I bought a prebuilt PC about three years ago, and now it's starting to crash frequently—about every 5 minutes. I've tried everything I can think of, and it seems to point to faulty hardware. I'm dealing with corrupted files because of the crashes, and I'm not very tech-savvy. I'm wondering how I can figure out which component is causing these issues. Also, I'm considering whether it's worth it to build a new PC, especially since I spent $3500 on this one.
4 Answers
One way to check for hardware problems is to boot from a live USB. You can use tools like Hiren's Boot CD or any Linux distro. If it passes without crashing, try doing a clean Windows install from a USB, deleting everything on your system disk. Also, Hiren's has some testing tools for RAM, drives, CPU, and GPU that might help you find the culprit.
I recommend trying a Linux image, like Ubuntu or Linux Mint, to create a bootable USB. Boot from it without installing—just to test your system. If your PC restarts or shows errors with Linux, it likely points to a hardware issue. If it runs fine, the problem could be with drivers or the OS.
Hey, I see a lot of advice about Linux, but before diving into that, have you checked who the manufacturer is? They might offer tech support, and it could be worth reaching out. Also, think about any changes recently—like power issues or moving the PC. Understanding your system specs is really important for troubleshooting, so be sure to share that if you can!
Honestly, it sounds like you might not have much experience with troubleshooting hardware. Have you opened the PC or cleaned it at all? Knowing some of the specs and any recent changes will help others guide you better.
I tried doing a clean install once, but I found it really hard to do because my PC kept crashing. What would you suggest in that case?