RanjeetRain
asked on
PC turns itself off :|
Hi there!
Kinda this has been an old problem. Earlier used to happen once in a while and wasn't much of a problem. But off late its become frequent and difficult to get rid of.
My PC gets stuck when switched on. Its so irritating, it happens almost every time I switch it on. On some occasions it will boot normally and on other occasions will fail to take of. Sometimes I can see the POST screen and at other times even that won't show up. I can hear the sound of devices beginning to get initialized, but it doesn't complete. SOmetimes the system will remain ON for 1/4 of a second, somtimes 1/2, sometime 2/3 sec before powering itself off. I havent tried reading the post message yet (Quick boot is enabled and POST messages hidden behind OEM logo). Tonight I will unearth it and try to find if there is a common symptom.
First of all I suspected my electricity wiring and checked every point. I replaced all cables inbetween and I am certain that external power supplies are not at fault. Speakers remain ON, even motherboard light remains on. I even tried booting without other devices (disconneted my HDDs, CDROM etc). Only thing I havent tried yet is, removing individual cards (but then i don't really see a point, untill one of you can ask me to giving a justification).
I haven't installed any new hardware. I do use power management at OS level but don't remember tweaking BIOS for the same. Wierd thing is, you try it 10-20 times. Sometimes caress the motherboard cables gently, sometimes bang the mobo turn it off and back on from the mains and it will start working. Wierd, isn't it! Help me, I am stumped.
Thanks for reading teh long story. Hope solution be a short one :">
Kinda this has been an old problem. Earlier used to happen once in a while and wasn't much of a problem. But off late its become frequent and difficult to get rid of.
My PC gets stuck when switched on. Its so irritating, it happens almost every time I switch it on. On some occasions it will boot normally and on other occasions will fail to take of. Sometimes I can see the POST screen and at other times even that won't show up. I can hear the sound of devices beginning to get initialized, but it doesn't complete. SOmetimes the system will remain ON for 1/4 of a second, somtimes 1/2, sometime 2/3 sec before powering itself off. I havent tried reading the post message yet (Quick boot is enabled and POST messages hidden behind OEM logo). Tonight I will unearth it and try to find if there is a common symptom.
First of all I suspected my electricity wiring and checked every point. I replaced all cables inbetween and I am certain that external power supplies are not at fault. Speakers remain ON, even motherboard light remains on. I even tried booting without other devices (disconneted my HDDs, CDROM etc). Only thing I havent tried yet is, removing individual cards (but then i don't really see a point, untill one of you can ask me to giving a justification).
I haven't installed any new hardware. I do use power management at OS level but don't remember tweaking BIOS for the same. Wierd thing is, you try it 10-20 times. Sometimes caress the motherboard cables gently, sometimes bang the mobo turn it off and back on from the mains and it will start working. Wierd, isn't it! Help me, I am stumped.
Thanks for reading teh long story. Hope solution be a short one :">
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SOLUTION
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I guess I'm in a more advantageous position - I sent buckeyes33 a power supply I had lying around for the cost of shipping. I don't think I'll be able to do that with you ;-)
ASKER
Okay, I will let you enjoy the position. But since we are talking, let me ask a few more questions. Stay tuned to "New post" sounds, I am coming!!!
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Scary s**t!!! Its looks like my Power Supply :|
I broke my electricity board and tore apart wiring only to find out that its my SMPS. Well, most liekly, still not sure. I checked everything. For the first time in my life detached CPU fan and cleaned it. I saw what the finest quality dust looks like. I touched and felt it. It was quite smooth. Hey, i have begun to realize i can work in a hardware shop as a trainee if I need to.
Story is still there. After an hour long clean up operation, PC still needed a lot of love before booting. But the loose end is discovered, hopefully. My SMPS's fan isnt moving :| Callandor, you hit it right. But please any of you explain to me -- why the light on my mothreboard still remains on, even as the CPU powers the system down? Its a Intel 850GB motherbaord, if that helps. Would you still say its teh power supply? Should the CPU be bothered with it if SMPS's fan isnt moving? Overall, how correct it is to conclude its the SMPS?
I broke my electricity board and tore apart wiring only to find out that its my SMPS. Well, most liekly, still not sure. I checked everything. For the first time in my life detached CPU fan and cleaned it. I saw what the finest quality dust looks like. I touched and felt it. It was quite smooth. Hey, i have begun to realize i can work in a hardware shop as a trainee if I need to.
Story is still there. After an hour long clean up operation, PC still needed a lot of love before booting. But the loose end is discovered, hopefully. My SMPS's fan isnt moving :| Callandor, you hit it right. But please any of you explain to me -- why the light on my mothreboard still remains on, even as the CPU powers the system down? Its a Intel 850GB motherbaord, if that helps. Would you still say its teh power supply? Should the CPU be bothered with it if SMPS's fan isnt moving? Overall, how correct it is to conclude its the SMPS?
SOLUTION
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Behold the power of Borg Adaptive Heuristic Assimilation (AHA!)
Power supplies are not two state devices - there is a broad spectrum between fully working and fully dead, so it could be providing enough power to light an LED, but not enough to keep the CPU, memory, motherboard, and drives running.
I like and use this tester myself - more pretty lights to look at:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=561263
Power supplies are not two state devices - there is a broad spectrum between fully working and fully dead, so it could be providing enough power to light an LED, but not enough to keep the CPU, memory, motherboard, and drives running.
I like and use this tester myself - more pretty lights to look at:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=561263
Hey man
it's much simpler than that
probably ur power switch got damaged
SO
detach the power switch connection from the motherboard
and detach the reset switch connection from the motherboard and put it where the power switch connection was
then u'll be able to switch on/off ur computer from the reset button
reset function is useless anyway
if everything works ok but u like to have everything doing what it's supposed to do
then u can buy a new power switch (if u can replace the old one) or else a new case
just try it
it's much simpler than that
probably ur power switch got damaged
SO
detach the power switch connection from the motherboard
and detach the reset switch connection from the motherboard and put it where the power switch connection was
then u'll be able to switch on/off ur computer from the reset button
reset function is useless anyway
if everything works ok but u like to have everything doing what it's supposed to do
then u can buy a new power switch (if u can replace the old one) or else a new case
just try it
SOLUTION
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ASKER
Its an ATX cabinet with a 350W PS. That should be fine for a P4. In fact it has served me well for about 3 years. But the suspision about the power supply's functioning is deepening. No its not a small thing like a faulty main switch. I checked those things much before coming here. In fact I had checked all connections thoroughly. Even clean up hasn't helped. It has to be the PSU. It has to be the PSU. It has to be the PSU.
Lets see. I'll update you.
Lets see. I'll update you.
You are right in that a 350W PS *should* be fine for a P4. But unfortunately they don't always work to spec, which is why I suggest going with a higher wattage. Heck, I've got a 520W PS in my P4 box. It might be overkill, but I expect it to last me a number of years. In my experience, 3 years is a reasonable lifespan even for a decent power supply.
ASKER
Thanks everybody!
ASKER
thanks for your responses. I have suspected all of the above. And thought about them all less or more.
Callandor, I can go for a SMPS replacement. But only if you give me a money-back gurantee ;)
RedStreak, I kinda caress the cables and at times that helps. I will try to disconnect all cables and reconnect from scracth. Lets see. I really hope this is something so small.
zvitam, please don't scare me. My motherboard shouldn't be faulty :( You mean to say i should dump my pc. No, I am not gonna do that :| Yeah, CPU fan is a possibility. This is certainly one of the things to try :) But, i was observing, it was working well. But this one sounds to be the closest. I kept my PC open for a few days and then the problem increased by many fold and now became untolerable. SO, that may be a reason. Okay. Let me try cleaning the fan.