"windows is starting up/windows is shutting down"

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AnnRKeyintheUSA

War Child
Joined
Mar 29, 2007
Messages
603
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not coming down
What does it mean if, after 'windows is starting up' you get 'windows is shutting down?' Is this a virus or some other problem?

About a week ago, I had problems with peoples' myspaces freezing my computer and I had to do control/alt/delete to get rid of my browser. I got a message telling me that doing this would cause the system to be unstable and prone to crashes, so maybe that is what's happening.

Most of the time, if I can get it to load all the way, it will stay up as long as I am actively using the mouse, but as soon as I sit it idle for more than a few seconds, it starts shutting down. Then other times it shuts down before it loads. Has anyone had this problem or know how to fix it? Any help, advice or personal experience is appreciated.
 
Shutting down when you idle. That smells like an old battery for the motherboard, that little cell battery could need changing.
 
You can change the battery and not the whole motherboard? Where is it?

The last thing I'd ever do would be a system restore. That kills everything you have and defeats the purpose of trying to save your computer. I'd rather hang onto it and hope for a cure or transfer someday. There's no way I'd wipe its memory:sad:
 
If you don't know where it is, better let someone who does fix it. I'm afraid I don't know where it's located but I do know it's the common thing for a pc that keeps starting up/shutting down..
Do you have a computer store you can go to or so?
 
I dont know if its the same thing, but my parents computer recently would not start up all the way. It kept saying it was starting up, then it would just keep rebooting itself. It turned out to be some corrupted files on the hard drive. They had to take it to a repair shop and they repaired it fine for around $150. They said it could have been caused by shutting off the computer improperly.
 
You can change the battery and not the whole motherboard? Where is it?

The last thing I'd ever do would be a system restore. That kills everything you have and defeats the purpose of trying to save your computer. I'd rather hang onto it and hope for a cure or transfer someday. There's no way I'd wipe its memory:sad:

:huh: Is your System Restore messed up too? It should only restore as far back as you select, and even so it only affects certain directories (Program Files, Windows, the registry, etc) and won't touch non-system files like documents, pictures, music, etc.

If it's the CMOS battery dead or low it should tell you so when it starts up like "Battery needs to be replaced, strike F1 to continue" or something like that. Yes you can easily change the battery and not the motherboard.
 
Thanks. The only system restore I have is a disc that takes the computer back to newborn status and erases all files. I have no message telling me a battery is bad.
 
Thanks. The only system restore I have is a disc that takes the computer back to newborn status and erases all files. I have no message telling me a battery is bad.

You shouldn't have to reinstall the OS, just use the System Restore in System Tools. Jump back to before the problem started.
 
Here's a step by step-
For XP
1. Click on "start" button - bottom left side
2. Click on all programs
3. Click on accessories --->system tools-->system restore
4. It will ask you if you want to restore my computer to an earlier time...click ok or yes
5. It will tell you to pick a date you would like to restore computer to - a calendar will be there and certain days will be availible to choose from.
*pick a date before the one where you remember the problems happening
*I can't tell you what happens next...but it should tell you what to do.

For Vista-
1. Click on the window's button on the left side
2. Click on all programs
3. click on accessories
4. Down a little ways is "system tools" click this.
5. After clicking the above, look for system restore
6. Again, it will prompt you with something that says "restore system files and settings"
*click next
7. Pick a point availible by clicking on the date.
8. Click next...and then finish and it should do the trick.

If this doesn't work, come back and let us know and maybe we have more awesome advice to give. :)
 
What determines what dates are available?

Does the computer do restore points automatically, or is this something I should set periodically?

It typically sets one before it does an update (like what it gets from Windows Updates) and most times when you install new software it also creates a restore point. Sometimes if I'm tinkering I will make a new one if I think I might not like the change and want an easy way to go back.
 
What does it mean if, after 'windows is starting up' you get 'windows is shutting down?' Is this a virus or some other problem?

About a week ago, I had problems with peoples' myspaces freezing my computer and I had to do control/alt/delete to get rid of my browser. I got a message telling me that doing this would cause the system to be unstable and prone to crashes, so maybe that is what's happening.

Most of the time, if I can get it to load all the way, it will stay up as long as I am actively using the mouse, but as soon as I sit it idle for more than a few seconds, it starts shutting down. Then other times it shuts down before it loads. Has anyone had this problem or know how to fix it? Any help, advice or personal experience is appreciated.


which Window version are you using presently?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I have XP.

Thanks everyone for trying to help. Philk I was too stupid to get your list to work, but I'm saving it to try again. I was able to come up with a half ass way to trick it- you know those little prompts that tell you that someone else is logged in and if you continue shutting down you'll cause them to lose data? Well I figured as long as I always keep somebody else logged in there's no way it can ever shut down! It tries like every five minutes or so and it asks me if I want to continue shutting down and I click 'no'. It hasn't died since! I know this is not the right thing to do but it's holding for now.
 
Will that help when it's shutting down on its own? Usually once it starts it won't let you press anything. (when it happens when the other person is not logged in so I never get the prompt first)
 
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