Computer just crashed. System Check?

[Keebler Elf]

Came home from work and my computer was off. My clock was flashing so I'm thinking a power failure did it.

Restarted my computer and got into Windows. After about 2 minutes, my computer just up and rebooted on its own. For the next couple reboots, I got System Disk Error Insert Boot Device messages. After about the third or fourth try, everything is back to normal.

Any ideas on how to run some kind of diagnostic test to see what happened?

 

[Sieggo]

I know this doesn't really answer your question but it relates. Do you have system restore turned on? If you see any other minor glitches, it might not be a bad idea to use it in order to go back to a point before the problem.

 

[The Bandit]

Why would someone leave their computer on all day if they're at work...makes no sense at all. If you hadn't left it on, this wouldn't have happened,maybe next time, but not this time.

 

[PHNINE]

I never turn my desktop computer off unless I am out of town.

 

[Keebler Elf]

Why would someone leave their computer on all day if they're at work...makes no sense at all. If you hadn't left it on, this wouldn't have happened,maybe next time, but not this time.

Maybe b/c I'm downloading/uploading smartguy. You must be old.

Not to mention that turning your computer on/off every day can be just as bad as leaving it running all the time.

 

[thewheelman]

At least do a scandisk by a) closing all apps and windows, b) open My Computer, c) right click on system drive and go to properties, select "Tools" tab, run Error-Checking.

 

[chuck007]

Backup your important data files NOW. Just in case it deteriorates and you can't later.

 

[freshbreath]

I've experienced that funnyness with windows - repeated reboots gets it back into a "normal" state

my advice is to invest in a $50 UPS
you can set it to automatically shutdown properly if it detects a power outage, thus saving your system from harm

 

[Meister]

my advice is to get a 100 or 200 gig external Maxtor hard drive and do a complete backup every night, automatically.

 

[canucklehead]

I know this may be to late but buy the APC Unit and install PowerChute so you can get that graceful shutdown if there is a power outage.
The other thing is back up, back up, back up......only two types of people in the world, those that have lost data and those that have not.

 

[Keebler Elf]

I'm going to pick up a UPS unit. Thanks guys.

 

[freshbreath]

I know this may be to late but buy the APC Unit and install PowerChute so you can get that graceful shutdown if there is a power outage.

yup, this is the one I have, works like a charm