Something weird is happening with computers

[Sugarlat]

So today my friend was talking about how her computer randomly shut off and won't turn back on.
Just a few minutes ago my computer shut of randomly and wouldn't turn back on.
Today my computer shut off to and I thought that it was because I was running Sony Vegas it was backing up.
But then this just happened and I started freaking out.
I heard that there was this april fools virus going around or something logging people out of msn and stuff.
I also heard on the news that there was a virus hacking into back accounts and stuff and
now I'm really scared cause this virus goes undetected on your computer and lies dormant without your knowing...
What do we do!?

[jaybug]

Uh, besides using anti-virus software, I think turning off the computer every night is a good thing, or have some serious IT support.

[Sugarlat]

It freaked me out when it just shut off like that.

[Teasel]

Yeah, I heard it found its way into Facebook and Myspace.

[KogaRyu]

What do we do!?

Keep everything up to date and Try Harder.

[JeffT]

The same things you should always be doing to be protected. Then you'll be protected against viruses and malware and don't need to worry about popular news stories covering the major ones:

http://www.kumoricon.org/forums/index.php?topic=9462.0

[DancingTofu]

My computer's been shutting itself off spontaneously for months because I have a faulty power supply, so I'm really not too concerned myself.

[jaybug]

Um, so why haven't you changed out the power supply? It shouldn't be a shocking experience.

[DancingTofu]

Laptop.  I'm not spending $400 replacing the cable, battery, and socket on a computer worth less than half that.

[jaybug]

now you see why I will never buy a proprietary system again. famous last words.

My mom told me she bought a laptop with 4 gig of ram last week. Toshiba? Paid less than I paid for my stupid apple mac two years ago.

Our microwave at home is like the same deal, $500 in parts for a $200 microwave oven. wtf?

[melchizedek]

Sounds like a good excuse for a new machine

[jaybug]

Yeah, we got one for $86, but it isn't an above oven model like the broken one. We do have a Home Depot gift card from lil' bro, in the amount close to buying one of the over oven ones, but...I am not sure why my wife doesn't want to get one, except that we have one that works now. Must be just me, I miss the light over the stove.

Now we need a new light fixture over the dining table, compact fluorescents are too big. but of course!

[Negima]

So today my friend was talking about how her computer randomly shut off and won't turn back on.
Just a few minutes ago my computer shut of randomly and wouldn't turn back on.
Today my computer shut off to and I thought that it was because I was running Sony Vegas it was backing up.
But then this just happened and I started freaking out.
I heard that there was this april fools virus going around or something logging people out of msn and stuff.
I also heard on the news that there was a virus hacking into back accounts and stuff and
now I'm really scared cause this virus goes undetected on your computer and lies dormant without your knowing...
What do we do!?

Can I ask what kind of computer you and your friend are using and maybe how old they are?  (Has a possible theory)

[Sugarlat]

Um I'm not sure about hers but Mine is a Toshiba.
I think I've had it for about 2 or so years.

[Negima]

Um I'm not sure about hers but Mine is a Toshiba.
I think I've had it for about 2 or so years.

Hmm, well the age is about right but the model is different....
Is the screen the only thing that's not coming on?  Can you still hear it running but the screen isn't working?
Reason why I ask is because my laptop (a Mac) had a problem with it where the screen wouldn't work but everything else was perfectly fine and the same thing happened to a friend who had the same model as mine.

[Sugarlat]

nope. It just shut the whole computer down completely.