Windows 7: Computer is crashing all the time

here's WikiHow's page on how to do a BIOS update.



How to Update Your Computer's BIOS - wikiHow

Can't say I've ever had a problem updating the BIOS before, but there is a chance it could fail and brick your motherboard. Personally I think the gains from some updates are well worth the risks.

I have same problem with my desktop - computer blue screens and restarts every hour or so... Will look for bios update. Any other suggestions?

I noticed utorrent causes windows 7 to crash every hour or so while running. Just a FYI to anyone that uses it.

Thanks for reply. Not running uTorrent...

Tried installing on my work computer to see if I run into same problem with different hardware - it still has 'unexpected shutdowns'. Must be software related..

Installed\Running:
Office 2007
Symantec Endpoint Protection 10.0.4
IE8 (accelerators enabled)
Windows Defender disabled

Does anyone know what log file I should be looking at to help determine what is causing computer to crash?

Thanks.

I'm having the same problem with windows 7. It looks like you confirmed its a software problem (thank god). For me it was everytime I loaded up a game (3d mode). Today it happened twice when I had no programs open, it just powers off, its been scaring the crap outta me, till I saw you had tested on another pc and confirmed its a software problem (thank you!!). If you make any progress let me know and I'll do the same. Aside from this problem Windows 7 is so cool I would just hate to go back to vista.

In my case, the blue screens\reboots are definitely due to Symantec Endpoint Protection.

Fault bucket 0x8E_SYMEVENT+1829e, type 0
Event Name: Blue Screen
Response: http://oca.microsoft.com/resredir.aspx?sid=6508&Bucket=0x8E_SYMEVENT+1829e

Unfortunately, it is only approved antivirus software in my current environment. Will keep looking\waiting for fix...

I looked at that microsoft page, and so wait a sec, that means that you just have to uninstall your antivirus, and it doesnt shut down the pc anymore? have you tried/verified that? Also, I think I may have made a "bit" of progress. In the power settings in the control panel, I changed the setting for the power button. It was something like: pressing the power button 1. shuts down the computer 2. puts the pc in sleep mode 3. resets the pc 4. does nothing.
I set it for nothing. I then tried loading up a game and instead of it shutting down it just froze. It hadnt been freezing, just shutting off the pc. I'm wondering if whatever is causing the shutdowns is sending out the shutdown signal that the power button uses, and now that its set for nothing it doesnt know what to do and just freezes. When it froze I thought great, and now its not going to unfreeze. I tried ctrl-alt-del, ctrl-shift-esc, nothing. I was pissed and hit all sorts of ctrl-q, ctrl-x, ctrl break and towards then end tried alt-f4, and about that time it unfroze. I dont know if it was my frantic button pressing or just luck but...it got me back in the game and the pc hasnt turned off in over 2 hours of playing the game. I dont know if its fixed, or just better, or if I'm just lucky for the moment <G> Dont know if that helps anyone....

This should help you. Windows 7 compatible Antivirus

Thanks. As a final post, was definitely Symantec Endpoint Protection 11.0.4 causing the crashing, as no problems after uninstalling. Symantec claims it is compatible, but will go with one of the ones mentioned in the other post, or a MS supported app (Windows 7: Security Providers). Thanks!

Well I put vista back in as a second OS multibooting windows 7 and vista on different partitions and guess what? even vista crashes now (at everyboot up no less). I changed my bios to use my onboard graphics suspecting that my power supply is failing. Its no fun going from a 9800gt to a 6150le.. but using onboard is the only way I was able to write this. damn I hate this...also, I dont have ANY Symantec product on my system (let alone Symantec Endpoint Protection 11.0.4) unless windows update put it there, so wouldnt this be pointing more towards my power supply? or even the 9800 for that matter?