Why is my computer powering off

If your computer is, in fact, turning on and staying on, even if you don't see anything on the screen, see How to Fix a Computer That Won't Turn On for a more applicable troubleshooting guide.

This process could take anywhere from minutes to hours depending on why the computer turns off so quickly after being turned on. Troubleshoot the cause of the beep code , assuming you're lucky enough to hear one. A beep code will give you a very good idea of exactly where to look for the cause of your computer turning off. If you don't fix the problem that way, you can always return here and continue troubleshooting with the more generic information below.

Verify that the power supply voltage switch is set correctly. If the input voltage for the power supply doesn't match the correct setting for your country, your computer might not stay powered on. Chances are your computer wouldn't power on at all if this switch is wrong, but an incorrect power supply voltage might also cause your computer to turn off by itself. Make sure you're keeping the computer cool enough , or it might overheat to the point that it shuts down.

Follow that link for some easy tips anyone can follow to cool down their computer. Some computer cooling techniques for desktops require you to open your computer, but that's fairly easy to do. Check for causes of electrical shorts inside your computer. This is very often the cause of the problem when the computer powers on for a second or two but then powers off completely. Inspect the inside of your computer for problems that cause shorting.

If you don't take the time to troubleshoot this possibility thoroughly you may end up missing a simple electrical short and instead performing costly hardware replacements later for no good reason. Test your power supply. Just because your computer came on for a few moments doesn't mean that the power supply unit in your computer is working properly.

The power supply tends to cause more problems than any other piece of hardware and is very often the cause of a computer turning off by itself.

Replace your power supply if it fails any of your tests. If you do end up replacing the PSU, keep the computer plugged in for at least five minutes before you try powering it on. This pause gives time for the CMOS battery to charge a little. Test the power button on the front of your computer's case.

An overheating power supply, due to a malfunctioning fan, can cause a computer to shut down unexpectedly. Continuing to use the faulty power supply can result in damage to the computer and should be replaced immediately.

Software utilities, such as SpeedFan , can also be used to help monitor fans in your computer. Before attempting to remove any hardware, rule out hardware conflicts by checking Device Manager for errors, see: How to Identify problems in the Windows Device Manager.

Any failing hardware component in your computer could cause your computer to unexpectedly turn off without warning. If you have recently added any new hardware, remove it from the computer to make sure it's not causing the problem. If you have not recently installed any new hardware into the computer, the next best solution is to systematically remove non-essential hardware. For example, remove your modem, network card, sound card, and any other expansion cards that are not needed for your computer to operate.

Running the computer without these cards may help diagnose your issue. Make sure any surge protector or UPS uninterruptible power supply is not causing your problem by connecting the computer directly to the power outlet on the wall. Also, if you have a UPS that connects a USB cable to the computer to manage power saving features, make sure it is disconnected. If this resolves your problem, you may have a defective surge protector or UPS.

Make sure there are not too many devices connected to your UPS and that it has the latest software updates. Your computer may be infected with a virus or other malware that is designed to shut down your computer upon certain conditions. Dust, grime, hair and other debris can build up on fans, heat sinks and other parts. Components can also come loose or become unseated over time.

All these can affect a computers performance in a negative way. Using a compressed air duster is the best and most recommended way of cleaning inside a computer.

When blowing compressed air, keep the can upright at all times and never shake it to prevent the liquid refrigerant from leaking onto your electronics.

Use short bursts of two or three seconds. When the can gets too cold to hold, set it down for a few minutes until it warms up again. Only open the computer if its warranty has expired. If it's still in warranty, only clean it from the outside. Only use lightweight mechanical oil.

Do not use cooking oil or spray lubricant. Please contact the product manufacturer for further assistance. Windows has a great utility called System Restore that allows you to revert your system to an earlier state called a restore point. Restore points are created automatically when you install a new app, driver, update, or when you create one manually. Restoring your PC to an earlier point in time will not affect your personal files, it will only revert system changes and remove anything installed after the restore point was created.

Do not turn off or power down your computer during a System Restore to avoid data loss or corruption. If you are using a laptop, make sure it is plugged into power so the battery does not run out during this process.

If your PC has restarted abruptly several times, it will bring up this screen automatically. It can take a long time, over an hour in some cases, for System Restore to complete. If you system was already recently updated, chances are that no further updates are available and your Update status will indicate: Your device is up to date.

When you've exhausted all options in trying to fix a major issue with Windows, you may be left with resetting Windows to its original state your PC had right out of the box.

Depending on the reset method you choose, the process may delete all personal data and apps you have saved on the PC. If you need to back up all your personal data make sure you do so before proceeding.

There is no going back, and no chance to retrieve anything removed during the reset process. Please make absolutely sure your backups are up to date before pressing Reset. Windows will guide you through setting it up with your username, password and other basic settings, just like when you first purchased your computer.

Get Tech Support Behind the case of your computer, where the power cord actually connects to it, is the power supply, which is a small box with a fan in it. When the power supply is going bad, it will cause your computer to shut off. While you can replace the power supply yourself, don't try to open the power supply. Even though it's unplugged or failing it can still carry a deadly charge.

Computers come with heat sinks and fans to keep the Central Processing Unit CPU cool but if the CPU overheats the computer will shut down so that it isn't damaged any further.

Adding thermal paste between the CPU and its heat sink can help prevent overheating as can working cooling systems like fans or water cooling.