Hey guys.
A few hours ago my computer shutdown for no reason. After the shutdown I tried powering it up again. The first time I pressed the power up button it shutdown after a sec or less. The second time it managed to get to the grub loader but instantly after hitting enter on Linux on the loader it shutdown again. Third time I tried to load Windows from grub, shutdown after ~2 seconds after hitting enter on the Windows option on grub.
Did so a few times until I finally managed to load Linux but it was slower than usual. Tried restart and the shutdowns started again. After that I tried loading a linux live CD but just before the menu to choose a language (ubuntu 8.10 live cd) it shutdown again.
Then I opened up the case and blew the dust off and started it with the case open. And it loaded Linux and Windows every time (I did a restart a few times on both).
Now I wonder could the little dust that was on it cause all this problems, or is it something else?
As for the beep sounds, I always get the one short everything's OK beep.
Computer shuts down unexpected
Re: Computer shuts down unexpected
Well, maybe one of the fans were stuck or didn't move very well because of the dust, and then when you blew off some dust, you also managed to remove the dust from the fan?
That sounds highly likely at least.
And another possibility might be that the power button is broken and gets stuck, thus shutting it down after a few seconds, although since the time between your shutdowns were so different, then I don't think it's that (and also because it was solved with removing the dust).
Tip: shut down your computer, open it up, and take it apart, and then clean it really good. Use a brush that wont give away static electricity so that you wont damage the parts, and very very gently brush the fans and any other part that is dusty (use a small brush for efficiency).
That sounds highly likely at least.
And another possibility might be that the power button is broken and gets stuck, thus shutting it down after a few seconds, although since the time between your shutdowns were so different, then I don't think it's that (and also because it was solved with removing the dust).
Tip: shut down your computer, open it up, and take it apart, and then clean it really good. Use a brush that wont give away static electricity so that you wont damage the parts, and very very gently brush the fans and any other part that is dusty (use a small brush for efficiency).
"The best place to hide a tree, is in a forest"
Re: Computer shuts down unexpected
Yeah, but there wasn't really much dust on them because I did a clean-up some time ago. At least not as much for it to jam the fans..
Is it possible that some of the hardware is faulty? If it was, I wouldn't be able to start up the system at all, right?
First time when it shutdown I was playing Counter Strike so my first suspicion was on the graphics card.
Is it possible that some of the hardware is faulty? If it was, I wouldn't be able to start up the system at all, right?
First time when it shutdown I was playing Counter Strike so my first suspicion was on the graphics card.
Re: Computer shuts down unexpected
ph0bYx wrote:Yeah, but there wasn't really much dust on them because I did a clean-up some time ago. At least not as much for it to jam the fans..
Is it possible that some of the hardware is faulty? If it was, I wouldn't be able to start up the system at all, right?
First time when it shutdown I was playing Counter Strike so my first suspicion was on the graphics card.
Yeah that is possibility too.
You will simply have to troubleshoot it, and try to discover what is causing it.
Monitor the temperature on the CPU and in the case (preferably with a program that writes the temperatures to a log so that you can check it after the system has died).
If it happens again, then try changing some part, and try to discover anything that can be used to reproduce the problem at any time, so that you can troubleshoot it faster with more control.
"The best place to hide a tree, is in a forest"
Re: Computer shuts down unexpected
Well it happened again. This time while I was playing Warcraft, so I'm pretty sure it's a graphics card issue. And again it stopped shutting down when I opened the case, I haven't touched anything, just opened it...
This time I have thoroughly cleaned the whole computer from dust. Now it's good as new, so if it shuts down again for no reason it's not the dust.
About temperature measuring, do you have any specific software in mind? I have a program that monitors the temperature but doesn't keep logs. Also could you recommend any software for troubleshooting a graphics card?
This time I have thoroughly cleaned the whole computer from dust. Now it's good as new, so if it shuts down again for no reason it's not the dust.
About temperature measuring, do you have any specific software in mind? I have a program that monitors the temperature but doesn't keep logs. Also could you recommend any software for troubleshooting a graphics card?
Re: Computer shuts down unexpected
Ok, it's not the dust. It happened again just a second after I posted the last post here. And again it kept shutting down until I opened the case. It's really strange :S
Any ideas?
Edit: OK, it only works when I open the case AND lay it down on the ground. :/ Very strange!
Any ideas?
Edit: OK, it only works when I open the case AND lay it down on the ground. :/ Very strange!
Re: Computer shuts down unexpected
i guess this might be some help
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/test-graph ... rk-gaming/
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/test-graph ... rk-gaming/
Hatred fuels knowledge
Re: Computer shuts down unexpected
The Nvidia as well as the ATI control panel should have a function to check the temperature on the g-card.
You can download a trial of everest as well and use that, should work just as well.
You can download a trial of everest as well and use that, should work just as well.
"The best place to hide a tree, is in a forest"
Re: Computer shuts down unexpected
pointing to a overheat issue. opening the case might be allowing it to cool. You tried to restart the machine immediately after it shutdown, and it failed as it was still too hot.
Later, the machine fails under gaming conditions - so CPU of either mobo or GPU is failing due to heat. Just an assumption.
Check fans and vents. Are you keeping this machine near a heating vent? Route your ribbon cables to allow air to flow.
If it works when you place it on the ground, check ground connections from the PSU and the power cord to PSU, maybe it came loose?
Intermitten hardware issues are hard to detect, unless you have parts to swap and test.
Electrical surges or even overclocking can cause hardware to eventually fail, the kind of fail where it works sometimes, and sometimes- it don't.
Later, the machine fails under gaming conditions - so CPU of either mobo or GPU is failing due to heat. Just an assumption.
Check fans and vents. Are you keeping this machine near a heating vent? Route your ribbon cables to allow air to flow.
If it works when you place it on the ground, check ground connections from the PSU and the power cord to PSU, maybe it came loose?
Intermitten hardware issues are hard to detect, unless you have parts to swap and test.
Electrical surges or even overclocking can cause hardware to eventually fail, the kind of fail where it works sometimes, and sometimes- it don't.
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He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in Darkness, and Light dwells with him.
He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in Darkness, and Light dwells with him.
Re: Computer shuts down unexpected
From what I gather the computer works fine until you make it have to work hard Like gaming etc. If you can get your hands on a cheap infra-red thermometer. Scan the components in the computer during normal operation. Then start gaming and scan the components again the component with the highest temperature rise is probably the culprit.
Also how many hours are on your computer's graphics card?
The fan that cools it will not get faster with age. As they grow older parts wear and there is more drag on the fan. A few hundred rpm could be the difference between adequate cooling and failure.
Almost all cooling systems are designed to be just enough to cool a system baring any problems or wear. If the fan was designed to run at lets say 10,000 rpm to keep the system cool and now runs at 9200 the lack of airflow would not be noticed during normal operation. However when the machine is running at full speed that lack of airflow would be enough not to remove the heat form the component and cause problems.
Computer cases inside are usually warmer than the outside temperature when you remove the side you equalize the temperature with the outside world that small temp change with a fan that is running slower seems to be enough to cool it for now but not for long.
Also how many hours are on your computer's graphics card?
The fan that cools it will not get faster with age. As they grow older parts wear and there is more drag on the fan. A few hundred rpm could be the difference between adequate cooling and failure.
Almost all cooling systems are designed to be just enough to cool a system baring any problems or wear. If the fan was designed to run at lets say 10,000 rpm to keep the system cool and now runs at 9200 the lack of airflow would not be noticed during normal operation. However when the machine is running at full speed that lack of airflow would be enough not to remove the heat form the component and cause problems.
Computer cases inside are usually warmer than the outside temperature when you remove the side you equalize the temperature with the outside world that small temp change with a fan that is running slower seems to be enough to cool it for now but not for long.
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floodhound2
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Re: Computer shuts down unexpected
Mosfets on the video card, and power entry circuit, have an Rds-On value that will increase or decrease depending on age (of near by capacitors) and start up temperature or inline rush current. This increase or decrease starts a chain of events that snowball into a bigger problem (creating more heat).
Let me ask:
Is this an old laptop?
Last format was...? And any new drivers / devices?
USB can draw current, any USB devices that have been added on?
Will this situation accrue when the laptop is running the battery only?
If the laptop POST then 95% of the hardware should be fine.
Let me ask:
Is this an old laptop?
Last format was...? And any new drivers / devices?
USB can draw current, any USB devices that have been added on?
Will this situation accrue when the laptop is running the battery only?
If the laptop POST then 95% of the hardware should be fine.
₣£ΘΘĐĦΘŮŇĐ
Re: Computer shuts down unexpected
It's not a laptop, it's a regular PC.floodhound2 wrote: Let me ask:
Is this an old laptop?
Last format was...? And any new drivers / devices?
USB can draw current, any USB devices that have been added on?
Will this situation accrue when the laptop is running the battery only?
If the laptop POST then 95% of the hardware should be fine.
The problems seem to be fixed when a new motherboard was installed. But to answer your questions:
- last format before the one after the new motherboard was about 2-3 months ago
- no usb devices except for an external HDD occasionally
- the POST signal was always a one time beep
Re: Computer shuts down unexpected
I figured out what caused this behavior. Yesterday I was at a friends place helping him clean his computer and reinstall OS. We detached the CPU cooling system to clean it and reattached it but not firmly, it was a little bit lose on one end and then it start to behave like mine from this post. After reattaching the cooling system properly the computer worked normally.
I remember now that I did clean mine before this all started happening and I remember that my CPU cooling system was also lose on one end. That's why my computer didn't shutdown when I open the case. And probably why it didn't shutdown after the new motherboard was installed.
Nothing else to say but the notorious "oups
"
I remember now that I did clean mine before this all started happening and I remember that my CPU cooling system was also lose on one end. That's why my computer didn't shutdown when I open the case. And probably why it didn't shutdown after the new motherboard was installed.
Nothing else to say but the notorious "oups
"