Computer Shutdown issue

Woodje

Woodje

Woodje

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Joined
11 Nov 2007
Posts
17
My PC has just started to shut itself down at various points throughout the day, usually when I'm in a program that would be stressing the GFX card (nVidia GTX 260). When it shuts down the PC completely shuts off - complete power loss (its not a BSOD/auto-restart). About 5 seconds later it turns itself back on again.

I'm guessing the problem must either be the GFX card or more likely (I hope) the PSU (Zalman ZM600-HP - 600W). The GFX card is about a year old, and the PSU is about 3 years old.

Does anyone have any bright ideas about how I can tell for sure which one it is? I've replaced the gfx card with a much older one (GForce 7950) and all is well, but obviously the much older card has much less power requirements, so it doesn't really prove it was the gfx card.

Thanks
 
The GFX card doesn't seem all that warm to the touch and the Fan still seems to be spinning ok. I thought nVidia cards down-clocked themselves when they get into heat trouble though? Turning the PC off seems a bit drastic.
 
Download GPU-Z and check the temps from there. Touching it won't tell you anything. Also download Coretemp to check the CPU temp as well.
 
CPU temps are ~45c, max was 50 before cut off.

GPU-Z seems to list two GPU temps, so they were 50c and 42c, and PCB was 42c. Fan was running at 40%. Seems pretty normal.
 
can you smell like a burning smell?
or a heat sort of smell I should say?

it could be your powersupply....overheating itself, does its fan spin...can you try another unit?
 
No can't smell anything odd from the powersupply. PSU Fan spins ok. I have another PSU, but not one which would be able to power the GFX card.
 
Got a power clamp / multimeter from work, and it looks like the +12v feed is ~12.7-12.8. If my understanding is correct this is too high (needs to be less than 12.5?)?
 
Yeah tried that. Couldn't take the plastic case off it though to see what might be stuck in side. Gave it a good hoover though.
 
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