Gaming Unexpected shutdowns

[Hakoda]

Hey Tempers,

My younger sister has been complaining about her computer shutting down during start-up of the system. She's running Windows XP Home Edition on an Intel Celeron 2.66GHz CPU, an ECS 661FX-M mobo, a SiS 661FX chipset, an 80GB IDE HDD, & I think (can't remember) 1.5 or 2GB DDR3 RAM. Its a really crappy machine but it worked before and that's all that matters because all she does is browse the web and sometimes does projects.

Basically what happens is the computer boots up, gets through POST and the XP Logo begins to appear. About halfway through the XP logo, the computers shuts off abruptly. No error, no warning, just shuts off. I also tried an Ubuntu x86 10.04 Live CD and the computer shut off the same way before I could even choose to try Ubuntu as a Live CD.

Luckily I have spare IDE hard drives, an "obtained" Windows XP disc, and a power supply on me. I'd suspect a faulty power supply seeing as its so old but I'd like the Temp's feedback first.

Thanks a bunch.

 

[scrtmstr]

I had that on an older pc (way older than yours) and it turned out to be the motherboard. Some connections were getting old, and my brother powered it on one day and it short-circuited, and has been happening since then.
It could also be a case of overheating. Check if the fans are working, and if there isn't a lot of dust in the pc.

 

[DarkRey]

It could also be a case of overheating. Check if the fans are working, and if there isn't a lot of dust in the pc.

probably just over heating.... dust out the cpu fan and also check for any loose connections.

 

[ProtoKun7]

Do you know if it had crashed before it started happening? If there's a corrupt area within the boot sector, it will fail to boot, although when that's happened here it restarted rather than shut off, probably due to the settings that are on the machine.

 

[Am0s]

overheating can cause shutdowns, when the cpu reaches a certain temp, it will shut down to stop the cpu from going bang, also if you added any hardware to the system like a fire wire card and if the cpu is under spec then, that will cause the shutdowns too.

I know on named computers like e-machines, other bottom end manufacturers etc they tend to use PSU which can only just handle the equipment being connected to it.

go into bios and check your cpu temps for about 5 mins+

also try unplugging any cards which may of been added to the system, to see if the system is overloaded, also unplug all your USB when trouble shooting

Hope this helps

 

[Thoob]

Sounds like a classic overheating problem. Check if the fans are working and clean out the dust inside the PC.

 

[Hakoda]

No new hardware was added. Overheating seems to have been the problem. I took the desktop outside with a screwdriver and a bottle of compressed air. I opened it up using the screwdriver, dusted it out with the compressed air and let it sit in the sun for about a minute to prevent condensation from the compressed air to build up. Came back inside, plugged everything back in and he system has restarted and booted up at least 3 times consecutively without an unexpected shutdown. I can also note that were books on top of the system as well as large drawing tablets on the side of the computer in a secluded area of a large desk. So the air current was not helping because there wasn't any @_@.

 

[ProtoKun7]

At least my post was the odd one out.

Air circulation is easier to solve that a damaged boot sector.

 

[Am0s]

At least my post was the odd one out.

Air circulation is easier to solve that a damaged boot sector.

I would say random shutdowns and freezing is harder to diagnose than a faulty boot sector hard drive

 

[ProtoKun7]

Once you determine the problem though, improving the air supply is easier than fixing the disk.

 

[Am0s]

well yes it is but luckily for the OP it was only poor circulation, it could of been any number of things thats why this sort of problem is alot more harder to solve than a faulty hard drive, if its the hdd at fault format it, still happening try another hdd, if everything works then RMA the faulty one, easy peasy