computer keeps turning off - windows xp

I have windows xp. Here in the past week, when I try to do anything in itunes or playing games on game websites, it will turn off. Not sure why it is all of a sudden doing this.

 

This is often related to overheating. Is this a tower? Been cleaned lately? Take the side off, turn on, fans run?

While there, with power OFF, try reseating the RAM cards and all other connection you can find.

 

It is a tower and no, it hasn't been cleaned lately. What is the best way to clean it without damaging anything?

 

Great question.

Turn it off, unplug it, push the power button several times to discharge the caps.

Wait 30 minutes, open.

The best is to use the special compressed air cans you can find in any electronics shop. Else, use a soft paint brush, and very tenderly remove all the dust, top down. Not at all diffucult to do, just put the tower on some newspapers, it'll be a mess.

A good practice is to perform the cleaning with one hand and the other hand lays on the cabinet, just to prevent any voltage differential.

By the way, this procedure is probably overkill when it comes to caution. But better to be cautious.

Then, attempt to wiggle together, reseat any connections you can access.

And, are the fans running??

 

To diagnose potential overheating while the computer is running, use SpeedFan (or http://majorgeeks.com/download337.html of course).

 

Thanks for the information. I will try doing that. Also, my fan is running fine and the tower isn't hot at all.

 

What is your power supply wattage? It might be that PSU doesn't supply enough power to the system.

 

Cleaned dust out of computer and made sure everything was hooked up. There was one cord that wasn't hooked into anything, but it never has been hooked into anything as far as I can remember. It has a white end on it and P7 printed on the side. I left it unhooked until I ran it through someone who knew what it was and if it was supposed to be this way. Thanks for all of the suggestions. So far, the computer hasn't shut down at all today.

 

Amazing what some housekeeping will do! :major