Windows Keeps Shutting Down

I'm running Vista Business.

Windows keeps shutting down on me. Sometimes it even restarts on its own.
The restarts happens from 20 seconds onwards up to 2 minutes from the
shutdown. It begins shutting down at intermittent times. Sometimes it just
reaches logging on stages and straight to shut down. Happens as frequent as 5
minute intervals. I have done 2 clean installs and the problem still persists.

Your description of the problem - especially that the shutdown is random
- indicates to me that the problem may be hardware-related. Your machine
could be overheating, you could have bad RAM, a failing power supply,
etc. Here are some general hardware troubleshooting steps:

Standard caveat: Testing hardware failures often involves swapping out
suspected parts with known-good parts. If you can't do the testing
yourself and/or are uncomfortable opening your computer, take the
machine to a professional computer repair shop (not your local
equivalent of BigStoreUSA). Have all your data backed up before you take
the machine into a shop

This is not the problem. My computer likes to shut down when I am installing
or playing a game ex:Halo. I thought that maybe it is doing too much work,
but never had a problem like that with XP.

I sent my PC to the shop eventually. They changed the power supply for me and
the guy tested my PC for 12 hours with no problems. So I took it back with me.

Back in the office it happened again. So I thought it may be the extension
cord that was giving me problems. I went and got myself a new extension cord
and I also bought myself an UPS just to be safe.

Got back and installed everything. Alas, it happened again.

You should talk to the guy at the shop and ask them how they tested (if
you didn't already do this). If the machine really behaved properly at
the shop and shuts down at your house, then you have to ask yourself
what is different at your house than at the shop.

When this has happened to clients of mine, it has usually been an
electrical problem. Since you changed the extension cord - and putting a
computer on an extension cord is always a bad idea - then I'd look next
to the wall outlet and amount of electricity available. I'm not an
electrician so someone more knowledgeable about that will need to give
you a better explanation. For instance, quite a few years ago my
electricity was shutting off if I did my ironing in a bedroom while
watching TV (the electrical wiring in this house is a bit wonky anyway).
I had my electrician come out and he explained that the outlets in the
bedroom gave lower power and too many appliances drawing too much power
were shutting things off. He told me to iron in the great room
(combination kitchen, eating area, family room) where the outlets were
designed to give more power. My description of what he told me may be
off re the actual technical details, but he was 100% right and I've
never had the problem again.

So it is possible you are experiencing something like that. You can
check with a good local electrician to be sure, or change your computing
location, or even see if purchasing an Uninterruptible Power Supply into
which you can plug your computer will work.

I did get myself an Uninterruptible Power Supply unit. That's why I am really
dumbfounded. At least now it doesn't happen as often. I'm now beginning to
think that it may be my processor. It seems to be 'working hard' even with
only a couple of applications running.

How do you know the processor is "working hard"? What makes you think
this? Troubleshooting hardware problems can be very difficult. As I
said, ask the computer shop person how they tested. If they ran a
burn-in test for 12 hours - a good burn-in test that simulates
real-world computing - then the issue is probably on your end. If all
they did was run Memtest86+ or leave the computer on but not doing
anything, that didn't prove anything.

I don't think it has to do with any hardware. I think its just vista. XP
never did this for me, I watch the little gadget on the side to track my CPU
usage and when I Install a program or simply play a computer game it goes up
to the red, when it is there too long is when it shuts down like a protection
type software may be on the computer I and Kevin don't know about. XP if you
were doing too much it just runs slower now which I hardly ever experienced,
and Vista I believe just shuts down.

That's an interesting theory but not really accurate. Your computer is
entirely different than Kevin's. Vista should not just "shut down". If
you are having problems, make a new post and include all your hardware
specs, what version of Vista you are running, and whether this was an
upgrade or clean install.

Not only must the processor work even harder without failure. It
must also work OK in a 100 degree F room without failure. Heat or
'overworking a processor' are but symptoms of 100% defective
hardware. You are making it even harder for yourself by just
speculating without any fact to base that speculation upon.

Find the defect; don't cure its symptoms. Notice what another
suggested: keep replacing parts until something failed. Your tech
probably did same thing. Those who shotgun typically do not first ask
what is wrong. Somehow they know without first identifying the
failure: shotgunning. It even violates basic principles demonstrated
in CSI - "follow the evidence".

Start by stopping the shotgunning. Based upon everything posted,
everything including the power supply remains suspect. Confirm what
is good. Once we establish something as good, then never look back
again. We move on to the next suspect. Long before replacing or
fixing anything, first, we collect facts - learn what is defective.

Of course, the system has system (event) logs. Learn of failures
the system had detected and worked around and recorded in those logs.

The UPS recommendation was completely bogus. Sometimes UPSes are
installed to cure a symptom. Instead fix the problem - a power supply
that is missing essential functions. Some save $20 on a power supply
missing functions that were standard 30 years ago. Then buy a $100
UPS to 'cure' those missing functions.

After collecting log data, then we address the computer's
foundation. Get a 3.5 digit multimeter. Measure voltages one each
wire during various events as detailed in "When your computer dies
without warning....." starting 6 Feb 2007 in the newsgroup
alt.windows-xp at:
http://tinyurl.com/yvf9vh
Then report those numbers here since numbers include information not
obviously apparent.

Especially important is to measure those orange, red, purple, and
yellow wire voltages when system is accessing all peripherals
simultaneously (multitasking). For example complex graphics (a game)
while playing a DVD movie and maybe playing a sound on the network.
Now measure (and report) those voltages again. And do this without
the UPS.

Meanwhile, do a search for your machines comprehensive hardware
diagnostics. A responsible computer manufacturer provided then with a
machine and on the web site - for free. If your computer manufacturer
is not so responsible, then download diagnostics from each component
manufacturer or from third parties. Once we have have exonerated the
power supply 'system' (yes, it is more than just a power supply), then
we can move on to other suspects.

Notice again - no shotgunning. Once we know why, only then is a
part is replaced; and then confirmed by getting numbers. Get numbers
rather than speculate. Verify the logs. Use the meter to verify an
entire power supply 'system'. Start locating diagnostics.

Thank you for the suggestions.

At least I know for a fact now that it is not the incoming power supply.
Agreed the power system within the CPU is still suspect.

I've gone through the event log and found this message where the shutdown
occurs:-

- System

- Provider

[ Name] USER32

- EventID 1074

[ Qualifiers] 32768

Level 4

Task 0

Keywords 0x80000000000000

- TimeCreated

[ SystemTime] 2007-03-19T03:12:27.000Z

EventRecordID 19901

Channel System

Computer kevineu-PC

- Security

[ UserID] S-1-5-21-1606917974-1023714233-4127007487-1000


- EventData

C:\Windows\system32\winlogon.exe (KEVINEU-PC)
KEVINEU-PC
No title for this reason could be found
0x500ff
power off

kevineu-PC\kevineu
FF000500


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Binary data:


In Words

0000: 000500FF


In Bytes

0000: FF 00 05 00 ÿ...


Next I'll check the logs again to see if there are patterns just before
shutdown.

What I also find very, very strange is that even AFTER I shut down, it can
restart on its own. This is very strange to me...

Nothing I posted said "it is not incoming on power supply". Problem
could be created by power supply - and UPS still would do nothing.
Power supply could also create those messages in event log. Until we
have numbers from the multimeter, then literally all failures could be
due to power supply ... system ...

That one event log entry by itself says zero. But in conjuntion
with other information, it says massive. It appears that a process
unique to the user on KEVINEU-PC has asked winlogon.exe to shutdown
the machine. Did the time of that shutdown coincide with when your
machine unexpectedly shutdown or was that shutdown a normally
requested event? Is there an application log entry for a program that
has failed and would request shutdown?

Would that application log event define a program as defective?
No. But again we are building a cross section of facts to identify
the problem.

Meanwhile, verify the integrity of basic 'system' components as
posted previously and as referenced in http://tinyurl.com/yvf9vh .
Get and use the meter. Otherwise all symptoms tell us little useful.
A signal from power supply monitor could even create the shutdown. We
don't know until we have numbers - especially when computer is
accesssing all peripheral simultaneously.

I've been having a similiar issue with Vista... Business too... I'm
completely baffled by what it is doing. I have been trying to change
performance settings or anything that might make it work a little better in a
high performance situation. I have personally found that shutting everything
off I can on my computer is the best way to keep the computer running. When
it crashes I typically have iTunes running in the background and the AC on,
on my computer. After the crash I reboot then shut it down properly...
Restart the computer only turn the fan on and only run the program I want,
which is typically World of Warcraft.

With these issues coming up and really not solution in site I'm thinking I
might downgrade back to XP 32bit... I never had any issues running stuff in
XP... Even though I really like the design of Vista, it just has too many
issues for me right now.

Here's an update. I was kinda fed up with the shutting down and I did not
have the chance to go and get myself the multi meter to check. So, I just
opened the casing and checked all the connections myself. I unfastened the
CPU, checked its connections and refastened it.

Now, it still shuts down BUT only about two or three times a day. It is now
bearable and I can use it for longer periods of time with less problems...

I found this thread because my only days old new machine running Vista
suddenly rebooted. I was doing some google searching when the browser
just disappeared. I thought it crashed, but then about a minute later
it became obvious that the machine is shutting down. I found the same
event log message as what yours.

[8:52:41] USER32
The process C:\Windows\system32\winlogon.exe (ROCKTRON) has initiated
the power off of computer ROCKTRON on behalf of user rocktron\Kaz for
the following reason: No title for this reason could be found
Reason Code: 0x500ff
Shutdown Type: power off
Comment:

In the application event log, there are a few things logged in the few
seconds leading up to this:
---------------------
[8:52:41] User Profile Service
Windows detected your registry file is still in use by other
applications or services. The file will be unloaded now. The
applications or services that hold your registry file may not function
properly afterwards.

DETAIL -
1 user registry handles leaked from \Registry\User
\S-1-5-21-2946732884-2613730341-1980326654-1000_Classes:
Process 944 (\Device\HarddiskVolume2\Windows\System32\svchost.exe) has
opened key \REGISTRY\USER
\S-1-5-21-2946732884-2613730341-1980326654-1000_CLASSES
---------------------
[8:52:40] User Profile Service
Windows detected your registry file is still in use by other
applications or services. The file will be unloaded now. The
applications or services that hold your registry file may not function
properly afterwards.

DETAIL -
1 user registry handles leaked from \Registry\User
\S-1-5-21-2946732884-2613730341-1980326654-1000:
Process 944 (\Device\HarddiskVolume2\Windows\System32\svchost.exe) has
opened key \REGISTRY\USER
\S-1-5-21-2946732884-2613730341-1980326654-1000
---------------------
[8:52:40] Winlogon
The winlogon notification subscriber <SessionEnv> was unavailable to
handle a notification event.
---------------------
[8:52:39] Desktop Window Manager
The Desktop Window Manager has exited with code (0x40010004)

Looks like WinLogon likes to treat a disappearing DWM by shutting
down. How cute!