random power downs

baldzone · 5 Sep 2008 at 09:27

Got a PC that is shutting down by itself after approx an hour (as in instant power off, no warning or shutting down screen, and while playing games).

Haven't had a look at it yet but looking for a heads up with where to start?

I'm thinking PSU as a likely suspect? Possibly the CPU fan borked? Gfx issues?

What do you think?

tigerstyle · 5 Sep 2008 at 09:34

CPU overheating?

but yeah, I'd be thinking duff PSU

totoro · 5 Sep 2008 at 09:40

use hw-monitor or something similar and keep an eye on the temps as your using the PC.
Should let you know if its the CPU getting to hot or not.

Greebo · 5 Sep 2008 at 09:51

Sounds like thermal shutdown or psu.

Check more than the cpu though for temps.

I found out one day that my bios was automatically set to shut down if the pwm hit 90C which it did one hot day.

Okay, not a bad thing and a new thermal paste and a bolt mod sorted that.

Also some bios are set to shut down on low/high voltages so worth checking them with some monitoring software. Although if that is the case, that would point to you psu as there is nothing you can do about that.

Sunbed · 5 Sep 2008 at 12:03

So its not restart? ie stop error?

baldzone · 5 Sep 2008 at 16:37

No. it just shuts down after about an hour.

Hoping to get a chance to have a tinker this evening....!

mick4545 · 5 Sep 2008 at 17:37

I've had exactly this problem. It was the power supply, changing it was the cure.

baldzone · 6 Sep 2008 at 16:47

Turns out it was the CPU overheating. Idleing at 93C :eek:

The heatsink was clogged with dust. once cleared, temps down to low 40's at idle.

5 years worth of dust is never a good thing