I have twin boys who are 13 months old, and my PC setup is in the lounge where it has its own corner. I recently realized that one of my boys figured out how to turn the PC on and off by pressing the button on the tower, likely because he's fascinated by the LEDs. I caught him in the act and stopped him, but it seems to have prompted a warning screen on the PC. I used it afterward and everything seemed fine, but I usually leave the PC off at the switch when I'm not using it. Unfortunately, I forgot again today, and the other twin started playing with it as well! I quickly put something in front of it and turned it off again, but now the PC is taking a really long time to restart, almost to the point where it's frozen. I know it's not good to turn a PC on and off frequently, and I'm really curious about what damage this might cause. Can anyone explain what happens when a PC is turned off unexpectedly and what parts might get affected?
4 Answers
Honestly, turning your PC on and off like that isn't usually a big deal, but it can cause issues if Windows is updating or doing something critical. If it's interrupted, it may corrupt files or cause the OS to become unstable, which sounds like what might be happening now. You might want to back up important files just in case, and consider reinstalling your Windows if it keeps acting up.
Another thing to consider is that your motherboard might be resetting itself if it's detecting boot issues. You may need to reset the BIOS if that’s the case. Also, locking down your power button with an alternative switch could save you some headaches later!
It sounds like your Windows installation might have gotten messed up from the sudden power cycles. Sometimes the OS tries to recover on its own, but if it doesn't, you might need to boot in Safe Mode to troubleshoot. If it keeps freezing, using a Windows installation disk might help access recovery options.
You could even look into getting an anti-toddler power button that needs to be opened to turn off. Or, disconnecting the header cable from your motherboard could be a temporary fix too. Just something to keep in mind while dealing with this situation!
Definitely try Safe Mode first! From there, you can back up anything important before doing any major changes. Good luck!