Computer just turns off

[Sittingduck]

Sounds like Heat or PSU to me.

 

[JamesAC]

It's actually a consequence of a new EU Health and Safety directive. PCs automatically turn off at least once every 60 minutes to avoid eye and wrist strain on the operator.

 

[Fab Foodie]

It's actually a consequence of a new EU Health and Safety directive. PCs automatically turn off at least once every 60 minutes to avoid eye and wrist strain on the operator.

Wish my work one would...

 

[HJ]

That'll be Window 7 then...




Ps. I was being facetious, Window 7 RTM and RC versions won't start shutting down every 30 minutes until May 2010...

 

[2Loose]

Sounds like Heat or PSU to me.

+1

Clean heatsinks + hoover out crap.
Check cpuchipset temps using software (Sisoft Sandra Lite will do)

If those are 'acceptable' ie. less than 60c for cpu, less than 90c for the chipset (I know thats hot, but some chipsets run v.hot.)

Then chances are it is your PSU either not providing enough power, or just plain old dying. Try and swap it out with a known to be working (and powerful enough) and test - just to be sure before replacing. I am the proud owner of a PSU bought because the fault lay with a 3quid SATA cable, but I was so sure it was the 70quid psu...so sure...

 

[Garz]

Agree with above except I wouldnt vacuum it out, I recommend wife/gf's makup brush. Vacuuming was able to damage HDD's from static IIRC.

Expanding on the PSU I replaced mine recently as I was having problems, and it has sorted the multiple reboot to get system loaded past the BIOS incidents I was getting. Worth every penny.

 

[Sittingduck]

Any kind of weird behaviour like random shutdowns etc and I always immediately think - PSU. Most often swapping it solves the fault. Of course there are some noteable exceptions, such as Virus.

 

[rh100]

Agree with above except I wouldnt vacuum it out, I recommend wife/gf's makup brush. Vacuuming was able to damage HDD's from static IIRC.

Expanding on the PSU I replaced mine recently as I was having problems, and it has sorted the multiple reboot to get system loaded past the BIOS incidents I was getting. Worth every penny.

Not only that - to date I have lost one power button from the front of a Shuttle PC and the Q button from a keyboard (No way I was digging them out of the hoover).

 

[rh100]

That'll be Window 7 then...




Ps. I was being facetious, Window 7 RTM and RC versions won't start shutting down every 30 minutes until May 2010...

Slightly OT - I've loaded W7 RC onto my old laptop, works quite well except no Aero. However it did shut itself down with no warning, turns out the auto update decided to reboot itself without telling me - have switched off the auto download - will do it manual from now on.

 

[2Loose]

No vacuum? My Henry has a long plastic nozzle, ideal for getting the fluff out with no risk of static.

A can of compressed air from Maplin also worked wonders getting the crap out of my keyboard...must stop eating at the PC.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Big thanks to all who responded.

Last night computer wouldn't fully load-up before shutting down.
Pulled it out and opened it up.... dust city!
Using a soft make-up brush and gentle use of the henry's plastic nozzle I cleaned her out... jeez, what a lot of fannage!

The main board(?) heat sink with a big fan and a bellmouth intake was completely blinded.

Once cleaned and re-assembled it seems to be running fine.

Cheers all!

 

[fossyant]

I regularly have to do mine - it's got about 7 fans in it.... sucks in dust better than the hoover !

 

[fossyant]

Thought my desktop was running a bit 'hot' over the last couple of days - could feel the heat from the drives on the front of the case, the graphics card kept giving a quick spin up on it's fan, and there didn't seem to be air being pulled in the front vents....

Opened up, the large fan on the back had stopped...oops..... bit of Finish line Pro ceramic road on the bearing, and it's fine now.....masses of dust though.....

 

[rh100]

Compare your PC dust to these monstrosities then

 

[fossyant]

Compare your PC dust to these monstrosities then

The smoker one looks like my FIL's machine - shocker !