Please help!
my pc was working well until last month.
now, whenever i try to use software to convert .avi files to mp4 for my ipod video, or on to VCD, it gets to about 40% completed then the computer suddenly shuts down, no warnings or anything. I have tried different software (videora, nero, cucusoft) and all end the same way. i had no problem using the same software for same purpose before, and i don't know what has changed.
i have heaps of room on my hard-drive, i regularily clean it out. what can i do?!??

Try a System Restore to a point prior to the problem:

start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore



Also: look in your Event viewer: rt. click My Computer then click Manage then Event Viewer.
Or: Administrative Tools/Event Viewer or Start/Run/ eventvwr
Open the system as well as the application tabs & look for X errors. Click error line for details.
Post back the source & event id & Description especially of errors that seem to coincide with this issue.
Also check the Information lines that might coincide with this issue.

How to view and manage event logs in Event Viewer in Windows XP

thanks for your response.
no joy with system restore, there haven't been any changes in 2 months so it didn't do anything. the problem is more recent than this.
i can't find any errors in event viewer either. last night the computer crashed a final time at around 9:30pm, the last log i have for this is
Service Control Manager type Information event 7036
i don't know anything about event viewer, or even if i am doing the right thing here.

System Restore should create a check point every day or two at least. Is it turned on? And it shows no Check Point in the last day or so?

The 7036 from SCM is a benign piece of information.

What exactly happens when the computer shuts down? Does it lose power? Reboot? Freeze?


I would suggest the following:

Go to start | search (type in) .dmp
Note the location of your .dmp files.

Then:

1) Download and install the
Debugging Tools from Microsoft
2) Download and install this
debugwiz
3) Open the Wiz & Browse to, or paste in the path to, your .dmp file.
4) After the Wiz creates a Text document attach it back to this thread.

when the computer shuts down it loses power.
i searched for dmp files, nothing more recent than april 2005... does this make sense?

A shutdown like that is most likely hardware.

Do you know what graphics card you have? Would you happen to have another to test?

Is this an old computer? What is the make and model?

it is a fairly new computer, no more than 2 years old.
it's an intel pentium 4, i have no idea how to check the graphics card, how can i tell what it is?

Start/Run/ devmgmt.msc | Display adapter

Is this a custom built computer? Or a Dell or HP or etc. ? If the latter what is it exactly? e.g. Dell Dimension 4700 etc.

custom built, it says ASUS on the tower.

Try this scan:

http://www.d-a-l.com/hardware-scan.php