windows shuts down unexpectedly

Windows shuts down unexpectedly. Is there a way to pinpoint the cause based
on the logs and errors that Vista produces? I have read at least a half
dozen reasons suggested for this type of occurrence in general and wonder if
there is information being captured by the system that can help pinpoint the
cause for my specific case.

Problem Reports and Solutons / View Problem History shows 11 instances of
this, 7 today at approximately 1/2 hour intervals and one 5 days ago, one 6
days ago and two 7 days ago. It says : Windows / Shut Down Unexpectedly /
(date & time) Solution Available. However whenever connected to Microsoft
site it never comes back with any solution.
Information from one of those messages:
Product

Windows

Problem

Shut down unexpectedly

Date

5/2/2008 7:07 PM

Status

Solution Available

Problem signature

Problem Event Name: BlueScreen

OS Version: 6.0.6000.2.0.0.768.3

Locale ID: 1033

Files that help describe the problem (some files may no longer be available)

Mini050208-08.dmp

sysdata.xml

Version.txt

Extra information about the problem

BCCode: 9f

BCP1: 00000003

BCP2: 8356F030

BCP3: 85946030

BCP4: 83B56488

OS Version: 6_0_6000

Service Pack: 0_0

Product: 768_1

Server information: 9d99154d-ac5b-4586-abd0-9ffbaff6894a

Also when going to
Control Panel / Administrative Tools / Event Viewer it shows Critical Errors
but there are never any results when connecting to Microsoft's web site for
that either.

Log Name: System
Source: Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power
Date: 5/2/2008 6:38:56 PM
Event ID: 41
Task Category: None
Level: Critical
Keywords: (2)
User: SYSTEM
Computer: emachine
Description:
The last sleep transition was unsuccessful. This error could be caused if
the system stopped responding, failed, or lost power during the sleep
transition.
Event Xml:
<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>0</Version>
<Level>1</Level>
<Task>0</Task>
<Opcode>0</Opcode>
<Keywords>0x8000000000000002</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2008-05-02T23:38:56.458Z" />
<EventRecordID>19361</EventRecordID>
<Correlation />
<Execution ProcessID="4" ThreadID="8" />
<Channel>System</Channel>
<Computer>emachine</Computer>

etc.


Any steps recommended to take to get to bottom of this?
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In this instance, I don't think the logs are going to help pinpoint the problem. All cases of "sudden shutdown" that I've encountered over the years could be tracked back to a hardware failure. Most often this would be either the CPU Fan that has failed (and the fan fail alarm is turned off) and the system turns itself off to protect the CPU. In other cases, it is a bad Power Supply Unit (PSU).

I'd check the CPU fan and PSU first.

"Dzomlija" <guest@xxxxxx-email.com> wrote in message
news:acb41fe1bfbba6f8539e1236caaba234@xxxxxx-gateway.com... Did you look at the error message?
LOL!
So how was a memory dump made?

ss.

"rich" <rich@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:20D71090-8D63-411D-B46C-0DC80977DD24@xxxxxx
Your computer is having problems with going to Sleep. There are a lot of
computers that have problems with Vista's Sleep function, and it seems to be
happen with certain motherboards. I am not sure if SP1 has improved on this
situation, but a BIOS update helped with my motherboard. If you are already
using the latest BIOS for your motherboard, the easiest solution would be to
not use Sleep. You need to go to Power Options and make sure that Sleep is
not used. Maybe you could use Standby instead, without issues.

ss.

"Synapse Syndrome" <synapse@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:enEFFCSrIHA.420@xxxxxx
OK, I'll take that back, my Error message was different. The memory dump
could have been made when the machine tried resuming from Sleep. The time
of the BSOD needs to be checked to verify when it happened.

eMachines used to use Bestec power supply units, which are well known for
blowing motherboards, taking graphics cards, memory and optical drives with
them, in the hardware newsgroups I post in.

ss.

"rich" <rich@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:20D71090-8D63-411D-B46C-0DC80977DD24@xxxxxx
Looks at these threads. I do not know if eMachines still does this, as I
would have thought they would have sorted it out by now, and that eMachines
computers that are young enough to be supplied with Vista would have better
PSUs.

http://groups.google.co.uk/group/uk....achines+Bestec

ss.

I'll have to see if I can figure out how to determine if the fan is working:
"(and the fan fail alarm is turned off)" Before posting here I had contacted
emachines and asked them about the fan as being a source of the problem since
I don't feel any air blowing out of it the way I do with an HP system I have
but the support person said it wasn't that noticeable normally, so I am not
sure if he is right or not, I wonder if there is a command to run to show if
the fan is working rather than to have to take things apart and physically
inspect it. As a first step solution the emachines person said to do f2 when
booting up, then do f9 at that screen to reset the bios and see if that
solved it,otherwise they thought it was a problem with the hard drive which
would have to be fixed by sending the computer in for repair.
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"Dzomlija" wrote:

It sounds like I should try and understand the sleep function better, I
haven't located yet where to look for those settings other than seeing in
Control Panel / Power Options / to change when the computer sleeps, but don't
see to where to change IF the comptuer sleeps.
Also I am not sure how to tell if I have the latest BIOS.
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"Synapse Syndrome" wrote:

"rich" <rich@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:521E0374-827B-4B66-B68C-88779B747839@xxxxxx
Try looking in Help to see how to change the Power Options.

You can use this to see what motherboard you have, and what BIOS version:
http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

ss.

Regarding "If you are already using the latest BIOS for your motherboard, the
easiest solution would be to not use Sleep." I do see that in Power Options
where it says 'Change When the computer Sleeps' I could change that from 15
minutes to never. So if the problem is caused by not properly going to sleep
that might prevent it, although maybe that is not actually addressing the
root problem.

Thanks for that link to see if latest bios. I ran that and see what the
bios is, although at this point I am not sure how to determine if that is the
latest version of it or not.
This is what it shows:
System Manufacturer Gateway
System Name T5246
System S/N
Mainboard Vendor Gateway
Mainboard Model MCP61SM2MA
BIOS Vendor Phoenix Technologies, LTD
BIOS Version 6.00 PG
BIOS Date 11/10/2007

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"Synapse Syndrome" wrote: