There's a Gremlin in my computer (HELP!!!!)

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OrestesSYSX

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#1 OrestesSYSX
Member since 2004 • 78 Posts

Ok, so I posted a while back the my brand new, custom built PC was experiencing random shutdows, which at the time I thought was due to a defective motherboard. It turns out, three motherboards later, that the mobos aren't the problem. I still experience random shutdowns, I haven't the slightest clue what's causing it. The computer will run fine for several minutes, sometimes half an hour. Maybe even a few days. Tnen  all of a sudden, it turns off, without warning.

Oh, I didnt build this comp myself, my friend did it for me.

So whats the deal here? Power supply perhaps? Temperature saftey shutdowns starting when they're no supposed to (CPU). At this point, I am begging for some help. I just want to use my computer without it turning off randomly. Please help.

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ZBoater

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#2 ZBoater
Member since 2003 • 1855 Posts
If it has been doing it since built, obviously there was something wrong with the build. It does sound like a temperature/power related problem. You can run Speedfan to monitor your CPU temp to see who that is doing (if your MB supports it). Is it getting hot in there? Try it with the cover off and in a very cool room, with a fan even. Try to isolate the problem to either heat or power -- are you connected to a UPS? You may have to swap out the PSU just to eliminate that as a possibility.
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tequilasunriser

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#3 tequilasunriser
Member since 2004 • 6379 Posts

Ok, so I posted a while back the my brand new, custom built PC was experiencing random shutdows, which at the time I thought was due to a defective motherboard. It turns out, three motherboards later, that the mobos aren't the problem. I still experience random shutdowns, I haven't the slightest clue what's causing it. The computer will run fine for several minutes, sometimes half an hour. Maybe even a few days. Tnen all of a sudden, it turns off, without warning.

Oh, I didnt build this comp myself, my friend did it for me.

So whats the deal here? Power supply perhaps? Temperature saftey shutdowns starting when they're no supposed to (CPU). At this point, I am begging for some help. I just want to use my computer without it turning off randomly. Please help.

OrestesSYSX
Could quite possibly be a PSU problem. Your mobo might be experiencing problems if it isn't installed correctly on the stand-offs too. Could be ram compatability, in that case run a ram test. Does BIOS come up with any errors durring post that you might be ignoring?
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RikkAndrsn

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#4 RikkAndrsn
Member since 2005 • 1155 Posts

Look away and it will go away, take this example:

www.rodserling.com/images/pubTThou01.jpg

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OrestesSYSX

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#5 OrestesSYSX
Member since 2004 • 78 Posts

Before, with the other motherboards installed, I took the cover off and shot the coldest air I could get through a fan aimed directly at the computer. But the thing is, it's not getting all that hot in there to begin with. It's not a hot room, in fact its quite cool. The only way I can get the comp to run consisntantly is by a direct jet of cold air. Something thinks its too hot in there when it isn't.

I think I'll take a closer look at the BIOS post, look for errors. Is there any other way to pin down what exactly is causing this? Right now, I just want to know the cause.

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tequilasunriser

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#6 tequilasunriser
Member since 2004 • 6379 Posts

Before, with the other motherboards installed, I took the cover off and shot the coldest air I could get through a fan aimed directly at the computer. But the thing is, it's not getting all that hot in there to begin with. It's not a hot room, in fact its quite cool. The only way I can get the comp to run consisntantly is by a direct jet of cold air. Something thinks its too hot in there when it isn't.

I think I'll take a closer look at the BIOS post, look for errors. Is there any other way to pin down what exactly is causing this? Right now, I just want to know the cause.

OrestesSYSX
So the problem is fixed by aiming vast ammounts of cool air into the case? If thats the case then it seems like a heat issue. Is the fan spinning on your heatsink? Did your friend use thermal compound when mounting the heatsink?
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RikkAndrsn

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#7 RikkAndrsn
Member since 2005 • 1155 Posts
It might be your CPU deciding that it is too hot and going into a shutdown for safety. Though inside the case may be genearally cool, the chipsets, GPU, CPU, or RAM may be much hotter than the overall temperature. Getting some more expensive cooling and decent thermal paste may be a relatively inexpensive way to solve your problem, if the problem is truly overheating.
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OrestesSYSX

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#8 OrestesSYSX
Member since 2004 • 78 Posts

The fan is spinning and the compound is on it, and when I check, the temps never get higher than 22 degrees C on the CPU. Is that too hot? What temp should it be around? And what else could be overheating that could cause a shutdown?

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tequilasunriser

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#9 tequilasunriser
Member since 2004 • 6379 Posts

The fan is spinning and the compound is on it, and when I check, the temps never get higher than 22 degrees C on the CPU. Is that too hot? What temp should it be around? And what else could be overheating that could cause a shutdown?

OrestesSYSX
That temp is really low. Usually a modern processor that is not OCed will usually idle anywhere from 30C to 45C, so you've got no problem there. It almost seems too low but if it's a C2D with adequate cooling I can believe it.
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OrestesSYSX

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#10 OrestesSYSX
Member since 2004 • 78 Posts
    If that temperature is really low, then could it be that some heat sensor that controls automatic shutoff is broken and misreading the temp? Maybe some setting in BIOS that's been knocked out of whack, telling the CPU to shut off at a very low temp?
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OrestesSYSX

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#12 OrestesSYSX
Member since 2004 • 78 Posts
    Tommorow, I'll take apart everything dealing with the CPU, and take apart the heatsink. Is there anything I should be looking for when it comes to the thermal paste? As in, what would cause bad heat conduction?

Also, are there any hardware diagnostic programs I could use to pin down the problem?
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newbpwnage

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#13 newbpwnage
Member since 2007 • 2409 Posts
overheating is what i guess....
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#14 -GeordiLaForge-
Member since 2006 • 7167 Posts
Have you tried running memtest? Be sure to run enough instances to test all of your RAM. If you have already tested your memory, your power supply could definitely be the problem. What kind of PSU do you have?
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OrestesSYSX

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#15 OrestesSYSX
Member since 2004 • 78 Posts
    An update on my situation: As of a few weeks ago, I tried nvidia's nTune to see if that could correct any problems. After tuning my computer, I still experienced the random shutdowns, but then something happened.

I started up my computer one day, and in goes right to the BIOS. At the bottom of the screen, a messege reads "Warning! System is now in safe mode. Please reset the CPU frequency in the CMOS setup." The thing is, my computer has been running without shutting down for several weeks now. Its a little sluggish, but it hasnt shut down randomly.

Can anyone explain this? Does the fact that my computer runs in this safe mode tell me anything about what was wrong?