Have you recently added new or updated hardware? Check to make sure your power supply is supplying enough juice. Devices eat a lot these days, and power source isn't always the first thought.
Just a consideration. [ the above are valid as well, bios maybe a lil not so much, unless you have a sketchy bios ... ]
"randomly on a regular basis" - yeah I knew when I typed that it might not make sense to you guys, but it does to me. Its random in the fact that I dont know what is causing it and it happens at "random" times. Its on a regular basis in the fact that it has been happening for a long time now.
I had the memory replaced recently as well as a diagnostics check and a OS re-install at the Geek Squad. This problem has been happening since I got the computer, or shortly after.
it doesnt log out or anything, its like I hit the power button without moving a muscle
And I suppose that you have a valid anti-virus and all the anti spyware necessary, yes? And that you have checked your memory, the processor temperature and so on?
The system temperature thing is probably whats going on. If I use the computer for a short time, it doesnt really happen. But the longer I use it, the more frequent this happens. So I guess that makes the most sense. Lets pretend I dont know anything about system temps, heatsinks etc. Talk to me like Im 10. What should I do? ;) ________________ FrostedFlames [FF]
I had the exact same problem awhile back and it was RAM related. If you have two sticks in your machine take one out and see if it still just shuts off. If it still shuts off open it up and remove the RAM still in the machine and replace with the RAM you took out.
I seriously doubt its a temperature problem. You could always run something that tells you the temp of your CPU, case etc. I cant think of the name of any specific program off the top of my head but Im sure someone here can name one.
I thought my was a temp problem too, at first. It would mainly happen after longer periods of time or when I was playing a game.
Check the temperature often with Everest (maybe it's because of your alim that does not let the fans acquire enough speed or something) when I had the very same problem, changing the alim for a more muscled one did the trick. Also, clean carefuly your computer of any dust, espcially the fans, make sure they work, and are there any cable out of their place?
isn't there generally a system diagnostic beep on temperature problems? or are we saying the temperature is causing data errors and causing the computer to crash? check the bios to see what the temperature threshold is.
40 to 55 celsius max? on a Pentium 4 2.4 GHz? that seems a bit low. does anybody know what the reference heat is on that processor?
i am with those of you that think it is memory or psu thing. even if you replaced the memory, the bus could be going bad. try running memtest86+.
since it has been a problem since the beginning, it could very well be an issue with the mainboard or cpu. or something as basic as a loose connection.
what is the rating on your psu? specifically the +12, +5 and +3.3 rails and what type is it?
if i were you, and you got it as a retail package, i would return it. if not, i would replace the psu with a better one, make sure all connections are seated and complete, and test the system with the most basic options you can. possibly using a 'livecd' os to boot and run from memory and diagnose from there.
In a nutshell he said it could be the mainboard and you should check all your connections from the psu to the mainboard. Do you have the box the psu came in? Just pasting the brand and specs would tell us a lot as to quality of the device itself and the quality of power it's putting out.
It sounds like an overheating problem to me, or possibly overheat protection in the BIOS being a bit over protective. I'd reseat the CPU heatsink just for kicks and see what happens.
Also the power supply idea is pretty likely.
I don't think it's memory, as the system would probably lock up or show some kind of error rather than just nosedive, in my experience.
Also, take a gander at the Event Viewer and see if anything fishy is going on software wise. A longshot, but might as well.
"isn't there generally a system diagnostic beep on temperature problems?" ....from my experience...no. I don't know a lot about stuff...but if it was anything different from temperature or power supply, would he not see a logging off screen, or some other type of error message, or freezing?
It sounds stupid (but its happened to me!)... make sure there is nothing around your fans that could cause overheating...like boxes piled up or furniture too close or even floor heaters that could prevent the fans from receiving enough cool air.
I find that SpeedFan works pretty well at telling the temperatures of my Motherboard, CPU, how fast the fans are running... Basically everything. Plus it has the nice ability to regulate speed to a fan. So you might want to try it out to check your temperatures as well...
this sounds like a problem my brother had after upgrading his old pc. basically it was a crappy outlet, amazingly enough, and had nothing to do with his pc whatsoever. when he moved to a new place, the problem miraculously disappeared.
Im in a different room than I used to be, so I know its not the outlet.
I have a friend staying with me from out of town for a couple days, so Im not going to be able to try any of these suggestions for a while, but when I'll do I will update.
