Computer shuts down if left unattended

Machine specification are listed below.

Model: VPCF12YFX
BIOS: R1120Y6 (Most Recent)
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium SP1
Memory: 4GB
Processor: i7 Q740 @ 1.73GHz

Problem: If I leave the machine unattended for 15-20 minutes, it shuts down. The shutdown is not through the OS. When I restart the machine, Windows asks if I would like to Resume Windows along with other options that are only displayed when computer is powered off without proper Windows shutdown. It is not a battery drain problem, since the computer is plugged in. I have checked all windows power settings and none of them is set to shutdown/sleep/hibernate. I have also checked the advanced settings for power management including the one under VAIO and have not found any that will cause this behavior.

Machine works flawlessly otherwise.

Needles to say; I have searched these forums in vain to obtain any clue so far. I will highly appreciate any help.

 

It's not shutting down. It sounds like hibernation. Windows saves it's current state into the hard drive, and then turns the computer off to save power. When you start it up again, it loads the state, and resumes from where it left off.

Switch your power settings to "Hibernation > Never" or change your power plan to "high performance".

Power Options can be found in 'Start' > 'Control Panel' > 'Power Options'

 

I appreciate that you took the time to help me. Thank you.
You may have, however, overlooked the part in my post where it states that I have already checked the power settings and none of them are forcing shutdown/sleep/hibernate.

 

Not only that, Waterwizard missed:

Clearly this is not hibernation. Have you checked the system log for errors?

Gary

 

Sounds like a driver/ hardware malfunction.

 

Problem may be overheating. If for some reason the machine overheats, the bios will shut it down.

 

Are the temperatures OK? No overheating?

 

I appreciate everyone's efforts to help me with this issue. Thank you very much.

I have solved this problem. I changed the power plan to Performance and then changed options for battery operation appropriately.

All I can tell is that the BIOS hook for power management is not exposed to the user. I am not going to mess with custom BIOS hacks since my problem has been solved.

Please close this thread.

 

I dont think you really did anything. You must have misread the original settings. I still say it was simple sleep/hibernation as expected.