Both my father's and my pc suddenly cut power every now and then. It doesn't
go through shutdown, it just powers down like someone cut the power cord or
pulled it out. After it shuts down I have to cycle the rocker switch on the
power supply to get the computer to boot. I have ruled out the UPS as they
are both APC models and mine is a Back UPS 1400 ($600 model) and power is
still going to the monitor through all this. It would be highly unlikely
that both our UPSs are faulty. I have vacuumed out my Father's PC and this
morning it exhibited the same behavior.
Do I need to blow out the power supply too? There is not much dust buildup
inside the cases. The power supplies in the two PCs are Fortrons. Could it
be a faulty power supply? Or could it just be heat? I have checked the temp
range in BIOS and it was about 20 C when one shut down while in the BIOS
setup. The room temps are in the lower 70 F range.
What else could be causing the random shutdowns?
Thanks for any help in advance.

Your power supply might not have enough power to power your computer.

Not possible. The comp's been running fine for more than a year and nothing
has been added to it. Plus the one in my system is 450 watts.

"Mike" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:6662DA7A-5749-4212-9F32-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Your power supply might not have enough power to power your computer.

Over Heating???

Y.

"Meat Sauce" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:ILNDb.3366327$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Not possible. The comp's been running fine for more than a year and
nothing
> has been added to it. Plus the one in my system is 450 watts.
>
> "Mike" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:6662DA7A-5749-4212-9F32-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Your power supply might not have enough power to power your computer.
>
>

Check your Power Options in the Control Panel.

Cleaning your PCs regularly is a good thing, but vacuuming
them is generally a bad idea - vacuums build up a lot of
static.

I would check the CPU cooling system, specifically for dirt in the vanes of
the heat sink. Sudden random power shutdowns are often the motherboards way
of protecting the CPU from burning itself up.

Meat Sauce wrote:
> Both my father's and my pc suddenly cut power every now and then. It
> doesn't go through shutdown, it just powers down like someone cut the
> power cord or pulled it out. After it shuts down I have to cycle the
> rocker switch on the power supply to get the computer to boot. I have
> ruled out the UPS as they are both APC models and mine is a Back UPS
> 1400 ($600 model) and power is still going to the monitor through all
> this. It would be highly unlikely that both our UPSs are faulty. I
> have vacuumed out my Father's PC and this morning it exhibited the
> same behavior.
> Do I need to blow out the power supply too? There is not much dust
> buildup inside the cases. The power supplies in the two PCs are
> Fortrons. Could it be a faulty power supply? Or could it just be
> heat? I have checked the temp range in BIOS and it was about 20 C
> when one shut down while in the BIOS setup. The room temps are in the
> lower 70 F range.
> What else could be causing the random shutdowns?
> Thanks for any help in advance.

"qwerty" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news488B355-459B-4D35-9DC0-(E-Mail Removed)...
>Check your Power Options in the Control Panel.

Unfortunately that would have no bearing on the PC shutting itself down when
it is in the BIOS setup because Windows is not running then.

I've checked mine for a virus and Symantec found nothing. My Dad's comp
won't stay up long enough to scan for viruses.
I plugged it (Father's PC) directly into a wall outlet and same thing,
barely got through a hard drive check and then shut down.
Could it be that the motherboard is not sensing the cpu temp correctly? I
checked the heatsink and it is clean.
I'm going to take the PS out of this PC (it's been running fine for over a
week) and stick it in the other now.
Keep your fingers crossed.

"Murray McNeill" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I would check the CPU cooling system, specifically for dirt in the vanes
of
> the heat sink. Sudden random power shutdowns are often the motherboards
way
> of protecting the CPU from burning itself up.
>
> Meat Sauce wrote:
> > Both my father's and my pc suddenly cut power every now and then. It
> > doesn't go through shutdown, it just powers down like someone cut the
> > power cord or pulled it out. After it shuts down I have to cycle the
> > rocker switch on the power supply to get the computer to boot. I have
> > ruled out the UPS as they are both APC models and mine is a Back UPS
> > 1400 ($600 model) and power is still going to the monitor through all
> > this. It would be highly unlikely that both our UPSs are faulty. I
> > have vacuumed out my Father's PC and this morning it exhibited the
> > same behavior.
> > Do I need to blow out the power supply too? There is not much dust
> > buildup inside the cases. The power supplies in the two PCs are
> > Fortrons. Could it be a faulty power supply? Or could it just be
> > heat? I have checked the temp range in BIOS and it was about 20 C
> > when one shut down while in the BIOS setup. The room temps are in the
> > lower 70 F range.
> > What else could be causing the random shutdowns?
> > Thanks for any help in advance.
>
>

It was the power supply. My Dad's PC ran for hours on my PS with no
shutdowns. Ordered a new one from Newegg.
Thanks for all your help guys!

"Murray McNeill" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I would check the CPU cooling system, specifically for dirt in the vanes
of
> the heat sink. Sudden random power shutdowns are often the motherboards
way
> of protecting the CPU from burning itself up.
>
> Meat Sauce wrote:
> > Both my father's and my pc suddenly cut power every now and then. It
> > doesn't go through shutdown, it just powers down like someone cut the
> > power cord or pulled it out. After it shuts down I have to cycle the
> > rocker switch on the power supply to get the computer to boot. I have
> > ruled out the UPS as they are both APC models and mine is a Back UPS
> > 1400 ($600 model) and power is still going to the monitor through all
> > this. It would be highly unlikely that both our UPSs are faulty. I
> > have vacuumed out my Father's PC and this morning it exhibited the
> > same behavior.
> > Do I need to blow out the power supply too? There is not much dust
> > buildup inside the cases. The power supplies in the two PCs are
> > Fortrons. Could it be a faulty power supply? Or could it just be
> > heat? I have checked the temp range in BIOS and it was about 20 C
> > when one shut down while in the BIOS setup. The room temps are in the
> > lower 70 F range.
> > What else could be causing the random shutdowns?
> > Thanks for any help in advance.
>
>