Computer randomly shuts off...

Bop · **Joined:** Oct 2008 **Posts:** 1130 **Location:**

basically i've been dealing with this stupid problem since last week, the monitor "shuts off" and displays "no signal" message, the cpu light on the front of case remains lit for about 20 secs then goes out, the power to everything (like drives) remains on, so does the psu (just bought a new one)

since the comp wont stay on long enough for me to get what each part is..ill try to list from memory

Pentium 4 2Ghz?...
1GB of RAM?...or so
Nvidia 6200
2 dvd/cd drives
1 floppy/1 zip drive (lul, oldschool comps ftw)
3 PCI cards?

id appreciate any help

user · **Posted:** Thu Feb 05, 2009 2:14 am

owaheat?

emperor3000 · **Joined:** Nov 2007 **Posts:** 1049 **Location:** Home

yeah, either it is overheat or something.

just try to place your desktop in a area where it can take in cool air,

computers need to breath just like us you know :wink:

Tasdik · **Joined:** Jan 2007 **Posts:** 13206 **Location:** Life

You sure the cord that hooks up your monitor to your computer is plugged in correctly?

BlackFox898 · **Posted:** Thu Feb 05, 2009 2:42 am

what wattage is your old and new PSU?... rails?

Bop · **Joined:** Oct 2008 **Posts:** 1130 **Location:**

BlackFox898 wrote:

what wattage is your old and new PSU?... rails?

well the new psu and its stats are in the link the old psu was 400 watts...at +3.3v-28A, +5V-30A, +12v-15A, -5V-.5A, -12V-.8A, +5vsb-2A and to other replies...this comp had been running for about 8 years with the same configuration lol (cept for vid card), it was working fine...

Crowley · **Posted:** Thu Feb 05, 2009 3:27 am

Same thing happens to the shit comp I'm using atm. Means it's gonna die soon.

iSinnnn · **Posted:** Thu Feb 05, 2009 3:44 am

Mine did this, but only when I was trying to play games. Ended up just needing driver updates.

Bop · **Joined:** Oct 2008 **Posts:** 1130 **Location:**

iSinnnn wrote:

Mine did this, but only when I was trying to play games. Ended up just needing driver updates.

mine just turns off...generally w/i the first few mins of boot up...although it did stay on for a longer amount of time in safe mode...

Hostage · **Posted:** Thu Feb 05, 2009 3:53 am

Have you recently pulled out all your fans and such and attempted to clean them--maybe in the process cleaned of your thermal paste. Putting it back in without rubbing one a new batch? I saw this because the symptoms you describe are pretty similar to what happened to me a while back.

I had just cleaned out my computer doing said example above and then every time I started my computer - sometimes it would get up to the vista screen sometimes it would reach desktop screen but - sure enough with in seconds it would turn off. I did a little thinking bought some paste put it on and problem solved.

Yes, no ...maybe so? Just throwing ideas out there by no means am I incredibly computer savvy. Novice at best.

Crowley · **Posted:** Thu Feb 05, 2009 4:05 am

Hostage wrote:

Have you recently pulled out all your fans and such and attempted to clean them--maybe in the process cleaned of your thermal paste. Putting it back in without rubbing one a new batch? I saw this because the symptoms you describe are pretty similar to what happened to me a while back.

I had just cleaned out my computer doing said example above and then every time I started my computer - sometimes it would get up to the vista screen sometimes it would reach desktop screen but - sure enough with in seconds it would turn off. I did a little thinking bought some paste put it on and problem solved.

Yes, no ...maybe so? Just throwing ideas out there by no means am I incredibly computer savvy. Novice at best.

Did you watch Pirates of the Caribbean recently?

Hostage · **Posted:** Thu Feb 05, 2009 4:09 am

Lulz, yes. Did savvy give it away?

Bop · **Joined:** Oct 2008 **Posts:** 1130 **Location:**

Hostage wrote:

Have you recently pulled out all your fans and such and attempted to clean them--maybe in the process cleaned of your thermal paste. Putting it back in without rubbing one a new batch? I saw this because the symptoms you describe are pretty similar to what happened to me a while back.

I had just cleaned out my computer doing said example above and then every time I started my computer - sometimes it would get up to the vista screen sometimes it would reach desktop screen but - sure enough with in seconds it would turn off. I did a little thinking bought some paste put it on and problem solved.

Yes, no ...maybe so? Just throwing ideas out there by no means am I incredibly computer savvy. Novice at best.

im willing to try any cheap method <.<..how much did that cost u? easy to actually do?...complete computer hardware nub here :3

Crowley · **Posted:** Thu Feb 05, 2009 4:11 am

Nope, but this did:

Hostage wrote:

I had just cleaned out my computer doing said example above and then every time I started my computer -

And btw I LOVE POTC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hostage · **Posted:** Thu Feb 05, 2009 4:18 am

It didn't cost much-- thermal paste was like $4-$5 and just pulled out my cpu cooling fan and applied where the two meet following direction on a site I googled BUT before you go and I do anything I say, I'd wait for more replies from more trust worthy and more educated people then my self on the subject to post.

Hello_Kittys · **Joined:** Dec 2008 **Posts:** 67 **Location:** USA

YOU NEED

Bop · **Joined:** Oct 2008 **Posts:** 1130 **Location:**

im thinking of replacing the thermal paste tomorrow but one question how pure is 67-63-0 isopropyl alcohol in a percentage <.<?...google didnt give precise results.

Gaigemasta · **Joined:** Dec 2006 **Posts:** 4474 **Location:**

i had this problem be4, all I did was open the side of my case, that helps alot!!!!!!!! like really, just leave ur side off and it should a lot, by about 10+ degrees, cheapest method yet lol

Bop · **Joined:** Oct 2008 **Posts:** 1130 **Location:**

Gaige wrote:

i had this problem be4, all I did was open the side of my case, that helps alot!!!!!!!! like really, just leave ur side off and it should a lot, by about 10+ degrees, cheapest method yet lol

its not on long enough to "overheat," even when the cpu? shutsdown, all the other stuff like psu,cd drives are still working and the comp stays on forever as long as im in safe mode or BIOS lol...which speaking of...topped CPU temp off at about 45*C after about 30 mins.

Gaigemasta · **Joined:** Dec 2006 **Posts:** 4474 **Location:**

well u can take a vacuum to it and clean the hell out of it, dust and dirt can do that sometimes

Bop · **Joined:** Oct 2008 **Posts:** 1130 **Location:**

Gaige wrote:

well u can take a vacuum to it and clean the hell out of it, dust and dirt can do that sometimes

too late now..ive already removed the heatsink from the cpu heat spreader thingy...although i will clean the heatsink fan...just need to buy the thermal paste tomorrow...

AnarChaos · **Posted:** Sat Feb 07, 2009 6:12 am

If you start have this trouble after buying that psu, maybe your psu does not work well, something wrong with it or u didnt install it properly (some cable or switch mistake).

If you start to have this touble after upgrading your graphic card, maybe your graphic card does not work well, something wrong with it.

ThiefzV2 · **Joined:** Jan 2007 **Posts:** 566 **Location:**

defective mobo or corrupted os

MrTwilliger · **Joined:** May 2008 **Posts:** 1374 **Location:** Hiding

Whats occurring in the boot process? Is everything booting normally or are you getting any corruption errors.

Bop · **Joined:** Oct 2008 **Posts:** 1130 **Location:**

AnarChaos wrote:

If you start have this trouble after buying that psu, maybe your psu does not work well, something wrong with it or u didnt install it properly (some cable or switch mistake).

If you start to have this touble after upgrading your graphic card, maybe your graphic card does not work well, something wrong with it.

same problem with original cpu..same with new one...the problem was rare...once a month maybe when i first upgrade graphics card

ThiefzV2 wrote:

defective mobo or corrupted os

lets hope not :3...its not defective os for sure...mobo maybe ><

MrTwilliger wrote:

Whats occurring in the boot process? Is everything booting normally or are you getting any corruption errors.

no errors no nothing...it'll either boot into XP or shut off during the boot...

MrTwilliger · **Joined:** May 2008 **Posts:** 1374 **Location:** Hiding

In that case i say the hard drive is over heating and shutting down during the process. Clean out your fans and follow the advice from before and it should be fine.

_MvP_ · **Joined:** Jan 2009 **Posts:** 1423 **Location:**

I had that problem too. I tryed evrything, but didnt helped. Once he shuted down itself and I couldnt turn it on anymore. The result was, I had to buy new: CPU, Motherboard, Ram, graphic card, HDD, Power Suply, in other words new pc.

Ryoko · **Joined:** Dec 2005 **Posts:** 6390 **Location:**

Mine was doing this because of the processor heat.

Heat can be a real issue; one time I had a computer case with tempurature LCD's on the front. Placing the little tiny wire between the CPU and its cooler would cause the computer to shutdown after being on for 1-2 minutes. That little gap between the coolor from the wire was enough to make the CPU over heat.

Also recently I had performace problems so I cleaned everything, and reapplied new thermal paste to the CPU and reseat it, and alot of issues were resolved.

Bop · **Joined:** Oct 2008 **Posts:** 1130 **Location:**

so here is what i got done today

replaced thermal paste=no help
tried old graphics card=no help
tried each RAM stick at a time=no help

:cry:

i removed my zip drive, unplugged its connection to psu and motherboard but now my computer wont get past the bios for some reason since it was my primary slave or w/e...anyone know how to fix taht problem?

further info....

primary master: HDD
primary slave: zip drive (now removed)
secondary master: 1st CD drive
secondary slave: 2nd CD drive

using Phoenix BIOS or w/e...

Ichimaru420 · **Joined:** Mar 2007 **Posts:** 2778 **Location:** quit

Something similar happend to my old pc with mine it would just switch though as the days and weeks went on it started to happen more often. As it got worse it would not stay on for more than 20 seconds with out turning off.
I could also hear it still running faintly though my cousin managed to fix it and also upgraded my PC he said was a problem with my motherboard.

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