Computer turns itself off :(

[stang]

My PC main power is shutting itself off now when i use it. Takes quite a while before i can even turn the power back on, sometimes 10 minutes sometimes an hour.
It's bonestock, about 5 yrs old, no modifications. All the internal fans operate and my room temperature is only around 22 degrees.
Ideas anyone please?

 

[insidevoice]

It sounds to me like a power supply issue. I had similar symptoms and that's what it turned out to be.

 

[69Shooter]

Have you taken the cover off to make sure that all of the vents are clear. Over 5 yrs. a lot of dust may have built up causing it to overheat.

 

[The Options Menu]

It sounds to me like a power supply issue. I had similar symptoms and that's what it turned out to be.

For my 1000th post.

In rough order:
-A faulty power supply is likely, though they will usually burn right out.
-It could be as simple as a bad (probably video) driver. So before you buy anything try looking for driver updates, or rolling back any update you did before the problem started. (Also look for firmware and bios updates, but a powerloss will cook the device during these updates.)
-It could be bad ram (There are free memory testers)
-It could be a fault on the motherboard.
-After that, it could be pretty much any device on the system...

If the computer is turning off, and not rebooting, it's probably a heat issue, and probably the CPU fan, but it could be any other heat reporting device. (GPU, motherboard, drives.)

If I were you I'd start with checking for driver updates around the time the problem started, then roll back or upgrade the drivers. Them I'd download (Intel's?) memory tester. That can all be done with a little effort for free. Then I'd steal the power supply from an old PC and shlop that in... or buy a new one. Don't bother with some ricer 700w glow in the mother fucking dark PSU. About 500w and quiet can be had for 1/3 the price...

This assumes that you have virus and spyware coverage...

 

[stang]

Thanks,Will give it a good dusting now and see. But I don't have a lot of hope for that.
If it is the internal power source I'll try swapping it with the one from my older machine.

 

[tboy]

well, depending on how old your older machine is, the psu might not be compatable.

If it is, and that's the problem, just pick up a new one. They are only about 30 bucks. Make sure you get one with short protection circuits though....

Oh, one more thing: check for a virus. Some do that. I had one years ago that showed up and somehow got around my anti-virus protection. A good scan took care of it....

 

[WoodPeckr]

If it's 5 yrs old and never been opened it's probably filthy inside and needs a good vacuum cleaning. Just be careful to be well grounded when working inside of it.
A friend had a 6 yr old PC that did the same. Thought it was the power supply. Ended up the motherboard went......leaking capacitors. PC was shot.

 

[BoringBob]

THink of a computer like a disposible lighter - if you got 5 years, damn, you did good

Open it, clean it, and see. With the cover off, turn the power back on and make sure all the fans are blowing / spinning, including the fan on the CPU (older computer, it should be the only fan on the motherboard). Pay particular attention to the fan on the powersupply, it should be pulling air out to the backof your machine. If you look through the holes, you should see it spinning.

Random shutdowns are most often CPU heat related.

Even if your room is 22C, your computer can be much hotter. Mine reports at the moment 34C CPU temp and nearly 40C in the main board area (because the video card vents that way). If I am running a higher end flight simulation (like X-plane), the CPU can get over 50C, which is well within it's operating range.

 

[stang]

There was indeed a lot of dust. Vac'd it all out. All fans are running, inc power supply. Will wait and see now.

May try a restore though. I did have some major probs adding a printer a few days back.

 

[stang]

Well....that got her running for about an hour. And then click, off she goes.
Doesn't sound like a virus or driver problem does it?

 

[WoodPeckr]

Nope, no virus. Something else is going on.
Using M$?

 

[The Options Menu]

well, depending on how old your older machine is, the psu might not be compatable.

Actually PSUs have been pretty standard for a long time-- They should be interchangeable in any *ATX case, that fits any *ATX motherboard. The biggest risk is that you bought a name brand computer and they tarted up the form-factor, or you're lacking newer plugs (4 more pins on a new Mobo, and the power for modern video cards). Or it might be underwatted (250w), but that will simply melt...

In general, a new bottom of the barrel PSU is $50. You can usually scavenge them for free.

Mind you, like I said in my post, do the software stuff first:
-Check to see if there was a driver update around the time of your problem. Either upgrade or roll back. Usually the video drivers are the culprit.
-Get a memory tester. (They're free.)
-Make sure the system is 'clean'.

Then the candidates are PSU (though they're prone to melting), a fault in the Mobo, a fault in some other piece of HW, in about that order.

Vacuuming out your PC is a good idea, and if it's turning off and not restarting it's probably a heat issue... (CPU, GPU, HDD, or Mobo) The computer does that to save itself.

 

[Anynym]

As others have said, it does sound like a heating issue at one of the temperature sensors. It could still be a sensor in the PSU, or a sensor on the MB. It could be a bad thermal connection to a heat sink or fan on some component.

Have you tried googling for a "Windows Hardware Monitor" and seeing what you can find out about the reported temperatures from the sensors?

Just remember: if it does get worse you should still be able to salvage your data. But you may want to take a backup in case something causes corruption.

 

[Armagettin]

Video driver / card will do that. Video card compatibility. Bad ram possibly.

First..... if you have more than one stick of ram, take one out and run, then another. etc. Make sure you have the remaining ram in the appropriate slots.

Next... update video drivers

 

[BoringBob]

As for replacement power supplies, there are a few different models, you have to know what you are getting into:

Older ATX motherboards used a 20 pin main power connector, plus either uses one of the 4 pin flat "hard drive" power lines to run the CPU / fan or used a square 4 pin plus onto the motherboard to run it.

Older power supplies were typically rated 300 watts or so.

Newer boards use a 24 pin power plug, and no 4 pin seperate for the CPU.

After that, there is also the question of hard drives. Newer SATA drives with the SATA power connector is different from the old "hard drive" 4 pin power. So you have to specify or get adapters if the new power supply doesn't support what is in your machine.

newer power supplies are typically 500 watts and more (with 600 and 700 being pretty common now). Never get a power supply that is smaller than what was in your machine already.

Good luck

 

[stang]

This is getting more complicated than I care to deal with.
I'm starting to believe the 5 yr old disposable lighter option.

 

[WoodPeckr]

What brand name was it?
Some are better than others.

 

[wollensak]

Bios Battery

THink of a computer like a disposible lighter - if you got 5 years, damn, you did good

Beg to differ, I've got Slot1 motherboards from the late 90s that still work flawlessly.
Abit in particular had problems with bad capacitors in the Socket 462 era causing premature board failures, but that was isolated to a few makers and is long past.

Power surges during electrical storms frequently screw up power supplies.

Some motherboards (eg. Gigabyte) will actually stop working if the bios battery voltages goes below 2 Volts.

Replacing the 3-volt Bios Battery might be all that's wrong. These are cheap and you can easily do it yourself.

 

[WoodPeckr]

Older power supplies were typically rated 300 watts or so.

Newer boards use a 24 pin power plug, and no 4 pin seperate for the CPU.

LOL!
My 12 yr old P2 still has its OEM 200 watt power supply.

In looking at new PSUs today, most come with an adapter that will convert 20 to 24 pin power plugs. At least this is what I saw at Best Buy.

 

[secretagentintoronto]

Do not buy stuff from bestbuy or futureshop cause you are overpaying... www.tigerdirect.ca is much wiser choise