Is my six-month old computer busted?

Factual Questions
1

OK, here’s the deal:

The day after this past Christmas, I went to Best Buy to get a new laptop for school. I cheaped out a little, buying an “Acer,” but, seeing as how I’m not a gamer and I don’t use the computer for many things, I thought it would be OK.

For the most part, the computer has worked well. Occasionally–usually around 2 AM–the computer will spontaneously shut off for no reason. It doesn’t shut down, it’s like a light switch: one second it’s on, the next it’s off.

This has been no more than a minor inconvenience so far. The other night, however, I got a message in the sidebar saying that Windows updates were available. I clicked them, they downloaded, the computer restarted. Unfortunately, after the restart, the computer flicked off during the installation process. I waited a few minutes, then turned it back on. I got the “startup repair” screen, and after searching for the problem, I was told that the problem could not be identified, and that I should contact my system manufacturer. I went to the Acer website, and they had nothing for me.

For days now, my computer can’t get past the startup repair screen. When I try running the memory diagnosis, each time the computer flicks off when the process is about 50% through.

I’m going a little crazy here. To make matters worse, I’m going to Mississippi on Saturday for three weeks, and I basically NEED my computer to work. What should I do? Do I need a new computer? Can I buy a new Windows Vista to get it to work?

(By the way, I also tried running the computer in Safe Mode–that, too, didn’t work, and I got the startup repair screen.)

I am not very computer savvy at all, but if anyone could provide some kind of guidance for what I should do to cure the problem, I’d be very, very appreciative. Thanks!

2

Almost certainly a hardware fault, but that doesn’t mean you need a new computer. Surely it’s still under warranty? Even if it isn’t, I bet if you make enough fuss with Acer you’ll get it fixed for nothing, or perhaps the cost of shipping only.

3

Could be a battery issue, if a local retail outlet (like the Best Buy you got it from) has batteries try that, usually when laptops randomly crap out that’s the first thing I would try at least.

4

Sounds like it is over heating. Is it on a smooth, hard flat surface, or is it on a soft surface, like a bed, sofa or your lap? Soft surfaces can block the fan and cause overheating. Or the fan could be blocked with dust, or malfunctioning altogether.

5

Check to see if it’s still under warranty. Deal with Acer directly. If you must return it to Best Buy, make sure you read the these stories from consumerist.com before you turn it over to them.

6

Can you take it back to a restore point before the last batch of Windows updates?

7

Another vote for warranty replacement. Check with Acer. Sounds like hardware issue, faulty memory perhaps.

8

Batteries? Overheating?
Every night around 2 am?

I don’t know 'bout that…

I wonder if you (or the factory) had automatic system upgrades check for updates every night and then do an automatic restart based on some changes/updates that were found?
Now the restarting issue may be an update gone wrong, or if you have one of your Spyware programs updating also you may have received a conflicting update.
On the other hand, the fact that you can’t even post or start in safe mode makes it sound like it’s a hardware issue.
Some things to try first. Remove any devices that are plugged into the USB ports. Remove the wireless card (pretty easy, if you know where it is) and do a restart.
If that doesn’t get any results you might want to insert the installation disk and try to do a system restore or as a last resort an OS reinstall.

9

If it was running fine then you put in windows updates and it didn’t work, it is the updates were applied incorrectly. It could be a failure of hardware etc, but that would seem a bit co-incidental that it happend exactly the same time you applied the hardware.

Do you have a boot disk? Do you have a USB port or a floppy disk. Do you have a Windows boot disk?

If not go to http://bootdisk.com and download the appropriate one

Turn the computer off THEN plug your USB or put your floppy in and start the computer. It should allow you to boot off the disk. At worst you may have to reinstall Windows, which may (or may) not erase your files. You can usually recover files off a drive if they are erased and not over written. (This doesn’t apply if your hard drive is actually dead and not spinning like mine was).

If you can get in through the floppy and get to a DOS promt try to change the drive to C: and use the C:\dir to see if you can see your files.

Look for some DOS commands and see if you can copy your files like that. If so then you could reboot Windows/

Finally you may have appeared to have Windows updates but in reality got a virus masquerading as Windows updates. When I get windows updates I don’t have them install automatically. I look at the ones I need then go to the Microsoft Site find the update ON the acutal website and update it from there. That way you KNOW it’s an actual Windows update.

Of course if you got a virus you have to see about cleaning off the virus or reinstalling Windows to get rid of the virus

10

Oops I meant applied the updates (I wrote "applied the hardware)

11

I have an HP desktop that I bought about 3 years ago. Lately, it will up and shut down like you said. Fwooom, and then it restarts.

Some background:

Years ago my BiL, a tech nerd, told me that you really don’t have to turn off the puter. I.e. they’re built for many years of use and the abuse to the switch is about as bad as running it constantly, so don’t bother.

So when you’re in here at 3:30 AM and you see my name, appearing to be on-line, there’s every chance I just left my computer on.

But, when I (rarely) burn a CD, it doesn’t always want to cooperate. If I turn it off and leave it a couple minutes, I usually have success. Overheating may be a problem.

It’s hard to figure though because I’ve reset my clocks etc. at least 3x in the last month. I know I’ve had power outages so if I come home and find the computer has restarted after such an event, maybe that was it.

I get a message that my computer has recovered from a “serious” error but also that Windows has updated. I send the error report but nothing changes.

Having used a laptop for work, I can tell you they do often overheat. You can buy a sort of cradle for it with fans that plug into USB and keep it cool.

I’m going to start turning off my computer more regularly and see if it helps.

12

Found a link for said “cradle” type thing.