Computer Randomly Powers Off

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My computer has randomly powered itself off a few times. I do not mean it crashes or freezes or there is the blue screen of death. I mean that I am using the computer and then instantaneously it appears to have no power -- all lights on the case go off -- and must be restarted, despite the fact that I have a surge protector and that other devices (such as the monitor and speakers) plugged into the same surge protector have not lost power.

The common thread in all of this is that it happens when I am listening to some sort of sounds from the computer. This could be watching a video, listening to internet radio, or playing games. This has happened in several pieces of software, including my web browser, RealPlayer and game software. Today, I was listening to ESPN Radio through my computer for about 20 minutes when it powered off.

So, how do I diagnose this further? It seems like it must be a hardware problem. Is it the power supply or the sound card or the mother board or all of the above or something else? What should I do next?

--
Paige Miller
pmiller5@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It's nothing until I call it -- Bill Klem, NL Umpire
If you get the choice to sit it out or dance,
I hope you dance -- Lee Ann Womack
.

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