x2</Data>
  <Data Name="BugcheckParameter3">0x0</Data>
  <Data Name="BugcheckParameter4">0xfffff80002e8725b</Data>
  <Data Name="SleepInProgress">true</Data>
  <Data Name="PowerButtonTimestamp">0</Data>
  </EventData>
  </Event>

with a summary of "The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first. This error could be caused if the system stopped responding , crashed or lost power unexpectedly. Happened 3 times on 3rd, 18th and 20th. I had installed Glary on the 2nd and was away between late on 3rd and 17th. When I ran a Dell PC check it said all components passed the various tests including power units and drives etc.Guess I`l have to see what happens.

I am conscious of dust but scared to take the casing off to clean in case I dislodge something I don`t know how to reconnect / identify. I`ve read that you can blow in compressed air through the grills to dust but surely this might a) be too strong or b) move dust from one component to another and make problems worse?
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: Hinfrance on June 21, 2014, 12:30:40 PM
Event 41 usually means a hardware fault, or less likely a driver. It relates to a response timeout.

If, as you intimate, it was hot and your PC is full of dust bunnies, then overheating could easily have caused it.

As Oldboy says, if it doesn't happen again, ignore it. But do give it a clean! I use a vacuum cleaner. Make sure you turn off the PC and disconnect it from the mains first :)
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: jinky on June 21, 2014, 04:28:24 PM
Thanks H. Did it again earlier but only partial shut down with the on/ off switch still illuminated.
I`ve unplugged everything and got the dyson in - let`s see if it stays on.
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: Beaux Reflets on June 21, 2014, 04:32:21 PM
Quote from: jinky on June 21, 2014, 04:28:24 PM
Thanks H. Did it again earlier but only partial shut down with the on/ off switch still illuminated.
I`ve unplugged everything and got the dyson in - let`s see if it stays on.

If you are sucking rather than blowing, take care not to loosen any connections etc.  ;)
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: jinky on June 21, 2014, 04:35:02 PM
I kept a healthy distance Andy.Not sure it has done any good really. Worried it is a sign of what is to come like my monitor going.
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: Oldboy on June 21, 2014, 06:32:38 PM
Unplug the whole PC. Check the back for a couple of screws that you need to undo to release the side panel. Slide it out and user a air blower on the fan to remove the dust. Slide the panel back and screw in - job done.  :tup:
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: jinky on June 23, 2014, 01:14:46 PM
After thinking the vacuuming might have done the trick with a quieter machine it partly closed down again whilstvat the dentist. I say partly because the PC on off switch was still illuminated but I could not wake it using enter / mouse. Hadto close it down by holding the power button down which I am sure is bad. I had been editing on it for 3 hours with no problems - just seems to happen when I leave it. Any ideas on what to do next? I'm thinking I'll just control my use better and save power by just switching it on, doing what I need and closing down each time rather than leave it in standby. Must admit I've been lazy in past and left it on overnight for a quick start next day often. I'm guessing if it is a power issue its going to go at some point though.
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: Beaux Reflets on June 23, 2014, 01:43:57 PM
Have you checked for a conflict in any screensaver settings etc.?

Also some programs like Skype hibernate as it were; to say you are not actively using the PC, perhaps it is something like that in an app causing the problem.
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: Hinfrance on June 23, 2014, 02:03:33 PM
Do you have an Nvidia graphics card? If so, what version of the driver are you running - it is reported that some of the latest drivers are not as stable as they ought to be. My Nvidia driver last updated automatically on 19th May.

If not (or even if) I think you may have to go back to the usual reason for a 41/63 error combination - some kind of component failure.

If you google 'power kernel event 41' you should find a bunch of help topics - THIS ONE (http://www.sevenforums.com/bsod-help-support/195451-kernel-power-event-41-a.html). The sixth response down, from JMH 4th Nov 2011 has a list of links to tools that you can use to test the hardware, along with instructions on how to use them.

There is also the MS help page, which is typically geeky HERE (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2028504)
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: hssutton on June 23, 2014, 03:09:28 PM
I had exactly the same problem a week ago. I had installed Glary which had been running OK for a few days, but I went out for the day and when I got back home the PC had switched of with the same problem. Been no problem since I uninstalled Glary.

Harry
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: Hinfrance on June 23, 2014, 03:22:33 PM
Paul has already uninstalled Glary, and anyway Glary is an application that doesn't run any background services (unless you choose to run it on startup).
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: 2Beers on June 23, 2014, 05:10:14 PM
You can always try turning of hibernation in the the power settings in control panel just set it to never hibernate as nowadays its not required as much as it used to as the newer monitors are all lcd/led unless you are using a crt monitor
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: Oldboy on June 23, 2014, 07:33:14 PM
Our PC's at work used to be on all the time and we didn't have any trouble with them. Some thinking suggest switching on and off the PC stresses the components and leads to a breakdown, but I haven't had this problem with either my laptops, tablets or desktops ever. I've put my PC and laptops into sleep mode many times and never had any trouble restarting them.  ???
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: jinky on June 24, 2014, 07:38:27 AM
Argh! So many tools / suggestions - most of which I don`t even understand. As H said I thought it might be Glary and uninstalled - no effect on the problem. My card is an AT Radeon HD 5670 and seems to be ok as it seems to gie the highest score on my pcs performance assessment.

I`ve taken off the hibernation switch for now but I am going to be better and switch off when i am not using it for longer spells and wait that little time for it to load up and see what happens.
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: hssutton on June 24, 2014, 07:45:24 PM
Jinky, since uninstalling Glary I've not had a problem and I certainly did not have a problem prior to installing the program. Did you run such as CCleaner after uninstalling Glary I did, as well as running my anti spyware/malaware programs (Superantispyware & Malawarebyte)

Harry
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: jinky on June 24, 2014, 10:59:52 PM
I`ll do that Harry. Since turning off the hibernation button it`s stayed on without problems so don`t know what that means.

I`ll try cc cleaner
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: Hinfrance on June 25, 2014, 07:29:17 AM
Quote from: hssutton on June 24, 2014, 07:45:24 PM
Jinky, since uninstalling Glary I've not had a problem and I certainly did not have a problem prior to installing the program. Did you run such as CCleaner after uninstalling Glary I did, as well as running my anti spyware/malaware programs (Superantispyware & Malawarebyte)

Harry

Glary doesn't run any background services or processes. None of this will make any difference as regards to Glary - this is easily checked by running process explorer, however the fact that you ran these extra tools may have removed whatever it was that was really causing the problem, possibly a driver or in rare cases software copyright protection. For clarity, a 41/63 error is strongly indicative of an underlying hardware problem.
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: hssutton on June 25, 2014, 09:51:17 AM
"these extra tools may have removed whatever it was that was really causing the problem"

That is what I was implying. Did the download of Glary contain a nasty?

Harry
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: Hinfrance on June 25, 2014, 10:43:43 AM
I see Harry - did you get Glary from glarysoft.com?
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: 2Beers on June 25, 2014, 01:57:54 PM
Windows going into hibernation and refusing to wake up used to be a fairly common problem.

As has already been said it is probably an application that is running in the background thats causing the problem, you could try running MSCONFIG and untick any programs that you dont want running at startup this will also have the added benefit of windows starting quicker.

Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: hssutton on June 25, 2014, 02:29:33 PM
Quote from: Hinfrance on June 25, 2014, 10:43:43 AM
I see Harry - did you get Glary from glarysoft.com?

Sorry, I'm not sure were I actually downloaded it from, but it may have been cnet.com

Harry
Title: Re: Windows 7 switching off
Post by: Beryl on June 25, 2014, 08:24:29 PM
Try' malwarebytes'. I had this problem until Steve owner of the computer shop where I used to work  cleaned it out with this program

It's free . It will say trial and when the trial ends you just click on End Trial and it reverts the free program.
It is very good