CompTIA A+ 220-701/702 Practice Exam

Answer - A - The most probable cause of a computer shutting down unexpectedly is a malfunctioning processor fan. In the absence of a component which can dissipate heat generated by the processor, the processor overheats. Eventually, when a threshold temperature is reached, the OS shuts down the computer.

Key Takeaway: The four main causes that contribute to a processor shutting down are:

1. Hardware issue with the processor fan.
2. Hardware issue with the heat sink that is used to dissipate the heat from the processor.
3. Dust and dirt accumulated on the processor fan makes it less effective.
4. Not enough thermal glue between the processor and heat sink.