Computer turns off after 1-2 minutes of being on.

[stewie-Y]

I didn't know where to put this because I'm not sure if its a software or hardware problem. So, here goes...

My computer running XP shuts off about 1-2 minutes after turning on.

Before shutting it down the last time before these strange turn-offs started happening, I was doing a windows update. It was taking forever so I pressed the "Cancel" button on the update window. After it was completely canceled, I turned the computer off by shutting it down correctly via the Start > Turn off Computer.

Now, every time it boots up, after 1-2 minutes it instantly turns down. It doesn't matter if windows has been loaded or not(like just sitting at the screen after you hit F8 on startup).

I also replaced the power supply to see if that was the problem, but it still shuts off.

Please help me. The computer has valuable data, and I would rather not have to put the hard-drive in another computer just to get the information, if that would even work.
Thanks!

[Karnac]

Is your CPU fan running?.....is the heatsink seated flush to the motherboard? Any beeps at startup?....... Reseat your memory as well....Any changes in power options.....

[Broni]

I was doing a windows update. It was taking forever so I pressed the "Cancel" button on the update window

I think, you messed up your Windows installation, and it's not a hardware problem.
Did you try Safe Mode?

[stewie-Y]

Karnac got it. The heatsink seems to have gotten loose.

[Karnac]

Great.... ...Glad you're back in business!

[Broni]

Bravo!