Computer Shuts itself down

**jehobbs99** · October 2nd, 2005, 10:27 AM

I hope someone can help me with this.

I built a computer a few months ago. 2.93 GHZ Intel Celeron, 1 GB Ram, Windows XP. It has worked fine until a few weeks ago. It will be running fine then shut down suddenly ( I don't receive any error messages). I can restart and it will stay on about 10 minutes, then shut off again. If I try restarting, it shuts down immediately. I have to leave it off for a while (over half an hour) before it will boot back up. It will only last about 20 minutes before the process starts over. Everything is new in this computer, so I'm not sure where to look (Power supply, motherboard, processor)?

Any suggestions???

Thanks.

**Detritus** · October 2nd, 2005, 10:30 AM

Sounds heat related, what temperatures are you running at?

**xaviermobius** · October 2nd, 2005, 10:32 AM

ye heat related would be the most obvious problem. whats your PSU wattage and does it turn off during high cpu load or just at a random point. it turn off in window or in games?

**SoloCamo** · October 2nd, 2005, 10:40 AM

Definately sounds heat related. Reseat your Heatsink/fan and make sure to apply some good thermal paste.

**jehobbs99** · October 2nd, 2005, 11:02 AM

I'll check the temps in a little while. I am running a 300 Watt power supply, it shuts down at random times, it will shut down when no one is using it. I put thermal compound on the fan when I installed it.

**vikeor** · October 2nd, 2005, 11:14 AM

what gfx card do u have?

could be a power issue...

but sounds heat related to me

**Ol'Tunzafun** · October 2nd, 2005, 11:39 AM

It still sounds heat related. The heatsink may not be sitting quite right on the die.
Install motherboard monitor, so you can watch the temps in real time. It will also help you keep watch on voltages in case the PSU is failing. 300 watts is on the low end these days. Who manufactured that PSU?

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/mbm.html

**jehobbs99** · October 4th, 2005, 07:03 AM

I haven't had time to check everything, but thanks for all the suggestions. I'll let you know if that worked.

**Makaveli** · October 4th, 2005, 03:51 PM

It is your power supply.

Try to find a spare one or borrow one from someone, I bet you that solves your problem.

**SoloCamo** · October 4th, 2005, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by Makaveli

It is your power supply.

Try to find a spare one or borrow one from someone, I bet you that solves your problem.

how are you so certain?

**jehobbs99** · October 4th, 2005, 06:48 PM

Originally Posted by Ol'Tunzafun

It still sounds heat related. The heatsink may not be sitting quite right on the die.
Install motherboard monitor, so you can watch the temps in real time. It will also help you keep watch on voltages in case the PSU is failing. 300 watts is on the low end these days. Who manufactured that PSU?

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/mbm.html

I installed this monitor, a couple of times the alarm went off when it went below the voltage % ( i set at 1% just to test), but shut down suddenly with no alarm prior to shut down. The temps were fine.

**jehobbs99** · October 5th, 2005, 09:36 AM

Since some of you are saying PSU, would this be a better fit?

PSU I'm looking into:

600 Watt total
Dual Fan
115VAC, 230VAC switchable power supply
One (1) 12-inch ATX power connector
One (1) 12-inch 12V ATX power connector
One (1) SATA connector
Six (6) Large 4-pin Molex connectors
Two (2) Small 4-pin Floppy connectors
High Efficiency
Over Current Protection
Over Power Protection
Short Circuit Protection
100% Full Load Burn-In

Power Specifications:
+3.3V , 40A
+5V , 40A
+12V , 20A
-5V , 0.5A
-12V , 0.8A
+5Vsb , 3A

Current PSU

AC INPUT 115V/230V - 60/50Hz
DC OUTPUT +3.3V +5V +12V -12V -5V +5VSB
Max Watts 20A 32A 16A 0.8A 0.3A 3A
300W

Connectors

1x Main Power
1x 12V (P4)
5x Peripheral
2x Floppy

**ShuckyD** · October 5th, 2005, 09:40 AM

well if you want to go with a 600w thats fine but you can settle for a 400-500 watt one that should be great and you probably wont pay an arm and a leg for it either, where do you plan on getting it from?

P.S.~ your problem sounds like a textbook Power Supply problem, but we cant always rule out the heat until we know for sure

**jehobbs99** · October 5th, 2005, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by ShuckyD

well if you want to go with a 600w thats fine but you can settle for a 400-500 watt one that should be great and you probably wont pay an arm and a leg for it either, where do you plan on getting it from?

P.S.~ your problem sounds like a textbook Power Supply problem, but we cant always rule out the heat until we know for sure

Here's what I was looking at.

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?inv...-600-N&cat=PWR

I'm hoping to get some time to work on this soon, i've only worked on it for a few minutes.

**JPMiller** · October 5th, 2005, 01:21 PM

you don't want to replace garbage with garbage...
I can tell by the fan grill its a rebadged L&C generic...
do a little homework Here
----------------------------------

Originally Posted by ShuckyD

well if you want to go with a 600w thats fine but you can settle for a 400-500 watt one that should be great and you probably wont pay an arm and a leg for it either, where do you plan on getting it from?

Where do you get 400 -500 from?
In most cases if you simply get a GOOD PSU you can get a lower wattage one than you have...
Case in point, I would actually suggest he get THIS PSU to replace the one he has...

**Ol'Tunzafun** · October 6th, 2005, 12:40 PM

you don't want to replace garbage with garbage...
I can tell by the fan grill its a rebadged L&C generic...
do a little homework HERE...

Good target but a bad link. Try this:
http://www.techimo.com/forum/t124252.html

**JPMiller** · October 6th, 2005, 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by Ol'Tunzafun

Good target but a bad link. Try this:
http://www.techimo.com/forum/t124252.html

link fixed...

**jw20002** · October 17th, 2005, 02:29 AM

Problem solved......After trying every virus scan on earth and checking all hardware....I finally opened the case and blew off all the dust on the CPU fan as well as all other componets......I am happy to report that I have been online for 6 hours and not one time has the thing shutdown!!!!!!!!!!

**linda212** · October 22nd, 2005, 04:25 PM

hello, if some one can help me is great, my laptop windows xp is new, It will be running fine then shut down suddenly without receiving any error messages. I can restart and it will stay on about 10 minutes, then shut off again. If I try restarting, it shuts down immediately. I have to leave it off for a while about 3 min before it will boot back up. It will only last about 20 minutes before the process starts over.

**JPMiller** · October 22nd, 2005, 04:48 PM

You really should start a new thread to put this in...

but does this happen when you have it plugged into the wall as well?
could it be a battery issue?
does it get very hot underneath?
it could be a heat issue too