View Full Version : PC with a mind of it's own...
Forkandles
3rd Nov 2009, 11:11
Having a few 'issues' with my new PC. It keeps turning itself off...
Has been back to the shop a number of times and so far they've replaced the PSU and the motherboard, but it's not cured, although it goes off less often.
To be honest, I can't be arsed going back to the shop as it hasn't done it for a few days now, but what could it be? Would it be worth asking him to put a different stick of RAM in, if I manage to drag myself back to the shop?
XP Professional
ASRock 945GCM-S motherboard - Core 2 Duo E4800
400W PSU
7600GT Graphics Card
2GB stick of DDR2 RAM
Sprogget
3rd Nov 2009, 11:20
Just a hunch...
Had the back off to see if all the fans are spinning? Particularly the cpu fan. Also, if the thing came preinstalled with a utilities suite, see if there is a temperature monitor function that is permitting system shutdown once a particular temperature is reached. Also have a look in the bios for same.
There could be a few reasons, but high temp is always a goodun & an easy place to start.
A shutdown temperature set in Bios and poor cooling? I cannot see memory actually shutting you down - BSOD maybe.
EDIT to say - You first:)
Forkandles
3rd Nov 2009, 11:45
All fans are spinning, but I'll check temps as suggested.
Whoever invented computers wants reaming out with a revolving pineapple...
Sprogget
3rd Nov 2009, 12:05
Yes, but make sure you earth the Pineapple first...
Other obvious things to check are that all your cards - memory, graphics etc are seated properly & have no dust on their connectors. Also that there is no dust clogging up the pc in general, especially around the fans & double especially around the psu fan.
Also, try to look in event viewer under the system tab. Imho, event viewer in xp is far easier to peruse than in Vista or 7 & can yield a wealth of information - if you can tie system events to the times at which the pc dies, you may well be on to something.
green granite
3rd Nov 2009, 13:15
Does it do an orderly shutdown or does it just cut out without going through the shutdown procedure?
Forkandles
3rd Nov 2009, 14:01
It's just a straight to dead, power off, no orderly shutdown. Doesn't always turn back on immediately either....
green granite
3rd Nov 2009, 14:38
Possibly the processor overheating, but I would be checking for a potential short somewhere, lots of wires in a pc, if one is trapped against the case it could well cause this problem. My suggestion is to run the M/C with the cover of and gently wriggle all the wires about and see what happens. It could of course be a second faulty PSU. Also check the mains lead plugs by wiggling them as well.
green granite
3rd Nov 2009, 14:51
A useful site for fault diagnostics: Computer Repair with Diagnostic Flowcharts - PC Troubleshooting and Repair For Dell, HP, and other Desktop Computers (http://www.fonerbooks.com/pcrepair.htm)
Sprogget
3rd Nov 2009, 16:12
I once had a usb port with a bent pin, causing a short & stopping the box from booting. it pays to look in every nook & cranny if the problem is otherwise inexplicable.
Forkandles
3rd Nov 2009, 19:45
Right then, have been fannying around in the BIOS to see if there's any gubbins for controlling the CPU voltage, etc, and came across a setting for 'Enhanced Speedstep Technology'.
Looked in the manual to see what that was all about, but unfortunately, I almost immediately fell asleep. Wiki had an entry I could almost understand, but I won't bore you with it here, as I reckon anyone who replied or has read this far will know about it already...
What it did say in the BIOS setting was:
'Enabling this function may reduce CPU voltage and lead to system stability or compatability issues with some power supplies. Please set to DISABLE if above issue occurs'.
It was on AUTO, so I made it say DISABLE.
Hopefully, that will cure the turning off nonsense for good! Thanks for the replies fellas and I'll report back if it makes no difference...
Coffin Dodger
3rd Nov 2009, 20:16
One of my two desktop PC's used to shut down without warning with annoying regularity. O/S was XP Home. Immediate power-off, just like a power outage only it wasn't since the other PC on the desk (running XP Pro) kept working happily.
Defied all attempts to rectify and only stopped happening when I installed service pack 3 on the thing. Microsh1t weren't even remotely intrerested. Surprise surprise.
Forkandles
6th Nov 2009, 09:11
Not crashed since I disabled the Speedstep thingummy.
I feel like a right IT geek now because I sorted it myself, without any help whatsoever from Sprogget or BOAC... :ok: