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Computer switching itself off?

21:14 / 20.12.03

This is a recent problem. Earlier in the week, there were four or five occasions when our laptop's screen went black for a couple of seconds before resuming where it left off. Three times this evening, it's switched itself off and not switched back on again. We have to resort to the time-honoured off-on technique, and anything we've been typing is then lost.

Anyone else's doing this? I remember this happening at the height of summer and I was convinced the computer was overheating - until the problem was revealed to be a virus.

22:33 / 20.12.03

Is it just the screen? When it comes back on, does the laptop have to reboot, or is it straight back to whatever you were doing when it went off - not disconnecting from the Internet, not closing whatever window was open at the time, etc?

If it *is* just the screen, go into 'Change a setting' (should be available through My Computer) and have a check on your power settings. Another thing to do - and I apologise in advance if this is the most stupid thing you've ever heard - is check your screensaver settings.

Otherwise, possibly a faulty screen or connection to the screen. The summer's big virus was one that was closing or reseting the computer totally, not just switching the monitor onto standby.

21:46 / 22.12.03

Hint's and tips for the eph of the year --

Do Tools >> Interenet Options >> Custom Level >> Security Max default >> and if you really have to download file, set the download enabled to yes and nothiing else >> protects from most vir's.

Also ... if you adventure indy style down to your control panel, hit Add/Remove programs, for I.E., you get the option to reinstall the last version, which in a cro-magnon kinda way boots out all you recently installed viruses.