PC Issue

[BIG OLAF]

I'm posting this from my mom's laptop, because my computer is having some sort of hardware failure or something. Maybe someone can help.

It started a few days ago. My PC started to randomly shut down and restart itself. It did it a few times and then stopped. Then, a bit later that same day, it did it again, and I got a Blue Screen with a bunch of jargon, saying there was some sort of error. I had to reboot my PC in Safe Mode for it to start back up correctly, lest it kept doing that. After a while, it stopped and everything was normal.

No problems then for a couple days. But, a few hours ago, my PC shut down randomly again. However, whenever I try to start it up, I'm met with this message:

"Reboot and select proper boot device. Or insert Boot Media in selected device and press any key."

Now, I got on my mom's laptop here and started trying to find solutions. However, none of them worked, and I don't have the Windows 7 disc to boot from. I ran a system diagnostics test on my setup screen (I can reach it if I mash F12 in time before it shits out), and it said no problems were detected with any devices. Soooo, I don't know what's up. Did I get some kind of crippling virus and my PC is toast? I'm pretty much out of options.

[AC9breaker]

Sounds like a hardrive problem to me specifically, either your shit is overheating or your HD is just finally dying. Do you not have back up boot disc or something?

[BIG OLAF]

No, I don't have a backup boot disc.

[Powder Keg]

Easiest solution is to check if it's overheating first, because that will definitely make that happen. One of my old PCs would collect dust fast and I would have to regularly get a can of compressed air and dust it out every few months.

[Mantiskilla]

Yeah to me it sounds like the HDD is about to go out. Do you happen to hear any sort of "clicking" noise from time to time?

[BIG OLAF]

No, no clicking noises.

Also, I borrowed my friend's Windows 7 disc today. Tried repairs, nothing. Tried reinstalling the OS, nothing. Even tried unplugging everything, taking out the motherboard battery and resetting the BIOS. Nothing.

After all that, all I get is a black screen with a white blinking line in the upper-left corner. Only thing left to consider is that the hard drive is dead. No idea how, or why now, but guess I need to buy a new one.

[Ryo]

The only question mark here is the computer restarting itself. A computer won't typically restart itself because of an HDD failure, as in powering itself down. That's typically a heat issue, and can be brought on by excess dust in the case as some have mentioned.

The blue screens can definitely be caused by a malfunctioning HDD though. I'm willing to bet just replacing the hard drive won't be a cure all. It'll get you booting again, but you may have more than one issue if the machine randomly powers off.

[Mantiskilla]

Makes you wonder though. It could possibly be a faulty PSU as well. Maybe too many components and not enough juice

[BIG OLAF]

It may be possible, but I have no idea what kind of power supply I would actually need, or where it even is in my computers 'guts', or if changing it out is a pain in the ass.

[gigawuts]

Makes you wonder though. It could possibly be a faulty PSU as well. Maybe too many components and not enough juice

This is my suspicion, I've had an identical problem in the past.

I had a great PSU that lasted me a solid 6 years, through four MB's and CPU's, multiple hard drives, and a half dozen graphics cards. Then one day, 3 months after an upgrade, my comp started turning itself off. It had pretty much exactly enough juice for that setup, maybe a bit less, and it was old so I saw it coming. This also happened on another computer I put together about 6 months after the fact, which had MORE than enough juice, so that was just a dud.

My thoughts are either the PSU is just dying, or that specific power cable is dying. Possible solution: Swapping out the HDD's power cord, if the graphics card has a supplemental power doohickey from the PSU try unplugging that (If it allows it to boot up alright, I don't know how this new stuff even works anymore).

edit: Changing out a PSU is actually one of the easiest things to do as far as replacing faulty hardware goes. No messing with thermal paste, no worrying about hundreds of tiny pins, no being frantic over disturbing platters. Just disconnect each part - remember what went where BTW (maybe even take a picture of the whole thing and where each individual cable goes if you're new to this), unscrew it from the back (while being careful it won't fall on anything), then remove it. Put the new one in and repeat steps in reverse to reconnect.

edit2: OH GOD DON'T FORGET TO UNPLUG THE PSU FIRST AND BE SUPER CAREFUL ABOUT STATIC.