Question

Computer played the windows shutdown sound 3 times then computer restarted itself in the middle of the night.

Asked by: celder9

help, this freaked me out.   I was sleeping last night and had left my computer on in my bedroom.  Around 3 a.m. I heard the windows shutdown sound, then I heard it again 2 times.  Then the monitor came on and the computer proceeded to restart itself.  What could be causing this?  I have spybot, adaware and the new microsoft spyware program all loaded and run them regularly.  Could this be someone hacking into my computer?  If so how can I tell?  It's a Windows XP home edition.

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Asked On
2005-06-17 at 06:37:13ID21461786
Tags

sound

,

windows

Topic

Miscellaneous Security

Participating Experts
6
Points
500
Comments
12

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Answers

 

by: prawn101Posted on 2005-06-17 at 06:48:40ID: 14240748

Windows automatic updates will take it upon itself to restart your computer occasionally, but of course this wouldn't explain hearing the sound 3 times.

Run a virus scan and see if anything comes up.  Make sure you have a working firewall

 

by: TolomirPosted on 2005-06-17 at 07:49:15ID: 14241408

Well, when I shutdown windows xp with fast user switch enabled (i.e. I have 3 accounts, and all in use, each just suspended) and windows update has the nice idea to update some files and needed a restart, each account is logged off seperatly with the well know shutdown sound.

So the sound can be heard 3 times or varing, depening  on how many users sessions are currently active.

Tolomir

 

by: celder9Posted on 2005-06-17 at 07:52:01ID: 14241445

It does sound plausable that it is the windows update that caused it.  I do have multiple accounts that could have been logged on.  I'm at work now but I'm going to check the windows update settings on the computer as soon as I get home and will let you know if that was it.  Thanks for the quick responses!

 

by: TolomirPosted on 2005-06-17 at 07:58:25ID: 14241528

I checked it right now, when you press Win+L to get back to the logon screen (i.e. suspending your current session) you hear the logout sound.

When you close your current session, windows shutdown sound is played. Even though you only closed your session without shutting down the computer.

So best, switch off you monitor and loudspeaker and have a good night ;-)

Tolomir

 

by: memoryinmotionPosted on 2005-06-17 at 08:08:40ID: 14241668

Sounds like Poltergeists :)

Did you hear the shutdown sounds 3 times during one reboot?  Or did it reboot 3 times?  

I would start investigating  a "Wake on LAN" angle.  Do you have more than one computer in the home, networked together?  If so, then you're probably connected thru a router, which offers a good deal of protection.  
If not, definitely see if you have a firewall - all the antivirus/antispy won't stop hackers or something coming in.   Grab ZoneAlarm for a free solution (www.zonelabs.com) - but personally I like Kerio (29.95 - http://www.kerio.com/us/kpf_download.html).

Let us know what you find out!

MiM

 

by: TolomirPosted on 2005-06-17 at 08:28:47ID: 14241907

Well actually the monitor came up, because it was in power saving mode, during reboot windows thinks it's a nice gesture to inform you, so it sends a signal to the graphicscard that ends power saving, so you see the shutdown screen...

 

by: memoryinmotionPosted on 2005-06-17 at 09:08:08ID: 14242405

Correction - Kerio is 45 bucks.  Oops.
But like Zone Alarm, it will function with basic capacity after its trial period is up.  


I'll drink more coffee now :)

 

by: happythedogPosted on 2005-06-17 at 21:39:44ID: 14247066

Nothing beats a nice checkpoint , analyse the logs for what happened in the night these should be in event viewer make sure Wake on lan is off , or for the ultimate in pc protection , I have a standing clallenge to anyone who can break this unplug the modem!

 

by: tim_holmanPosted on 2005-06-18 at 02:44:41ID: 14247791

Autowake LAN card, stuck power switch ?

 

by: happythedogPosted on 2005-06-18 at 02:53:18ID: 14247809

what i said stuck power switch wouldnt cause off/on reboot switch perhaps but neither of those explains a username/pass entry, without those logs were just twisting in the wind.

 

by: kneHPosted on 2005-06-20 at 06:02:54ID: 14256271

that's what in technical terms we call a nightmare ;)

but seriously check the eventviewer.
It'll tell you what happened.

 

by: celder9Posted on 2005-06-21 at 06:27:56ID: 14265662

It was the windows update.  The default automatic update is 3 am and you are right about it restarting your computer for you.  When I turned on the computer the next time it told me that windows update had restarted my computer.  Thanks for your help guys now I sleep!

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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