computer powering off for no reason

  • Thread starter Thread starter David
  • Start date Start date
D

David

These are the symptoms, and I would appreciate your thought.

1. At times, the computer, when I power on, would just die after the fan
goes off.

2. After repeated attempts, I let it sit and try again, and then it comes
on. Could it be the power supply?

3. Here are some strange symptoms. It could very well be a coincidence. I
have Linux and XP installed on two separate hard drives. When it makes it
into Linux, it will stay on forever. However, when it makes it into
Windows, it would power off for no reason.

Symptom #3 does not jive well with #1 because #1 occurs way before the
operating system kicks in. Again, this could just be a coincidence.

Thank you.
 
These are the symptoms, and I would appreciate your thought.

1. At times, the computer, when I power on, would just die after the fan
goes off.

2. After repeated attempts, I let it sit and try again, and then it comes
on. Could it be the power supply?

3. Here are some strange symptoms. It could very well be a coincidence. I
have Linux and XP installed on two separate hard drives. When it makes it
into Linux, it will stay on forever. However, when it makes it into
Windows, it would power off for no reason.

Symptom #3 does not jive well with #1 because #1 occurs way before the
operating system kicks in. Again, this could just be a coincidence.

Thank you.
Click to expand...


Take a multimeter and measure the power supply voltages. Do
this in at least 3 scenarios:

When the system is turned on until it turns off early.
When running Linux.
When running windows, both successfully and a recording of
the voltage levels when it turns off.

It would help to mention all the specifics, major components
of the system, including PSU make, model, wattage.
 
quote="David"
have Linux and XP installed on two separate hard drives. When i makes i
into Linux, it will stay on forever. However, when it makes i int
Windows, it would power off for no reason
Click to expand...

Sounds like a conflict, do you run both hard drives installed or d
you swap them over as you would if they was on a caddy..

Also the fault could be due to a virus, be interesting to see wha
happens you you try it in safe mode. Have you checked for any erro
messages in Event viewer..

One thing to try is to Right click My computer in the start menu/clic
Properties/click Advance

In the bottom pane headed 'Start up and recovery' click Settings, i
the bottom pane marked System failure uncheck the box that say
'Automatically restart'. Click OK and see if you get any erro
messages the next time you reboot

This show any error messages to be displayed

Just follow the above and check the box after you have done..

If the hard drives are installed try reversing them round

Dav
 
Hi David

A half educated reply here.

A cooling issue.
It could be a BIOS temparature setting which will shut down the machine when
the CPU reaches a predefined temp set from the BIOS. The intermittent
shutting down (1 & 2) and the XP shutting down and not linux (3) maybe
because Windows demands more from the CPU thus making it run hotter. I'm
not starting a linux windows flame. A quick look at the BIOS setup ( F2 or
Delete) may help.

Scotoma
 
Hmmm, what do you suggest in the BIOS set up? I don't see anything
related to temperatures.
 
David said:
Hmmm, what do you suggest in the BIOS set up? I don't see anything
related to temperatures.
Click to expand...

David. Did you not see Kony's reply to you? He wrote basically what I would
have written and both of us have been building PCs since 2 *MB* was more
than enough RAM. I'm picking underpowered PSU as the most likely culprit.
Windows XP has two options, hidden in the registry, one is reboot on error,
the other is blue-screen on error. MS has made the re-boot option the
default, which is why you don't see a lot of blue-screens in XP. So, if you
are getting low power at times when the PC is running, causing errors,
Windows may well reboot where Linux ignores it / works around it, and keeps
on going.

Also, the having trouble on start-up also points to PSU as that's when all
the drives and fans etc. are spinning up and drawing the most current.
Obviously heat isn't an issue with a cold machine is it? It doesn't make
sense to be looking there first.

So, what are the components in your PC and what brand and rating is your
power supply? Or did you ignore Kony's post because you don't know this
stuff?

Like scotoma said, "a half-educated reply". It could well be a valid reply
once the more obvious points of failure are discounted. I'll give you 5-to-1
odds that it's a power issue.
 
Do you have SP2 installed on your XP installation?
if no .....Have you been connected to the internet without SP2 (or at least
some updates)?
if yes.... since linux is not affected.... maybe the sasser virus.... those
are the symptoms.

Otherwise I vote for bad PS or fluctuations in the supply voltage in your
house (or as the electrician from Seinfeld says the power from the holes).
 
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