Strange PC problem

[thenumberthirteen]

Hi guys I need your help to diagnose a problem with my PC. It seems to randomly turn itself off. No BSOD or any other indication just all of a sudden *pop* no power. It's not a problem with the house's electricity or the socket as my monitor is also plugged into the same power strip and it's fine.

It may have something to do with overheating as if you try and turn it back on straight away it only lasts a minute or two before it crashes. The thing is it happens when I'm not even taxing it and the temperature is normal (between 30-45c). I got it a few months ago and it's been fine until now.

I've done virus checks and restored it to before the problems happened, as well as changed the power strip, but no joy. Any ideas? I don't have much money so I'd like to try and fix it myself, or at least find the exact problem before I take it to be fixed.

Any help will be appreciated. Thanks!

EDIT: Thanks a bunch everyone. I had thought it could be overheating, but my temp readings were fine. I've just got off the phone with the store and they're coming to pick it up on Tuesday for repair.

 

[DazZ.]

Certainly sounds like overheating. What did you use to get the temperatures? Did it show all temps or just the GFX card?

Get it well ventilated and do what you can to get air flowing through and see if it improves, if it does get better fans.

 

[Mcupobob]

Well my computer was overheating not to long ago, so I just stuck a fan next to it and its been fine. See if that helps if now then I'm out of ideas.

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

I agree, see if its overheating. Put a fan or something similar on it and see if it works. If it doesn't its beyond me.

 

[shaboinkin]

Check and see if there's any dust in your PC and clean it out. Also I read somewhere that those programs that monitor your temperatures are just an estimate and could actually be higher then what is being shown to you, so don't take those numbers to heart.

 

[thenumberthirteen]

Certainly sounds like overheating. What did you use to get the temperatures? Did it show all temps or just the GFX card?

Get it well ventilated and do what you can to get air flowing through and see if it improves, if it does get better fans.

I'm using CoreTemp. It's a free program, but it only shows CPU temperature. I use it because it puts the temperaturwes on the LCD screen on my G13 gameboard so I can monitor it all the time. I do think it's overheating, but all the other times I've had overheating problems in the past it usually BSOD or something rather than just cut power. Then again it is a different PC.

The trouble is I can't really get into the case to see if I can clean it out as I don't want to risk breaking something and it is harder to get into than my old PC.

I'll try and find a fan to see if it helps. Thanks.

 

[10BIT]

Definitely sounds like overheating to me. Either there's a large build-up of dust inside the computer that needs cleaning or one of the fans is dislodged/broken - When my computer had the exact same problem, it turned out that the mechanism holding the processor fan in place had broken, so I needed to buy a new one. It would only cost ~£5 to replace a broken fan (£15 for a high-end fan).

Then again it could just be poor circulation exacerbated by the summer weather. Make sure that the computer is in an open space, has plenty of unblocked vents and enough room inside the computer to allow air to flow between the components. A computer should not need an external fan to work.

 

[Diligent]

You need to get a Mac because they "just work" hur hur...I kid, I'm a PC guy.
Yeah, pop it open if you haven't and see how much dust has accumulated around your processor.
I know a lot of people who thought their computer was ready for the garbage because it stopped working properly simply because it was never cleaned out. Compressed air - it's like the oil change of computers!

 

[JIst00]

"Have you tried turning it off and on?"

 

[Raikov]

Does this happen regardless of what you are doing, like playing games, listening to music, or whatever?

Because I had something similar not too long ago, my Geforce 250 card was flawed, and shut my power off if there were too many particles on screen. And only while playing games....

 

[thenumberthirteen]

Does this happen regardless of what you are doing, like playing games, listening to music, or whatever?

Because I had something similar not too long ago, my Geforce 250 card was flawed, and shut my power off if there were too many particles on screen. And only while playing games....

It first happened while playing HL2. I got to the awesome Strider battle part and out go the lights. I don't think it's the graphics card as it can crash while in safe mode, or listening to music or whatever.

I'd open it up to look inside for dust, etc, but it may void the warranty and if it's something like a broken fan or power supply then I don't want to fork out extra cash, or if it breaks further down the line.

 

[DazZ.]

all the other times I've had overheating problems in the past it usually BSOD or something rather than just cut power. Then again it is a different PC.

Yeah mine just cut straight out, no warning, no slowdown before and no BSOD at all.

I think overheating is a weird one, some computers know what's happening and others just die.

Good luck!

 

[Raikov]

*snip*

It first happened while playing HL2. I got to the awesome Strider battle part and out go the lights. I don't think it's the graphics card as it can crash while in safe mode, or listening to music or whatever.

I'd open it up to look inside for dust, etc, but it may void the warranty and if it's something like a broken fan or power supply then I don't want to fork out extra cash, or if it breaks further down the line.

Sounds like you've bought it pre-assembled. I advice opening it and dusting it off, to be sure. Or go to the store where you bought it and ask for help there.

 

[TheComedown]

I had a similar problem as well on my old machine. It started slowly, but as time past the space in between the shut downs got less and less. In the end i believe it was the processor, think it was just seeing the end of its days and when i was building my new one, I gave it ago and it had gone completely.

 

[Zacharine]

*snip*

It first happened while playing HL2. I got to the awesome Strider battle part and out go the lights. I don't think it's the graphics card as it can crash while in safe mode, or listening to music or whatever.

I'd open it up to look inside for dust, etc, but it may void the warranty and if it's something like a broken fan or power supply then I don't want to fork out extra cash, or if it breaks further down the line.

Sounds like you've bought it pre-assembled. I advice opening it and dusting it off, to be sure. Or go to the store where you bought it and ask for help there.

Aaaand that might be the cause right there. i've known of several cases where a pre-assembled PC was not assembled properly or in haste. It is quite possible the CPU fan is not fixed properly, so when under stress and the current summer weather, it overheats.

Alternatively, the CPU fan cord is not connected properly: the feedback line reporting fan speed disconnects from the motherboard -> system thinks fan has stopped working -> system shuts down to prevent overheating damage.

There are other alternatives, but these come to mind first.

 

[thenumberthirteen]

I had a similar problem as well on my old machine. It started slowly, but as time past the space in between the shut downs got less and less. In the end i believe it was the processor, think it was just seeing the end of its days and when i was building my new one, I gave it ago and it had gone completely.

I only got it a few months ago so I doubt it's worn out yet. Unless...How much porn does it take to wear out a processor?

Sounds like you've bought it pre-assembled. I advice opening it and dusting it off, to be sure. Or go to the store where you bought it and ask for help there.

the problem is I can't get into it. I've taken computers apart before, but I don't want to risk breaking it. I'm going to phone up the store and see what they say about it.

 

[FMAylward]

That sounds like what my computer was doing but then turning itself back on randomly. With mine it was because my power supply unit was not providing enough power. There is no harm is checking if its an overheating problem first but I would look at it being a PSU fault after that.

 

[Sebenko]

make sure your fan isn't loose, too. Man, that was an irritating episode.

 

[TheComedown]

I had a similar problem as well on my old machine. It started slowly, but as time past the space in between the shut downs got less and less. In the end i believe it was the processor, think it was just seeing the end of its days and when i was building my new one, I gave it ago and it had gone completely.

I only got it a few months ago so I doubt it's worn out yet. Unless...How much porn does it take to wear out a processor?

Sounds like you've bought it pre-assembled. I advice opening it and dusting it off, to be sure. Or go to the store where you bought it and ask for help there.

the problem is I can't get into it. I've taken computers apart before, but I don't want to risk breaking it. I'm going to phone up the store and see what they say about it.

Well it wouldn't surprise me if the processor was dodgy. Its not uncommon to have faulty parts new, but as FMAylward just said, the PSU could also be the problem.

But in the end if its still new and under warranty take it back and say "stop screwing around gimmie something that works"