Instant Shutdown
uzzors2k, Tue Feb 21 2006, 11:18AMMy computer has been shutting down without warning for the last two months. Usually I'm just surfing or something that doesn't crave much performance and *pop* suddenly everything is dead. It seems like the power supply just dies instantly.
Just 5 minutes ago this happened, but this time the computer froze first, then the screen went black.
I think some caps might be bad, as they had to be changed when I first got the motherboard, and some are missing... The power supply is also fairly old.
Does anyone have any ideas?
Re: Instant Shutdown
Alex, Tue Feb 21 2006, 11:36AM
EMI can also cause this. If you don't have adequate shielding, a spike of RF energy can knock out your computer. This used to happen with my caseless G4 whens omeone turned out the fluorescent light in the kitchen (the kicthen cieling is my floor, so the light is about 6 feet away from my computer).
Caps could also be the cause, as you have said. Look for swollen caps, and check into those missing caps. That doesn't sound good.
Alex, Tue Feb 21 2006, 11:36AM
EMI can also cause this. If you don't have adequate shielding, a spike of RF energy can knock out your computer. This used to happen with my caseless G4 whens omeone turned out the fluorescent light in the kitchen (the kicthen cieling is my floor, so the light is about 6 feet away from my computer).
Caps could also be the cause, as you have said. Look for swollen caps, and check into those missing caps. That doesn't sound good.
Re: Instant Shutdown
Pcnerd, Tue Feb 21 2006, 07:17PM
have you runned any virusscanners/ad aware removers/etc. ?
Pcnerd, Tue Feb 21 2006, 07:17PM
Alex wrote ...
EMI can also cause this. If you don't have adequate shielding, a spike of RF energy can knock out your computer. This used to happen with my caseless G4 whens omeone turned out the fluorescent light in the kitchen (the kicthen cieling is my floor, so the light is about 6 feet away from my computer).
Caps could also be the cause, as you have said. Look for swollen caps, and check into those missing caps. That doesn't sound good.
first with pc problems always look at software problems.EMI can also cause this. If you don't have adequate shielding, a spike of RF energy can knock out your computer. This used to happen with my caseless G4 whens omeone turned out the fluorescent light in the kitchen (the kicthen cieling is my floor, so the light is about 6 feet away from my computer).
Caps could also be the cause, as you have said. Look for swollen caps, and check into those missing caps. That doesn't sound good.
have you runned any virusscanners/ad aware removers/etc. ?
Re: Instant Shutdown
Conundrum, Tue Feb 21 2006, 08:10PM
Check your mains connector, i once repaired a pc where the connector had gone dodgy at the power supply end and someone had stuffed the pins into it and left it hanging out of the case (!!!)
Dodgy soldering is possible, as is a flaky power supply.
-A
Conundrum, Tue Feb 21 2006, 08:10PM
Check your mains connector, i once repaired a pc where the connector had gone dodgy at the power supply end and someone had stuffed the pins into it and left it hanging out of the case (!!!)
Dodgy soldering is possible, as is a flaky power supply.
-A
Re: Instant Shutdown
Alex, Tue Feb 21 2006, 08:51PM
If it's shutting down immediately and without warning, it's probably not software.
Alex, Tue Feb 21 2006, 08:51PM
Pcnerd wrote ...
first with pc problems always look at software problems.
have you runned any virusscanners/ad aware removers/etc. ?
first with pc problems always look at software problems.
have you runned any virusscanners/ad aware removers/etc. ?
If it's shutting down immediately and without warning, it's probably not software.
Re: Instant Shutdown
Dave Marshall, Tue Feb 21 2006, 10:24PM
Everyone seems to have missed the obvious suggestion here. I've seen almost identical systems three times, and all three times it was problems with overheating of the power supply. A graphics card overheating can cause similar issues, though its usually more evident that its in the graphics system somewhere.
Get a can of dust-off or other compressed air electronics cleaner. Don't use a vacuum. Get all the dust off the motherboard, all the assorted components, then pull the case off the power supply and blow it off. I'd be willing to bet that you'll find the interior of the power supply caked in dust.
Dave
Dave Marshall, Tue Feb 21 2006, 10:24PM
Everyone seems to have missed the obvious suggestion here. I've seen almost identical systems three times, and all three times it was problems with overheating of the power supply. A graphics card overheating can cause similar issues, though its usually more evident that its in the graphics system somewhere.
Get a can of dust-off or other compressed air electronics cleaner. Don't use a vacuum. Get all the dust off the motherboard, all the assorted components, then pull the case off the power supply and blow it off. I'd be willing to bet that you'll find the interior of the power supply caked in dust.
Dave
Re: Instant Shutdown
Carbon_Rod, Tue Feb 21 2006, 10:33PM
Too much heat, bad fans etc., and or main line brown-outs.
Edit:
Oops!
fp is Daves
Carbon_Rod, Tue Feb 21 2006, 10:33PM
Too much heat, bad fans etc., and or main line brown-outs.
Edit:
Oops!
fp is Daves
Re: Instant Shutdown
Pcnerd, Wed Feb 22 2006, 05:08PM
You could also check your RAM, great programs for that to find on the internet.
but I don't think it's a hf signal, you'll probably deal with only the pc.
and shutting down without warnings also can be software, he says: first the screen freezes...
look likes software too me, but did you run antivirus software etc?
Pcnerd, Wed Feb 22 2006, 05:08PM
You could also check your RAM, great programs for that to find on the internet.
but I don't think it's a hf signal, you'll probably deal with only the pc.
and shutting down without warnings also can be software, he says: first the screen freezes...
look likes software too me, but did you run antivirus software etc?
Re: Instant Shutdown
Alex, Wed Feb 22 2006, 06:36PM
Yes, but this "Usually I'm just surfing or something that doesn't crave much performance and *pop* suddenly everything is dead." is definately a hardware problem. Whether or not he has software problems too doesn't really matter yet, that needs to be fixed first. It could be that the freeze/shutdown was a software problem, and the immediate shutdowns are hardware, but I'm willing to bet both of them are hardware problems, they just range in severity.
Bad memory is a good guess too, although the previous cap problem and the fact that some are missing would indicate a capacitor problem. Try Memtest86, it won't hurt to check.
Alex, Wed Feb 22 2006, 06:36PM
Pcnerd wrote ...
You could also check your RAM, great programs for that to find on the internet.
but I don't think it's a hf signal, you'll probably deal with only the pc.
and shutting down without warnings also can be software, he says: first the screen freezes...
look likes software too me, but did you run antivirus software etc?
You could also check your RAM, great programs for that to find on the internet.
but I don't think it's a hf signal, you'll probably deal with only the pc.
and shutting down without warnings also can be software, he says: first the screen freezes...
look likes software too me, but did you run antivirus software etc?
Yes, but this "Usually I'm just surfing or something that doesn't crave much performance and *pop* suddenly everything is dead." is definately a hardware problem. Whether or not he has software problems too doesn't really matter yet, that needs to be fixed first. It could be that the freeze/shutdown was a software problem, and the immediate shutdowns are hardware, but I'm willing to bet both of them are hardware problems, they just range in severity.
Bad memory is a good guess too, although the previous cap problem and the fact that some are missing would indicate a capacitor problem. Try Memtest86, it won't hurt to check.
Re: Instant Shutdown
Hazmatt_(The Underdog), Fri Feb 24 2006, 01:05AM
You're sure its not a performance issue?
I had my 2500+ pushed to 2.02GHz and it always crashed after 2 hrs. no matter how fast the fans were running. Its at 1.98GHz now, and the only crashes I've had since were because my music HD died.
Hazmatt_(The Underdog), Fri Feb 24 2006, 01:05AM
You're sure its not a performance issue?
I had my 2500+ pushed to 2.02GHz and it always crashed after 2 hrs. no matter how fast the fans were running. Its at 1.98GHz now, and the only crashes I've had since were because my music HD died.
Re: Instant Shutdown
tecNik, Fri Feb 24 2006, 02:36PM
Ok. Do you mean shutting down, powering off or crashing/freezing. Does the monitor go into standby mode? Does the harddrive stop spinning? Do the fan(s) in the power supply stop spinning?
(NOTE: These are just suggested. Do not take as concrete)
harddrive spinning, CPU, PSU fans spinning = software crash.
harddrive spinning, PSU fan spinning = hardware crash.
harddrive not spinning, CPU, PSU fan nots spinning = PSU failure.
tecNik, Fri Feb 24 2006, 02:36PM
Ok. Do you mean shutting down, powering off or crashing/freezing. Does the monitor go into standby mode? Does the harddrive stop spinning? Do the fan(s) in the power supply stop spinning?
(NOTE: These are just suggested. Do not take as concrete)
harddrive spinning, CPU, PSU fans spinning = software crash.
harddrive spinning, PSU fan spinning = hardware crash.
harddrive not spinning, CPU, PSU fan nots spinning = PSU failure.
Re: Instant Shutdown
uzzors2k, Fri Feb 24 2006, 10:30PM
Sorry, been on vacation...
I'm pretty sure my computer is virus free, as it runs fine otherwise, and this shutdown problem only happens once every two weeks or so. The computer powers off, so fans and hardrives stop spinning and the screen goes into standby mode.
All the solutions (or problems) suggested sound liable, as I built the computer myself, using cheaper components.... My processor is a Celeron D
@ 2.4 Ghz, it runs pretty warm even with a huge fan. A picture would better describe how crowded things actually are.....
I update on the progress once I finish all the testing.
uzzors2k, Fri Feb 24 2006, 10:30PM
Sorry, been on vacation...
I'm pretty sure my computer is virus free, as it runs fine otherwise, and this shutdown problem only happens once every two weeks or so. The computer powers off, so fans and hardrives stop spinning and the screen goes into standby mode.
All the solutions (or problems) suggested sound liable, as I built the computer myself, using cheaper components.... My processor is a Celeron D
@ 2.4 Ghz, it runs pretty warm even with a huge fan. A picture would better describe how crowded things actually are.....I update on the progress once I finish all the testing.
Re: Instant Shutdown
craigsarea, Fri Feb 24 2006, 10:54PM
Windows can be setup to automatically shutdown the PC if it crashes. Ages ago I was using a PC with Win2K installed and it kept shutting down at random intervals. I originally thought it was a power supply problem. But it turned out that a virus scanner running in the background was causing Windows to crash. Rather than displaying the blue screen of death Windows would just turn the PC off
.
If you go into:
Control Panel->System->Advanced->Startup and Recovery
There's a checkbox with the option of 'Automatically Restart' in the event of a system failure. It's worth checking just to make sure that option's turned off.
It might be that your version of Windows is crashing due to software problem and then automatically turning the PC off. If this is the case then the blue screen of death will give you some clues as to what is causing the problem.
craigsarea, Fri Feb 24 2006, 10:54PM
Windows can be setup to automatically shutdown the PC if it crashes. Ages ago I was using a PC with Win2K installed and it kept shutting down at random intervals. I originally thought it was a power supply problem. But it turned out that a virus scanner running in the background was causing Windows to crash. Rather than displaying the blue screen of death Windows would just turn the PC off
.If you go into:
Control Panel->System->Advanced->Startup and Recovery
There's a checkbox with the option of 'Automatically Restart' in the event of a system failure. It's worth checking just to make sure that option's turned off.
It might be that your version of Windows is crashing due to software problem and then automatically turning the PC off. If this is the case then the blue screen of death will give you some clues as to what is causing the problem.
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