Pc Problem

LukeyKid

Hi guys I have a problem with my computer randomly turning off like the it was just plugged out, i have got a new 850w power supply not the problem i have checked the mother bored a number of times looks perfect, i have reseated the Cpu and GPU with new thermal paste and still having problems i do have a HDD that is on its way out. Last night my computer done this and it would not turn on at all which scared me because this never happened before usually i can just switch it back on straight away. So i went looking at everything all looked fine so i said just to make sure take out the Hdd and see if it works then and yes turned on straight away could it be this causing it. or is it a coincidence.

Thanks
Luke

AlmightyCushion

What make and model is the power supply?

john the one

How can you tell the brand new PSU is not the problem? Has it only started?

LukeyKid

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

What make and model is the power supply?

john the one wrote: »

How can you tell the brand new PSU is not the problem? Has it only started?

Its a Powercool x Viper modular PSU and no it was used in the shop i work in for about 2-3 jobs very small usuage but always worked fine during them jobs so it is no the the PSU plus this has been happening for a couple of months now so it is not the PSU 100%.

Timmyctc

If the power cuts are like you just switched off the PSU then the issue is very likely the PSU. If it was indeed the HDD you'd expect a bit of stalling or BSOD or a similar STOP error before power off in most cases. However you do say removing the HDD allowed it to boot straight up. Whats the SATA connections to the HDD and MoBo like? Good condition? When you say the HDD is on the way out, how do you mean.

free_man

I second the PSU issue. I had this problem ongoing for a while. After a random shutdown, I wait for 4-5 min. and then turn it ON.
I cannot afford a PSU replacement :-( Hence I opened the PSU completely about a month back to see any burst capacitor but couldn't find anything. I cleaned a lot of black dust (5 yrs. worth) from within the PSU. The random shutdown problem went away after that (fingers crossed).

Sounds like the PSU, especially if the issue started happening just after its introduction

LukeyKid

Timmyctc wrote: »

If the power cuts are like you just switched off the PSU then the issue is very likely the PSU. If it was indeed the HDD you'd expect a bit of stalling or BSOD or a similar STOP error before power off in most cases. However you do say removing the HDD allowed it to boot straight up. Whats the SATA connections to the HDD and MoBo like? Good condition? When you say the HDD is on the way out, how do you mean.

free_man wrote: »

I second the PSU issue. I had this problem ongoing for a while. After a random shutdown, I wait for 4-5 min. and then turn it ON.
I cannot afford a PSU replacement :-( Hence I opened the PSU completely about a month back to see any burst capacitor but couldn't find anything. I cleaned a lot of black dust (5 yrs. worth) from within the PSU. The random shutdown problem went away after that (fingers crossed).

Deleted User wrote: »

Sounds like the PSU, especially if the issue started happening just after its introduction

No this issue has been on going for about 4-5 months now and ive only got the new PSU witht the passed 3 weeks say. And its only shut down once which is a hugh improvemnt to what it was and what i mean the hard drive being on its way out is im getting reposrts that the drive isent working to full potential it isent spinning up properly.

Also thanks for the help guys

LukeyKid

...

IrlMonk

free_man wrote: »

I opened the PSU completely about a month back to see any burst capacitor but couldn't find anything. I cleaned a lot of black dust (5 yrs. worth) from within the PSU

I wouldn't advise going near a PSU.
"Power supplies have large capacitors in them. These capacitors store electricity in them even when mains power is shut off. If you were to touch the connections on the bottom of the capacitors, you could receive a potentially lethal shock. For this reason, you should never disassemble a power supply unless you have received training in how to properly discharge the capacitors. "

free_man

IrlMonk wrote: »

I wouldn't advise going near a PSU.
"Power supplies have large capacitors in them. These capacitors store electricity in them even when mains power is shut off. If you were to touch the connections on the bottom of the capacitors, you could receive a potentially lethal shock. For this reason, you should never disassemble a power supply unless you have received training in how to properly discharge the capacitors. "

You point is well taken. I am a trained engineer and know full well what a charged capacitor can do. I did not touch anything with my bare hands. Gloves always and a brush with wooden handle to remove the dust. I was more interested in looking for a bust capacitor which are very noticeable

IrlMonk

free_man wrote: »

You point is well taken. I am a trained engineer and know full well what a charged capacitor can do. I did not touch anything with my bare hands. Gloves always and a brush with wooden handle to remove the dust. I was more interested in looking for a bust capacitor which are very noticeable

Goodman
I was pointing this out to newcomers as well, as they would probably mess with it and get a bang.

LukeyKid

IrlMonk wrote: »

Goodman
I was pointing this out to newcomers as well, as they would probably mess with it and get a bang.

haha yes well im trained engineer but i know what capicitors do and know that they can store a lot of power :P

But other then that any ideas what the problem is its been working fine since i took out the hard drive can a hard drive do that to a computer ? :L

LukeyKid

I think i may have come up with another idea what could be causing the problem, i have a lot of extension leads for my set up inside my desk is 10 alone from 2 different extension sockets one is pretty old and the other is about 2 years old but is a good one has 6 sockets and cost me about 35 40 euro so i doubt it is that one that is failing but the other one is cheap and has been around for years could it be this that is on its way out and very now and again the current to the sockets drops and shorts my computer ?

LukeyKid

Please guys need to get to figure out the problem before i start replacing stuff

Timmyctc

Its unlikely a malfunctioning HDD would cause such a powercut imo. Check the sata cable. Do you have any spare ones?

LukeyKid

Timmyctc wrote: »

Its unlikely a malfunctioning HDD would cause such a powercut imo. Check the sata cable. Do you have any spare ones?

yes i do but i have it hook up externally now and the problem is still happening so its not the HDD, but could it be an old extension cable that i had my computer hook up with.

Timmyctc

LukeyKid wrote: »

yes i do but i have it hook up externally now and the problem is still happening so its not the HDD, but could it be an old extension cable that i had my computer hook up with.

You'll need to hook up the pc with strictly the wall sockets, preferrably in a different part of your house, you shouldnt need an extension cable for just the pc anyways

LukeyKid

I'm problem calling it the wrong word I'm to sure what there called just a lead with an extra 6 plug sockets on it, that is what I'm on about failing but I had changed it over to my newer one last night and it happened again today so I presume that is not it but I really doubt it has much to do with it because my computer is the only thing that turns off so it doesn't make much sense.
I would say if I had to put money its the motherboard on its way out.
after that then I would say it is the graphics card.

beauf

LukeyKid wrote: »

I think i may have come up with another idea what could be causing the problem, i have a lot of extension leads for my set up inside my desk is 10 alone from 2 different extension sockets one is pretty old and the other is about 2 years old but is a good one has 6 sockets and cost me about 35 40 euro so i doubt it is that one that is failing but the other one is cheap and has been around for years could it be this that is on its way out and very now and again the current to the sockets drops and shorts my computer ?

Why are you using extension sockets in the first place.

Try the PC without all those extensions plugged in.

Timmyctc

LukeyKid wrote: »

I'm problem calling it the wrong word I'm to sure what there called just a lead with an extra 6 plug sockets on it, that is what I'm on about failing but I had changed it over to my newer one last night and it happened again today so I presume that is not it but I really doubt it has much to do with it because my computer is the only thing that turns off so it doesn't make much sense.
I would say if I had to put money its the motherboard on its way out.
after that then I would say it is the graphics card.

I'm not sure if you're taking the piss with us or if this computer is 20 years old. You've narrowed it down to the Mobo, HDD, PSU or GPU all being on their way out? Maybe sack the build and start from scratch?

Try starting it up with Just the mobo, if that works then the mobo and hdd, if that works, then mobo, hdd and gpu. If it fails to boot with just the mobo, cpu and ram try running with and without ram.

LukeyKid

Timmyctc wrote: »

I'm not sure if you're taking the piss with us or if this computer is 20 years old. You've narrowed it down to the Mobo, HDD, PSU or GPU all being on their way out? Maybe sack the build and start from scratch?

Try starting it up with Just the mobo, if that works then the mobo and hdd, if that works, then mobo, hdd and gpu. If it fails to boot with just the mobo, cpu and ram try running with and without ram.

I wish i was :L its hard to explain what is wrong with it and no the computer and all componants to it are 2 years old thats when i built it.

Okay from the start i can be using the computer all day and it will be completely fine works perfect but out of no where it can just shutdown like the trip switch went but it didnt only the computer nothing else in the room stops working.

its not something were i can take stuff out and test it it will work fine but once a day it will give up and wont turn back on for another hour and take a bit of messing around with the power cables.

and before you say it the power supply i really dont think it is because its the second power supply that has went into it and this one is only a couple of weeks old and the same problem is happening.

like its hard to pin piont what it is because most of the day everything works fine its just when the thing goes and you can not tell when it is going to happen it is litterly out of no where.

sorry if i have been unclear but i am not taking the piss.

IrlMonk

LukeyKid wrote: »

haha yes well im trained engineer but i know what capicitors do and know that they can store a lot of power :P

But other then that any ideas what the problem is its been working fine since i took out the hard drive can a hard drive do that to a computer ? :L

Are you a trained engineer?

LukeyKid

IrlMonk wrote: »

Are you a trained engineer?

Crap sorry bad a typing im not* :P haha

beauf

Did you try it with out all the extensions.

Deliverance XXV

Normally these kind of symptoms do point to PSUs but seeing as it was happening before the PSU replacement it kind of rules it out.

Some things to think about:

• Have you much running in the computer (GPUs, number of hard drives, etc.)?
  
• Does your motherboard support a second power source from the PSU (normally in the form of a 4 or 6 pin cable from the PSU) - This normally adds extra juice to the CPU or the GPU.
  
• Is there any particular pattern to the power losses?
  
• What are your CPU temps after a certain time of uptime? I ask as CPUs have a temperature cut-off point where they will shutdown if the temp threshold is met.
  
• Is the computer definitely powered off after a suspected shutdown? Have internal fans stopped? Lights on the motherboard?
  
• It could also be something hard to diagnose such as faulty CPU pins, motherboard flows or case wiring.

LukeyKid

yes I'm well aware it is all the signs of a faulty PSU but I highly doubt it.
I have two 1 tb drives and ssd in it
1 Amd radeon HD 7850

so like Its not like it has much in it I have a had a couple of problems with the mobo in the past I think it had a faulty temperature gauge not sure id say it was about a year ago it said the the CPU was over 100 degrees Celsius which is way to hot and wasn't right because it should cut out the computer at that temperature plus fans were not kicking in for that temp either so I presumed it was just the motherboard but after reapplying the thermal paste and messing looking about the bios making sure everything was correct after a week it seemed to be working fine never hit the the temp again so never gave it a second thought but once this power off happens the PC is WS if it is completely dead no life. so I pull out the back cable so no power give it about 30 seconds to stick my hand as close to the CPU I can to try get an idea of the temps but its never hot like what it would be if it was cuaseing of to shutdown same as the GPU there never overly hot at the start of the heat sink so I think it is the motherboard to be honest but I'm not sure.

strangel00p

If you suspect the psu is the problem then you should measure the dc voltage on the psu to motherboard connector. You need to ensure the psu is conducting the correct voltage.

It's an intermittent fault so that points to hardware failure. Check the event viewer for critical errors after the pc shutsdown. It may give you some clues to what's happening.

LukeyKid

strangel00p wrote: »

If you suspect the psu is the problem then you should measure the dc voltage on the psu to motherboard connector. You need to ensure the psu is conducting the correct voltage.

It's an intermittent fault so that points to hardware failure. Check the event viewer for critical errors after the pc shutsdown. It may give you some clues to what's happening.

Okay i found it i think. i have critical errors, "Event 41 - Kernel Power"

Timmyctc

LukeyKid wrote: »

Okay i found it i think. i have critical errors, "Event 41 - Kernel Power"

That's just the system recording an unexpected shutdown.