Computer Restarts Randomly | Causes, and Proven Fixes

We spend several hours a day at our desks, and interruptions can abruptly affect our workflow. In a world with deadlines that were due yesterday, interruptions are unacceptable. If your computer restarts randomly while in use, it is a symptom of an underlying problem. In this article, we shall try to understand why our computers abruptly restart and how to fix it.

Why is My PC/Computer Restarting Randomly?

Hardware problems—Hardware issues can easily cause your PC to restart randomly. If so, it is usually because of a temporary disconnection or damaged hardware. Check to see if your wires, especially the electric outlet, do not have a loose connection.

Overheating—At higher temperatures, system hardware tends to malfunction (especially with heavy processes such as 3D modeling or gaming). Over time, the fans tend to collect dust that could act as insulators and trap heat. In some instances, the thermal paste could have run dry.

Malware or viruses—Malware or viruses could easily cause abrupt PC restarts. You use antivirus software to scan and repair the issue of the computer restarting randomly in such cases.

Windows updates—Huge Windows updates may initially come with a few bugs that could cause your computer to restart randomly. However, be on the lookout for a patch update, which is usually sent out soon after.

Overclocking—Overclocking refers to increasing the clock speeds of your computer (at a higher rate than recommended by the manufacturer), which increases the computer’s performance. However, overclocking requires the system to take in more voltage, causing heating issues. If the hardware cannot handle the clock speeds, it can also lead to abrupt crashes and freezes, along with file system corruption.

How to Fix a Computer Restarts Randomly Issue?

1. Turn Off Automatically Restart Feature

Note: If your PC is restarting because of this feature, disabling it will only prevent it from restarting; it will not fix the underlying problem that causes it.

1. Use the Windows+I shortcut to open settings,
2. Down at the end, click on About.
3. From the Related Links section, click on Advanced System Settings.
   
4. Click on and access the Advanced tab and open Settings below startup settings.
   
5. Uncheck the Automatically restart option under system failure.
   
6. Click on OK to save changes.

2. Disable Fast Startup

1. Open the control panel.
2. Using the search bar, locate and open Power Options.
3. Click on Choose what the power buttons do.
   
4. Click on Change settings that are currently unavailable.
   
5. In the Shutdown Settings section, uncheck the Turn on Fast Startup box.
   
6. Click on Save Changes.

3. Check Power Connection

More often than not, a loose connection is usually a cause. The electrical connection could be interrupted by a poorly made socket, the weight of the wire, or, in some cases, accidental tugging due to physical touch or because the wire is too short.

4. Scan the PC for Malware and Virus

Malware and Viruses could cause your system to shut down or restart regularly. To check, download and install a trusted antivirus software and scan your entire system. If any inconsistencies or errors are detected, you can use the same software to rectify them.

5. Install the Latest Windows Updates To Fix Computer Restarts Randomly Issue

You might have an outdated, ingenuine, or buggy software update. Check to see if you have any updates ready to download and install. You can do so by following the steps below.

1. Use the Windows+I shortcut to open Windows Settings.
2. Click on Windows Update, which is located in the left column.
3. Click on Check or Updates.
   
4. If there is an update, you will be shown a Download and Install button that you can click on.

6. Check for RAM errors

1. Open mdsched.exe. You can do so by opening the start menu and using the search box.
   
2. A Window will appear; click on Restart now and check for problems.
   

After the scan, Replace your RAM if any issues are detected.

How to Prevent Data Loss in a Defective PC?

When a computer restarts randomly, the chances of data corruption and file system damage are at an all-time high. If the issues are not resolved in time, you could become a victim of data loss. To protect your data, transfer all your data onto a healthy external storage device.

Users can download and install the SFWare Data Recovery Tool to do this. It is advanced software that recovers all data from a drive, including data lost to file corruption. It is as user-friendly as it is effective, so anyone can use it irrespective of their experience with technology.

We will transfer all your data to an external health drive during this process. This will ensure

1. Your data will be safe while you try to fix the repair issue
2. Any data that is already corrupted as a result will be repaired

Note: Please ensure that you use a healthy external drive with equal or more free space than your current drive.

Follow the instructions below to backup your data using SFWare Data Recovery!

1. Download, Install, and open SFWare Data Recovery Software.
2. Select the main drive and click on “Start Scan.”
   
3. You can view all the recovered data in real time during the scan.
   
4. After the scan, preview and select all the files that you would like to recover and click on “Save”.
   
5. Select the healthy external drive as the destination location.

Conclusion

I hope you can resolve the issue of computer restarts randomly using this article. If nothing worked, It would be wise to approach a professional. You can also reduce the risk of data loss before getting it repaired. You can use the SFWare Data Recovery Tool to safely extract and transfer all your data to another healthy drive for safe storage.