Fecked.

Buy a new one.

Who has a computer for 4 years anyway?

impossible to know the problem from here.
could be anything.

by cutting out what do you mean exactly, it was still turned on, were the fans still spinning?

Get a new one. It's died a death.

yeah what greg said impossible to know what the problem is..

could try either getting a new power unit
new fan for the processor

these are the issues ive had recently

give the fan and power unit a clean if its cutting out.

Thinking about it, it might take a while for Diggler to respond. Being that his computer is fecked and all.

I would possibly hedge it is overheating. try making sure the fan on the PSU and inside on the CPU isn't dusty. Try downclocking graphics card into powersave mode and the CPU if you can too.

Mr C

If you hear a beeping then it couldnt be the CPU or mother board.
Since its a PC, check the rotation speed of the cooling fan in power supply, it gives a good indication about the power unit.
Seems like your problem is in the VGA. try replacing it

It's a Dell! You have done very well to get it past 13 months!

If you do end up getting a new one, most businesses are HP now rather than Dell. I have had my HP Laptop for 5 years now, and it still runs like a dream (Windows 8 works very well on it too)

Sorry, had to deal with family stuff for a minute.

By cutting out I mean it switches on, loads windows then after a few minutes just cuts out.

I cleaned it out earlier as it was pretty dusty along the bottom. Both the fans are clean and working.

do you hear a continues beep when PC cuts out?

I've had my Dell for 7 years and it's still going strong. Bit outdated now mind.

I agree it's probably an overheating issue. Clean the dust from the intakes and fans. Beeps are sometimes the bios telling you what the issue is. Count how many beeps you get after one occurance and Google that. I had an issue where my PC wouldn't turn on and the bios just beeped 7 times if I remember correctly. Turned out that was the bios telling me my ram wasn't in place on the motherboard properly.

Can you boot into windows safe mode? F8 when booting up I think. does it cut out in.safe mode?

Yes admin.

Also it's not bios beeps as they happen before the computer starts loading windows apparently. It's not continuous beeping but 3 beeps, repeated over and over.

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/desktop/f/3514/t/19519599.aspx

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

It's not continuous beeping but 3 beeps, repeated over and over.
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Problem most likely lies in RAM or VGA. Remove them and clean them with an electro-cleaner if possible.

hmmm, new mobo..... ouch

May as well treat yourself to a new pc

Sounds to me like you need to get Jay round. He'll take a look for nothing and blow your house to smithereens. Problem solved.

On a serious note, it sounds like over heating.

treat your self to an apple mac..... you'll never look back my friend.... Never.

yh it does sound like a overheating problem.

yh it does sound like a overheating problem.
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most computers just shut off when over heated and doesnt beep. could be wrong though