Sudden Reboots

My husband's PC just reboots out of the blue. We can't figure out what is causing this. Any ideas?

Donna Hills, Ashland, Ohio

There are a lot of possible causes for sudden reboots. If they happen only when you run a particular application, that program is probably the culprit. Check the software vendor's Web site for an update or look for a more stable program.

Try finding the miscreant by turning off all the applications that load automatically when Windows boots: Press Windows-R, type msconfig, and press Enter. Click the Startup tab, uncheck everything, click OK, and reboot your system. If that solves the problem, try rechecking programs on the Startup tab one at a time (reboot between each) until the problem recurs. When it does, you've found the source.

Scan your PC for viruses (which you should be doing regularly anyway), and update your hardware drivers as well.

If these actions don't remedy your PC's involuntary reboots, the cause is most likely an overheated system. Open your PC's case and clean the dust out with a can of compressed air (you can buy this at any computer store for about $10).

The problem could also be related to the computer's electrical system. Try a different power cord (hey, it's cheap and easy), or replace your surge protector (not as cheap but still easy). And make sure your PC doesn't share an electrical circuit with a washing machine or other large appliance that uses a lot of power at irregular intervals.

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