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What is causing my computer to die? Twice today already

Twice today already, as I am typing, using my laptop computer normally, it has died (turned itself off).

I have to re-start it.

It does re-start fine, and here I am, but I am worried that it will happen again.

I did have a DSKCHK happening everytime I started my computer, but that did not seem to detect any problems, so following the advice from someone relating to that issue, I did something in CMD which stopped the DSKCHK happening, but now my computer is dying on me!

I have about 20 GB free on the 120gb hard drive, and apart from this, the computer is running ok.

I am plugged in to the power supply.

Please help!
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MiniDevo
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It sounds like there may be a problem with your hard drive is CHKDSK is wanting to run. What brand of machine do you own? Most manufacturers have diagnostics that ship with the system so that things like that can be checked. I would recommend running such a diagnostic on your hard drive.
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Mark Poirier
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hi,

do you get a blue screen, or does the system just freezes?

or does it do a proper shutdown? in case of a shutdown, could be a windows update
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Hi all.
I have gotten blue screens in the past - one was a couple of days ago - but today it has just instantly turned off with no warning, and certainly no proper shutdown.

This has happened twice.

The machine is a Fujitsu Siemens Amilo Si 1520 - it is just over 12 months old.

Minidevo - how can i run the diagnostics? Where do i find them?
Sparkmaker: chkdsk is NOT running: I disabled it a few days ago, because it seemed to be a glitch...now I do not know how to re-enable it...
I know even less about opening it up and checking if fans are running - how would I do this?
Dust could certainly be the problem...
 
Diagnostics would help with checking  your fan as well. I would check the CDs you have and see if one of them has such a tool on it. Then it would simply be a case of booting off of that CD.
ah - ok, I will have a look (wish I had kept them somewhere sensible!)
I can't find a diagnostics disk (but did find a revoery disk and driver disk, which makes me think I never had a diagnostics disk).

Any other advice?
You may want to check their website and see if they have a downloadable copy there. Or you may have to give their tech support a call.
ok  -thanks MiniDevo
Sorry, didn't realize this was a laptop, looking at  too many questions at the same time : -)
Disassembly guides for  this model may not be easy to find, but you can check for fan movement or air movement throughj the air ducting on the laptop.
check if you have minidumps, and post a couple, then we can look what the problem was.
otherwise, i suggest testing ram and disk, to be sure about the basics :
ram : use memtest86+ from   www.memtest.org
disk : pick the one you need from :  http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287
Dear nobus:
when I go to www.memtest.org, I select "Download - Pre-Compiled Bootable ISO (.gz)" - is this right?

When I do this, and click on the folder that appears, all I get is my Nero CD burning program opening up - what am I doing wrong?
Actually the .gz  type file is a compressed file and needs to be uncompressed before you burn it.
http://www.tech-pro.net/howto-open-gz-file.html
or
download the second one that is a zip file and use winzip or such to uncompress it

Once unzipped you need to start nero then look for the ISO image through nero in order to burn it.
This guide to using nero to burn an ISO image may help.
http://wizardskeep.org/mainhall/tutor/neroiso.html
in Nero 7 you find it in the backup section --> burn image
woaw - this is complex for me...I am getting out of my depth, but I will try it!
Strangely, it has not died for a few days now...
if you have a floppy, you can also download the "precompiled exe package for dos-Win" and put it on a floppy; then boot from it !
We still haven't found out if the fans are running for cooling. This laptop should be easier than most to check the CPU cooling fan  on the bottom. Check to see that it is turning, also check the vent on the side that air is moving through it.
There is a large panel on the bottom that can be removed to access the fan and heatsink to see if there is dust clogging the heatsink.
Here are some pictures that may help. The arrows indicate the location of the vent and fan. The outline of the panel is also highlighted so you know where it is located.
amilo.JPG
bottom-amilo.JPG
wow-  you are awesome!
I am pretty sure the fan is running ok...at least the places where you have arrows pointing (which point to almost the same part of the machine), there is sound and air...

Is there another fan?

I will also open it up to check for dust, but I think it is not overheating that is the problem, because it died yesterday after i just started it out of standby mode, so it was not hot...  
A CPU can overheat in seconds without proper cooling.
I think it was cool to begin with, as it had not been used for hours.

Any more thoughts?
It doesn't matter if it was cold or not the CPU can still overheat within seconds of startup if the heatsink is loose or the thermal paste /pad is deteriorated.
did you make the floppy? and test the ram ?
No, I don't have a floppy drive. How do I test the ram?
with memtest86+ we discussed before LOL