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Just 15 minutes ago, while on Windows 7, my desktop unexpectedly initiated a shutdown (Word prompted me to save my document, the Force Shutdown dialog came up), but I had not initiated any form of shutdown, and neither was Windows Update prompting an update.

Before I could save my Word doc, the computer just totally shut off, unlike what would have happened for a normal Windows shutdown. I couldn't start the computer again (sometimes not making past POST, sometimes beeping and immediately dying) despite multiple tries (switching the mains off and on), until I disconnected the network cable - which started my suspicions.

Went straight into UEFI BIOS, CPU temps look OK (at 41 deg C), which means overheating should be ruled out.

Started Windows, went into Event Viewer, couldn't find any Shutdown events under Windows Logs > System at all, except those like "The previous shutdown was unexpected".

This is really very creepy..... I immediately suspected remote shutdown via network, but because this is a home network and everyone else is asleep, it could be possible that someone initiated a shutdown remotely through my Dynamic DNS address.... Immediately disabled them too.

I need some advice and ideas for what else could have caused this, and how should I go about trying to find out the trigger for the last shutdown.

Thanks very much... I'm trying to see if I got inadvertently hacked (even though I consider myself rather good around computers), or was it a hardware/software fault which can be rectified (thus eliminating a larger part of my worries). I'm not too sure if my network is secure or not though, and that could have been the reason for allowing a hack through, even though I'm on a shared dynamic IP provided by ISP.

Specs if you are curious:

  • Gigabyte Z97-D3H
  • Intel i7-4790
  • G.skill 4x 4GB 2133MHz
  • Sapphire R9-280X

I guess the rest shouldn't matter.

Irvin Lim
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3 Answers3

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You wrote "I couldn't start the computer again (sometimes not making past POST, sometimes beeping and immediately dying)". If the system was failing to make it past the power-on self-test (POST) that can be an indication of a hardware problem. Without a Post card to show the POST codes, the sequence of beeps can indicate the cause of the problem - see Post beep codes.

Admittedly, it does seem odd that you were unable to boot the system until you removed the network cable, but you might have a hardware problem that is intermittent and it may only be coincidental that the system rebooted after you disconnected that cable. E.g., see some of the replies to Windows 7 - 64 Computer shuts off unexpectedly on possible hardware issues and ways you can test your hardware.

A power supply tester is nice to have to check the power supply, but I will presume you don't have one of those handy. You can run a memory test with a number of free tools, though, to check whether the issue could be with RAM, though sometimes a flaky power supply can cause memory tests to fail. Some free memory test tools you could use:

MemTest86

memtest86+

DocMemory - you will have to register to download the free memory diagnostic utility

You can also find memtest86 and memtest86+ as well as other memory diagnostic utilities and other test tools on the Ultimate Boot CD.

The way these utilities usually work is that you create a bootable CD, usually from an ISO file. If you don't have a utility to burn an ISO file to a CD/DVD to create a bootable CD/DVD, there are a number of utilities to do so. Note: you can't just put the file on the disc the way you would put other files on the disc when burning a CD/DVD. You need to use a tool that can create a bootable CD/DVD from an ISO image, such as Totally Free Burner, etc.; there are a number of free ones available. Though if you burn the CD/DVD from a Windows 7 system, you shouldn't need to install any additional software - see Create Bootable CD from ISO. The memtest86+ site also offers an auto-installer version for a USB key that you can download.

It's better to use a memory tester that runs after you've booted the system from such a CD/DVD, so you are eliminating the Windows operating system or applications running in it as a potential cause of the problem. And, because booting from one of these CDs uses much less memory than Microsoft Windows will claim, you can test more of the memory.

It may not be a hardware problem, but it also could be a hardware problem, so I wouldn't assume your system has been infected by malware or otherwise compromised.

Community
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moonpoint
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Go to your control panel, administrative tools, event viewer and look for the events that are related to startup and shutdown. Any shutdown will be listed there and who initiated it (a program or user, etc) It will tell you if this is the action of a virus, or perhaps an update process.

LPChip
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One thing that came to mind immediately was the motherboard power switch. Since Windows received a shutdown command, which was followed immediately by a forced power shutdown, it looks very similar to what would happen if I held down the power button on the chassis.

Therefore, you should verify that the physical power switch itself is fully functional, and not activating without an intentional push (eg external objects bumping into the switch, or something shorting the pins within the motherboard.)

March Ho
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