• Computer Shuts Down - No Warning, No Obvious Cause, Randomly.
    27 replies, posted
Well, afew weeks ago my computer basically began shutting down without any sort of warning, just powering down without any cause. I sort of let it be after trying to get it to work for awhile, and now it sits there as I use an older laptop. The computer in question was a desktop on Windows 7, and it hadn't had any major problems before. Any help is appreciated. :unsmith:
Run HWMonitor and run Prime95 Post temps (And shut down prime95 if temps go above 80)
I had a problem with my desktop randomly shutting down a few months back, this happened after I put in a new GPU. My power supply supplied enough wattage but it supplied less than 36 amps on the 48V rails, something my GPU needed. So PSU might be a problem with this.
[QUOTE=Antdawg;29975437]I had a problem with my desktop randomly shutting down a few months back, this happened after I put in a new GPU. My power supply supplied enough wattage but it supplied less than 36 amps on the 48V rails, something my GPU needed. So PSU might be a problem with this.[/QUOTE] 36 amps on 48 volts? that's 1700 watts. What monster GPU was this? just kidding, I'm sure you meant 12v rail It's likely either overheating or a bad battery (even while plugged in a bad battery can cause complete random shutdowns) Try removing the battery and seeing if it happens.
reload the OS, works every time
It's probably your PSU about to die.
[QUOTE=Shadaez;29983076]36 amps on 48 volts? that's 1700 watts. What monster GPU was this? just kidding, I'm sure you meant 12v rail It's likely either overheating or a bad battery (even while plugged in a bad battery can cause complete random shutdowns) Try removing the battery and seeing if it happens.[/QUOTE] It's a desktop, oddly enough, so I don't think it has a battery. Posting from it right now, finally built up the courage to turn this on. :unsmith: EDIT: Posting from laptop, shut down while playing Project Zomboid tech demo, still no warnings just cuts out. So power supply is the most likely culprit?
I get this too, it may be your CPU overheating. AFAIK there's a failsafe that turns off the computer when the CPU reaches a certain temperature. Take the case siding off and have a fan blowing directly inside. It should help.
[QUOTE=U-Lander;30123364]It's a desktop, oddly enough, so I don't think it has a battery. Posting from it right now, finally built up the courage to turn this on. :unsmith: EDIT: Posting from laptop, shut down while playing Project Zomboid tech demo, still no warnings just cuts out. So power supply is the most likely culprit?[/QUOTE] sorry misread OP, I saw laptop in it. It's either overheating or the PSU, or possibly the motherboard hitting your case randomly and shorting, causing a shutdown (my first PC would do this, oh my it was horrible).
Hrm. so heating could be the problem. How should I deal with that? Just screw it open?
[QUOTE=U-Lander;30125897]Hrm. so heating could be the problem. How should I deal with that? Just screw it open?[/QUOTE] Buy a can of compressed air and remove all the dust inside the case.
[QUOTE=U-Lander;30125897]Hrm. so heating could be the problem. How should I deal with that? Just screw it open?[/QUOTE] Do what i said and check the temps first Just fire up HWMonitor and Prime95 And use a can of compressed air as said
be careful when opening a power supply, some capacitors could still be charged and can injure you. don't do anything stupid
Well, so far I've blown the hell out of the dust: there was probably a metric ton and a whole dust ecosystem in there. It worked fine yesterday, better than ever since the first troubles, but crashed on my bro today(He was playing minecraft). Gonna run those programs... anyone got a link to HWMonitor and Prime95?
[url]http://www.google.com/search?q=HWMonitor&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a[/url] [url]http://www.google.com/search?q=Prime95&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a[/url]
[QUOTE=Antdawg;29975437]I had a problem with my desktop randomly shutting down a few months back, this happened after I put in a new GPU. My power supply supplied enough wattage but it supplied less than 36 amps on the 48V rails, something my GPU needed. So PSU might be a problem with this.[/QUOTE] I'm sure you had a legit problem but I truely don't understand how a video card can require such a high current. I mean, it takes power from the 12v rails, but the card itself will usually use about 1.1v on load. My 6870 used 58A on 100% load, that's the most it's ever used. Here's some magic using P = IV (power in watts = current in amps * voltage in volts) 36A on the 12v rails = 432W 58A at 1.1V = 63.8W 63.8W at 12v is just 5.3A, which is a tiny amount compared to the so called requirements of many video cards. I mean, even with every other 12v component drawing from the rails it should never even come near something like 36A, right? If anyone can clear up these seemingly ridiculous requirements I'd be very interested.
[QUOTE=Jallen;30175667]I'm sure you had a legit problem but I truely don't understand how a video card can require such a high current. I mean, it takes power from the 12v rails, but the card itself will usually use about 1.1v on load. My 6870 used 58A on 100% load, that's the most it's ever used. Here's some magic using P = IV (power in watts = current in amps * voltage in volts) 36A on the 12v rails = 432W 58A at 1.1V = 63.8W 63.8W at 12v is just 5.3A, which is a tiny amount compared to the so called requirements of many video cards. I mean, even with every other 12v component drawing from the rails it should never even come near something like 36A, right? If anyone can clear up these seemingly ridiculous requirements I'd be very interested.[/QUOTE] standards
[QUOTE=jordguitar;30176064]standards[/QUOTE] What? I don't get what you mean, do you mean that they quote those requirements to comply with some standard?
Shits too hot. Not enough power.
[QUOTE=jarongoesrawr;30176171]Shits too hot. Not enough power.[/QUOTE] Well, oddly enough, it worked for months and months with no problems. It worked for about a solid three days with no problems, then shut down while starting up twice in a row. Its clean as its gonna get inside... should I abandon hope? :smith: HW Monitors on right now, what sort of info would you need to make a diagnosis? [editline]6th June 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=Tobba;29975374]Run HWMonitor and run Prime95 Post temps (And shut down prime95 if temps go above 80)[/QUOTE] Wait a second.... temperatures above 80 degrees what? Celsius? Farenheit? cause mine are in the nineties to hundreds for everything...
[QUOTE=U-Lander;30271927]Well, oddly enough, it worked for months and months with no problems. It worked for about a solid three days with no problems, then shut down while starting up twice in a row. Its clean as its gonna get inside... should I abandon hope? :smith: HW Monitors on right now, what sort of info would you need to make a diagnosis? [editline]6th June 2011[/editline] Wait a second.... temperatures above 80 degrees what? Celsius? Farenheit? cause mine are in the nineties to hundreds for everything...[/QUOTE] Celsius And thats your problem right there
My other computer kept randomly shutting down. Turned out the culprit was the power strip which was stuffed underneath the couch that was behind the desk. Every time someone moved on the couch, it would press the reset button. Funny thing was, the button kept going back to the on position, so I had no idea.
[QUOTE=Icedshot;30277541]Celsius And thats your problem right there[/QUOTE] In Celsius it's just 45 at highest...
[QUOTE=U-Lander;30362020]In Celsius it's just 45 at highest...[/QUOTE] Try playing a game with HWMonitor open and alt-tab out after playing for 15 minutes. [editline]9th June 2011[/editline] Look at the GPU temp.
[QUOTE=drummerundrcovr;30362783]Try playing a game with HWMonitor open and alt-tab out after playing for 15 minutes. [editline]9th June 2011[/editline] Look at the GPU temp.[/QUOTE] Well, to be perfectly honest, it doesn't seem to be connected to that: it crashed twice on startup, then later tried again, crashed reading your comment. :saddowns:
Well, just now it refused to start up...several times. It came on later, as my brother tried, so uh... should I just give up?
Sounds like something related to your motherboard touching the casing and shorting out, or your PSU being unable to either remain stable or provide enough power to its voltage rails. Make sure everything in your desktop is plugged in correctly, the motherboard is properly grounded to the case, and that your PSU is tested.
Well, mystery solved: the PSU was jank. So I got a new, better one, and it's all good. Thanks for all the help. :kiddo:
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