Saints' Discussion Forums

This is not related to the faith. Anyone have any idea why my computer shuts down and logs on again , on its own. Its frustrating. Keeps happening every 10 minutes.

Hmm.. It's difficult to say, the computer is resetting itself?

What you should do in a case like this is try to restart the computer in 'safe mode', and then download a free anti-virus program (http://www.avast.com/index) and run it, to check for viruses.

When the computer is in safe mode you probably won't have the restarting problem, and then you can use the computer long enough to find a full fix. It's not a mode you should always use as it shuts down a lot of functions.

To start in 'safe mode' hold the F8 key when your computer restarts and first begins to boot up. You have to press it before the windows logo appears. It should give you the choice to start in 'safe mode'.

If the choice has 'safe mode with networking support' choose that.

That's the first step towards finding a fix.

There is also another one you can take that is also a good first or second step.

And that is to 'restore your computer to an earlier time' using 'system restore'. If there's a backup point saved there, it can go back to when your computer worked OK and you can choose it.

What operating system do you have? Windows XP? Windows Vista? Windows 7? Tell me which one and I'll try to give you the steps you can take to do each. They probably will fix the issue.

Its Windows Vista. I tried the earlier time system restore once. But this problem has begun a few weeks back. Also I'm a computer illiterate. I have installed a few things but am not sure if they are conflicting. I installed Avast antivirus free download, Threat fire, Mozilla firefox and Ccleaner to clean out a virus. So there is no virus problem now. But this shutting down happens.
I'll try your safe mode suggestion.
Thanks for your time!

Shut down loops can happen because of a virus, or because of a broken program installation that keeps trying to restart the computer to complete the installation and failing.

The restore points method is most likely a solve for you. Try an earlier one from before the problem, if there is one.

If you think it's due to a program trying to install, identify what program it is from any messages given to you, and then using that one can try to remove it.

 :)

Worst case I can ask you to email me some screenshots of your computer to try to identify the problem.

Does it -always- shut down, or does it only shut down and reset when you do a certain thing with the computer? Any messages said while it does this are helpful.

Thanks. I'll try that. And I probably figured out the smiley too. Didnt know I had to drag it.javascript:void(0);

Sorry the smiley didnt work.

Drag no?

Click on once yes.

No, doesn't work. Probably my computer again. Thats fine. I'll try later.

Mysterious. You should be able to just click on the picture of a smiley and have it appear in the post.

It will look like text at first, but in the post or preview you should be able to see it.

Hmm.

For example before the picture of a smiley, the text for the first smiley face looks like this:

:)

Yes, truly mysterious. I use smileys on IM so I wonder whats blocking it here.

Well, there is a work around for you.

You don't have to click on the smilies to make them work, there's another way, you can just type them.

Just type

:)

And that will appear as a smilie after you post. Each of the smilies has its own code.

 ;)  :D  ;D  >:(  :(  :o  8)  ???  ::)  :P  :-[  :-X  :-\  :-*  :'(  O:)

Most of the popup smilies are coded after their names. Their names appear if you put the mouse arrow over them and wait a second it will appear.

For example to make the tiny yellow angel with wings appear, it's called 'tiny angel' so you type :tinyangel: and it will appear. Just the name, without spaces inbetween ::.

:cheers:

I've turned off smilies for this message so i can write it, but it's worth a try so you can SMILE! lol, despite the computer woes.

:)

 ;D

What pops up just before the computer logs off is this ' Windows must now restart because the DCOM server process launcher service terminated unexpectedly'.  ???

Did restarting in safe mode stop the problem while in safe mode?

Hmm, I googled that error message, and it looks like a toughie to fix, there were no certain answers.

There are a few more things that one can try but I feel highly uncertain about the possibility of their working.

Is there anyone you know who can sit down and try to fix it?

Otherwise in cases like this I usually recommend re-installing the operating system. I hesitate to recommend it as it's a big task, though it -will- fix the problem. This means basically, you backup what's important, and then erase everything and start from scratch with your original DVDs. I don't want to suggest this lightly but unless you have someone technically adept to look at it, it could be the answer. Takes about 2 hours or so depending on the machine, though you can leave it alone to do most of the work.

I really wish I could think of a more direct answer.

If you could recall if you installed a new program, or whatever you did that might've triggered this, then we might be able to undo it or try something more direct.

Some anti-virus programs actually conflict with each other, if this happened -after- you installed them, that could be it.

Shin, Thanks for your time. I'll try and figure out the problem. Probably something I installed.