[Shutdown] Existing Build

[zerosedge]

Hi all, first post.

 

I've just recently run into an issue where my PC shuts down soon after startup. I built my PC about 9 months ago and have not had any issues with it. I left my comp on over night which I randomly do. When I woke up the next morning my PC was off. When I hit the power button it would turn on the fans and lights and such but no POST, and no beeps. I shutdown and turned off the PSU and still nothing. Various attempts at resetting the CMOS proved fruitless.

 

So I let it sit with power supply off and came back later to try again. I got a POST and thought it was fine as I was reconfiguring my BIOS when it shutdown again. Each attempt would require me to turn off/on the PSU. I get maybe around 30 seconds before it shuts off.

 

My PC is connected to a surge protector. I have a PC in the same room that was on when I woke up that day. So my sense is that I can isolate the event to being a component in the problem PC and not a power spike/faulty surge protector.

 

I am finding it difficult to check the TEMP due to its fast shutdown so I can't diagnose an issue there. From what I can tell the temps look normal from what I remember. Also, I am finding that the longer I let it sit the more time before it shuts down. . .albeit a few extra seconds.

 

I don't understand where the issue is due to the computer working up to this point.

 

If it is helpful I will post my components, but my feeling is that something is just plain broken and its not an issue with compatibility or firmware.

 

I have read a few other posts on this and various forums about what could be the trouble but I need to narrow down the issue so I can fix it ASAP.

 

Thank You

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Hello Zero

 

Welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help

 

This most definitely sounds like a knackered power supply unit and may have took the board with it hence no beeps.

 

If the box is 9 months old what wattage was the PSU?

[zerosedge]

Thank You for the quick response.

 

The PSU is 850w and I purchased it over a year ago. It did sit for about 6 months before i put it into my now existing PC.

 

Well the MOBO does POST w/ Beeps now and I can even get it to the OS loading screen. So I hope that the MOBO and Memory are unaffected if it is indeed the PSU. Could a faulty MOBO capacitor cause this as well?

[Plastic Nev]

Hi, I think you said you have another computer, if the PSU is similar size in wattage, could you swap? this would at least narrow down if it is the PSU.

[zerosedge]

The thought did occur to me but unfortunately my other working PC's PSU is not compatible both in interface and wattage.

 

I've talked to a few others about this issue and they seem to think it is the PSU as well.

 

I plan on buying a new one, unless someone can advise me to another possible problem.

[Dalo Harkin]

Few questions from me:-

 

Are you overclocking?

What make is the PSU that you have in it at the moment?

What is the MOBO make and model?

What CPU are you using?

 

It could be a faulty capacitor but these are only faulty on cheap boards, hence the question above, when you say that the PSU was sat for a while, was it in a box or just left of a shelf - as there could be alot of dust in the PSU and causing it to shut down.

 

Come back to us and we will help further.

[zerosedge]

No Overclocking

 

PSU is Rosewill XTREME Series RX850-D-B (850w)

MOBO is Asus M3N-HT Deluxe w/ latest BIOS

CPU is AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+

 

My PSU sat untouched in a box before it was put into my build. I opened it once when I received it but other than that it has been unexposed to dust.

[Dalo Harkin]

If you are not overclocking then it could be the

RAM or the PSU -

have you tried taking one of the sticks out and then trying to start it, if it does the same, swap the sticks -

failing that I would say its the PSU thats faulty -

It can just be a case of problem solving one component at a time - as you say it was running ok and its only recent I would say that one of the RAM are more likely to be the culprit

[zerosedge]

Okay so I tried to swap the RAM and having only one in allowed me more time to see what the issue is.

 

I had enough time to install SpeedFan, and I got this:

 

http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/3216/speedfansg2.th.pnghttp://img300.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif

 

I believe I have discovered from being in close proximity that Temp3 to be the Intel NVIDIA nForce chipset where the copper heat pipe is (*Please note that the copper heat pipes in the RAM slots are not used in my build*):

 

http://images.tigerdirect.ca/itemDetails/A455-2404/A455-2404-out2-hl.jpg

 

I discovered this after taking out one of the video cards located in the PCIe slot located closest to the chip. The temperature seems to stay around that # in the SS with or without the card installed. However. When I start up a game WITH the second video card in it shuts down. When I boot up a game WITHOUT the second video card it stays on and I can continue to use it and it functions normally, albeit without the performance from the missing video card. The temperature remains the same though, at about ~83c.

 

When I go home I will swap out video cards from the lower PCIe slot to make sure that both video cards are fine. That way I can eliminate an issue with the graphics cards

 

Now I'm a bit puzzled as to how the chipset overheating could become an issue. From the evidence am I coming to the right conclusion? I really have never come across this issue before. I've asked my bro to check his temps using the same program, since he has an identical MOBO with a similar setup to mine. I'm waiting to hear back from him shortly.

[Dalo Harkin]

Do you have sufficient cooling of the case??

you may need some extra fans cooling the chipset - it does seem very hot, but that being said, as long as you have a decent case all should be ok -

Are you overclocking the chipset??

It may be worth looking in the BIOS and just see as some MOBO's (especially enthusiast ones) overclock on their own.