PC is messed up, need a recommendation.

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Hey guys, sorry about the length.
Calling all techies who want to be a hero, and help diagnose my computer issue.
If there aren't any on here, then I need a recommendation of where else to post this.

My computer's specs.
MSI GT783
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit.
BIOS: MSI GT783 E1761IMS Ver: 1.0H 11/18/2011 MSI-Notebook
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2670QM CPU @ 2.20GHz (8 CPUs)
Memory: 16GB RAM
GPU: NVDIA GeForce GTX 580M

My problem is thus:
The computer occasionally reboots without warning while plugged into an ac adapter.
The computer reboots without warning,when video games are played.
The computer sometimes reboots without warning when videos are watched in full screen mode.
The computer occasionally reboots without warning while starting up, if plugged into an ac adapter.
The computer does not seem to be overheating.


The computer does not reboot when running off battery power.
As the battery has become increasingly taxed due to necessity of battery power to function while gaming or watching movies, it has begun malfunctioning. As far as I can tell this is a symptom of the main issue, not the cause.


Have not tested computer with another battery yet.
Have tested computer on a different ac adapter; no change in rebooting problem.
Have tested the computer by sharing a screen with T.V.; mixed results


While the computer's screen is off,but displayed on the T.V., videos and rudimentary tasks have not caused reboots. Initial tests with video games, while displayed is shared with a television have caused reboots.


I had the computer diagnosed at a repair shop; the employees there did not fix any problems, nor were they certain of the cause of the reboot malfunction. They did however, remount the graphics card, and dusted out the inside.
They recommended I purchase an additional ac adapter, this diagnosis did not alleviate reboot malfunction.


I believe that the reboot malfunction is caused by a short-circuit of some kind.
I cannot prove this definitively.
 
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Before buying/replacing hardware, first check your software/OS.

The first thing I would check is the Windows Event Viewer. You can access your event viewer through the control panel as described here: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/open-event-viewer. Or open the 'Run' prompt(Win-R) and type in 'eventvwr.msc'.
Usually any hardware issue caught by Windows is displayed in the 'System' category.

While you believe it's not overheating, I still recommend you check out the temperature of your system using tools like CoreTemp(www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp) or RealTemp(www.techpowerup.com/realtemp/β€Ž).
Also have you tried just running your laptop solely on the AC adapter?

When your laptop is running on battery power only, which video card is enabled? I could imagine your FPS in games would be lower than when you plugged in your adapter.

The reboots could be related to your graphics card(either a hardware failure or shutdown due to overheating) but this is just a guess.
 
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After trying the above mentioned. You can also try looking up your services and startup applications.

Code:
start/run/type msconfig in box/hit enter.
- Check the startup tab and untick all unnecessary programs

- Check the services tab untick all unnecessary services (check the box to hide all microsoft services makes it easyer), after that you can untick almost all services since they aren't related to windows.
 
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The problem still persists when run only using the AC adapter.
I don't know which video card is enabled when I run solely on battery power.
My fps is significantly better when the computer is plugged in to the ac adapter, and run ultra-graphics games easily. Until it reboots that is.

When I had the computer diagnosed in a computer repair shop, the man tested to see if it was overheating. He found that if could run quite hot, but that
it was normal for this kind of computer. He also concluded that heat wasn't an issue, because the rebooting happened even when the computer was still cool.

When I tried the event viewer, I checked events if found this.
There were a few critical system errors, and they were all to do with Kernel-Power.

Not sure what that means though.
 
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Are you usually plugged into a surge protector? I only ask because long ago, a pc of mine got a jolt and it hit the mobo pretty hard. As a result, the pc would routinely reset regardless of what I was doing.
 
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I'd had it plugged into one since the first time i used it. It started happening when it was still plugged into one. So I don't think that's the problem.
 
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If it's just shutting off suddenly without any stop code, it'd more than likely be a problem with the motherboard or a defection with your processor.

My first step would be to run a pre-boot operating system, such as HIRENS (google it, it's free. You can burn it to cd or write it to a usb.) and see if it crashes while the hard-drive and video card is taken out of the equation. It also has a bunch of testing tools. I would probably run the S&M stress tester, Victoria's HDD scan to test for any fatal problems with the sectors, and run a memory scanner.

If at any point it shuts down with no warning while in this system (especially during the cpu stress test), I would just go get both the motherboard and processor replaced or start looking at a new computer. The video card more than likely wouldn't force the computer into a reboot if it failed, but I suppose it's totally possible. I just haven't seen it.
 
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I went into system properties, and turned of the system error automatic restart option.
It didn't change anything, the computer still rebooted like it normally does.

Now I'm going to try Darkowns method.

I really appreciate this guys.

--- edit ---

I can't get Hiren's atm.
I don't have a usb drive that will allow it to work.
So. I'm kinda stuck.
 
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You may need to search up a guide to do it on USB. There's a specific process. It's easiest if you can burn it to disc, though, if you have a medium to do so. Just use an ISO burning software. Magic cd & dvd burner will do so and I believe it's free.
 
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I don't have any discs lying around.
I've used iso's before, but it's been awhile.
I'll see what I can do.

When i tried to use a usb drive. It told me that it was write-protected.
don't know how to fix that.
 
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Or unlock it(if your dongle has a locking switch).

Still I wonder if you haven't missed anything in the event viewer, could you export your windows logfiles so we can take a look?
Btw, was the reboot a hard reboot or a OS reboot?
 
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You already gave the answer more or less. It's most likely the AC adapter and battery.

Try gaming with AC adapter(Preferably one you know for certain that 100% works), but WITHOUT the battery, what happens?
 
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I don't know how to unlock the usb drive, or format it. I'm not very tech savvy.
The computer still reboots when the battery is taken out and it is only run on the ac adapter.
I don't know the different between a hard reboot and an os reboot. But I'd guess a hard reboot, as
the entire machine turns off and then back on again.

--- edit ---

what would I need to do to post those files?
Use the windows event viewer and copy paste a large chunk?
 
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Try reinstalling your windows maybe? And check your motherboard/processor
 
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Currently working on getting Hirens, can't do anything until this thursday at the soonest.
Just wanted everyone who's helped to know I appreciate it.

I've reinstalled windows about a month ago. it isn't causing the problem.

Also, you wanted me to export my log files. which I've done. But how do I post them?
I don't know what I'm doing here.
 
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How long ago did you change you thermal paste on your CPU?
 
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I've never changed the thermal paste on my CPU. I did see a video about a model like my laptop in need of new thermal compound. However, I'm not a tech.
I'm actually sending it back to the company and having them fix it. Not free...but dammit it will at least be fixed.
 

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