PC turning off

[Crackle]

Crackle1's PC has begun turning itself off. When you turn it back on the unit comes on but no display, beeps or bios screen.

Leave it a while and it works again, until it turns itself off.

I'm thinking this is the processor.

Can someone add some logic to my fault finding please.

 

[Crackle]

Oh, I've reseated all components, memory, processor, graphics card.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

Possibly overheating?

Might be worth checking if the fan still works.

 

[Norm]

Yup, especially if it takes a while to reboot. Have a google to see if there is an appropriate CPU temperature monitor for your system. With luck, it's a dead fan. Without luck, it's a dry connection which breaks when the computer is up to speed.

 

[accountantpete]

Try downloading something like Speccy - it gives an inventory of your system with temp readings where appropriate.

 

[Crackle]

The fan is working but I don't know if it's working properly. Anyone know any good monitoring software?

 

[Norm]

I use speedfan but, and I don't know much about the details, I think there are some hardware requirements before you can use some of these monitoring systems.

 

[MacB]

I'm always amazed but how much gunk build up inside so, if you haven't, a good clean of the fans helps, I use a soft bristle brush. It could be your hard drive playing up, so I'd backup everything you need now. I got a new hard drive for our last machine for about £9 on e-bay.

 

[Crackle]

I'll check out Speccy and Speedfan.

There is a lot of dust, so it does need a clean. This PC has had quite a few moves as well and I once dropped the same type of processor it has in it and wrote it off. It gave the same symptoms as this does once it comes on after a shutdown i.e. nothing, that's why my suspicions are aimed at the processor but I'm hoping it might just be overheating.

 

[rh100]

If the fan is spinning quickly to look at - i wouldn't worry about exactly how fast. However, especially if you have reseated the cpu, check the thermal paste hasn't gone funny - respread it around the cpu and heatsink in a thin layer with the edge of a credit card or similar - this is a quick and dirty fix not something that is best practice though (should clean and renew but if just fault finding....). Also give it all a good clean and check the capacitors on the motherboard - if they have leaked from the top then the motherboard is shot. Also reseat the ram, and try one at a time in case of a faulty module. when cleaning pay special attention to the cpu heatsink, if the fins are clogged it will overheat - but cpu's are quite resilient really - the shutdown tends be a safeguard for it.

 

[Fab Foodie]

As per MacB
Mine kept behaving as yours. Opened her-up, dust city, with the aid of a plastic nozzled Henry and a soft brush I removed all accesible dust especially around the fans and heat sinks and hey-presto... all is well!

 

[SavageHoutkop]

power supply...? I've had those fail way before CPUs.

 

[Crackle]

If the fan is spinning quickly to look at - i wouldn't worry about exactly how fast. However, especially if you have reseated the cpu, check the thermal paste hasn't gone funny - respread it around the cpu and heatsink in a thin layer with the edge of a credit card or similar - this is a quick and dirty fix not something that is best practice though (should clean and renew but if just fault finding....). Also give it all a good clean and check the capacitors on the motherboard - if they have leaked from the top then the motherboard is shot. Also reseat the ram, and try one at a time in case of a faulty module. when cleaning pay special attention to the cpu heatsink, if the fins are clogged it will overheat - but cpu's are quite resilient really - the shutdown tends be a safeguard for it.

I'll try all that today.

 

[johnsie]

Crackle1's PC has begun turning itself off. When you turn it back on the unit comes on but no display, beeps or bios screen.

Leave it a while and it works again, until it turns itself off.

I'm thinking this is the processor.

Can someone add some logic to my fault finding please.

Some intermittent problems are caused by a faulty PSU - have you added any components recently that might have taken the demands on the power supply over its rating? PSUs are not user-maintainable. Try a replacement unit if you run out of other options.

 

[Crackle]

The PSU is well overspecced for the unit and it would either work or not wouldn't it, it wouldn't work but not display, which is what is happening.