Question

Computer shuts down when bumped

Asked by: stevem5000

Emachine, T2882, Celeron, 80Gb, 512Mb...XP Pro, SP2...

Computer shuts down if case is tapped, bumped...sometimes when I push the CD tray button...
It shuts down just as if you pull the AC cord...must hit power button to power it back up...

All cables are plugged in tight...ps tests good on all voltages...

Capacitors on MB all look good, no expansion or leakage...CPU fan spins, CPU is not hot...

Machine was shutting down every now and then...gradually getting worse...now it seems a light tap anywhere on the case will cause it to shut down...

Rebuilt it...installed new XP...no joy...

Can;t figgure this one out...

Any ideas ???

thanx
Steve

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Asked On
2007-10-31 at 20:11:48ID22931511
Tags

t2882

,

down

,

emachines

,

shuts

,

computer

Topic

Miscellaneous Hardware

Participating Experts
3
Points
500
Comments
10

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Answers

 

by: carl_legerePosted on 2007-10-31 at 20:18:39ID: 20190707

connect a volt meter to measure dc voltage between black on a power header that would go to a hard drive or cdrom drive, and ground metal of the chassis.   Move around where you touch the chassis.  I suspect the mainboard or power supply are discovering a slight voltage of the metal of the chassis and shutdown is a auto protection mechanism against ground loops, which are bad.

 

by: st_stevePosted on 2007-11-01 at 00:21:47ID: 20191223

Sounds like you need a new computer case, as it's shorting out the MoBo somewhere. If you keep touching the case, you might lose the MoBo altogher. Stop touching the PC! :)

 

by: nobusPosted on 2007-11-01 at 01:52:12ID: 20191404

test with devices disconnected, to eliminate them; so without cd drive, HDD, floppy, pci cards
leave only mobo + cpu + 1 ram stick; video card and PS.  does it still shut down?  then it is one of the connected; if not the other parts

 

by: stevem5000Posted on 2007-11-01 at 05:13:46ID: 20192124

Good ideas...make sure I understand...
Carl Legere...Should I see any voltage between the black lead and the case???...as I believe the black wire is essentially a ground wire...

St Steve...I will pull the MB and look for anything that might be grounding it...

Nobus...I had both CD drives disconnected, but didn;t go any further...
I'll also pull the PCI cards...

Report back, probably Friday eve...

Thanx
Steve

 

by: carl_legerePosted on 2007-11-01 at 05:39:15ID: 20192249

I hope you see zero volts dc and switch to AC to see what it thinks about that also (hoping for zero) if bumping it causes the voltage to go up, you have something loose or the ground between devices and chassis pieces is not good

 

by: nobusPosted on 2007-11-02 at 00:18:33ID: 20198735

>>  I had both CD drives disconnected, but didn;t go any further...  <<  you disconnected the ide cables AND the power cables ?  then they're ok
 

 

by: stevem5000Posted on 2007-11-03 at 20:18:11ID: 20209163

Folks...lools like a power supply...

First, I tested for any voltage between the black leads and ground...nada...

Pulled the MB...I can see nothing that might have slipped underneath and might cause a ground...all the hold down screws seem correct...

Then I disconected EVERYTHING except the HD and RAM...let it boot up...With the case lying on its side...no matter how hard I "bumped" it, dropped etc it kept running...

But when I tipped the case upright...only when I thumped the case toward the rear, essentially directly over the ps, did it shut down...

I also think the first CD may have a problem also, as there was a time when I could insert a CD, push the eject button and occasionally that would shut it down...

Have not had a chance to get a new PS yet...but I'm pretty sure that will do the trick...

Thanx for your ideas and suggestions...

Now, who gets the points???...all of you were essentially suggesting more or less the same thing...

A 3 way split ok with you???...

Thanx again...Steve

 

by: nobusPosted on 2007-11-04 at 01:01:33ID: 20209875

>>  First, I tested for any voltage between the black leads and ground...nada...   <<   that should be 0 V.
test also without disk, and with only one Ram stick, then another.

   

 

by: carl_legerePosted on 2007-11-04 at 08:22:03ID: 20211121

indeed most commercially built computers have inferior power supplies.  

 

by: stevem5000Posted on 2007-11-23 at 17:43:51ID: 20341501

Folks...I apologize for taking so long...but today is the first time I had to work on this...

Was out of town on business...

I replaced the power suppy...now, no matter how I hit it, what I have connected or disconnected, it is stable...

New PS did the trick...

Thank you all for your patience and comments...

Gonna split the points...

Steve

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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