random shut downs

[Spork]

we have a amd 400 mhz system. i believe we used a good ram chip and not
generic stuff. I am getting random shut downs. if we leave the computer
alone for a while and come back it will be off! sometimes it wont even
finish booting. i thought it could be a virus so i did a complete reformat
with no luck. i also swapped power supplies with a known good one and
checked the bios and windows to make sure power management wasnt the
problem. any idea what could be going on? is it time for a new computer?
this is my parents setup but i would like to fix it for them. if you need
more info for the motherboard and stuff let me know and i can look. we have
used it for several years with no problems.

thanks for any help you can give!

 

[ToolPackinMama]

is it time for a new computer?
Yes.

this is my parents setup but i would like to fix it for them.

Did you upgrade it lately - is that why you mentioned the RAM? Have you
added any new software lately? If they have stuff piled up on it and
around it it might be over-heating. Since it is years old, it is
possible that one or more parts in it are failing.

Don't put too much money into it. For two hundred bucks or less you can
have a new CPU/Motherboard/RAM and it would be virtually a new machine.
You should get a new case/power-supply if you are going to take it that
far, IMHO. What the heck, break down and get new drives too. You might
be amazed with what you can build for under five hundred, nowadays.

If you have never tackled a project like that before, then don't rush
into it: do some research.

 

[Spork]

Did you upgrade it lately - is that why you mentioned the RAM? Have you
added any new software lately? If they have stuff piled up on it and
around it it might be over-heating. Since it is years old, it is
possible that one or more parts in it are failing.

i did a complete reformat to make sure it wasnt a virus or software problem.
the ram has been in there for over a year I think but i just thought it
could be the problem. they have a stupid computer desk where it sits in this
cubby hole so you could be right about a heat problem. but why does it not
boot sometimes after being off for a while? maybe the heat just screwed
something up permanently? thanks for the help. its probly time for them to
get a new one anyway.

thanks again

 

[W7TI]

we have a amd 400 mhz system. i believe we used a good ram chip and not
generic stuff. I am getting random shut downs. if we leave the computer
alone for a while and come back it will be off! sometimes it wont even
finish booting. i thought it could be a virus so i did a complete reformat
with no luck. i also swapped power supplies with a known good one and
checked the bios and windows to make sure power management wasnt the
problem. any idea what could be going on? is it time for a new computer?
this is my parents setup but i would like to fix it for them. if you need
more info for the motherboard and stuff let me know and i can look. we have
used it for several years with no problems.

thanks for any help you can give!

_________________________________________________________

You can fix it by buying a new computer, but the problem you're having
is quite likely due to a single piece of hardware. You can save a bunch
of money if you can find the bad guy.

Try unplugging everything from the motherboard except the bare
necessities to make it run - no floppy, no soundcard, no network card,
etc, and see if it still shuts off. If it then works ok, reinstall the
items one at a time until you find your culprit. If it continues to
shut off, try another HD, video card, keyboard, CPU, RAM and anything
else which is pluggable. IOW, get it down to where the only thing left
is the motherboard. Check your BIOS battery, too.

I once had a bad serial port extender card which caused symptoms similar
to yours only opposite. It would turn ON the computer from time to
time. Somehow it was triggering the wake up function even when there
was no wake up event. These things can be sneaky.

Troubleshooting can be rather time consuming and I wouldn't blame you
for just chucking the whole thing and buying new. On the other hand,
tracking down the problem and fixing it can be very satisfying too.

 

[user]

we have a amd 400 mhz system. i believe we used a good ram chip and not
generic stuff. I am getting random shut downs. if we leave the computer
alone for a while and come back it will be off! sometimes it wont even
finish booting. i thought it could be a virus so i did a complete reformat
with no luck. i also swapped power supplies with a known good one and
checked the bios and windows to make sure power management wasnt the
problem. any idea what could be going on? is it time for a new computer?
this is my parents setup but i would like to fix it for them. if you need
more info for the motherboard and stuff let me know and i can look. we have
used it for several years with no problems.

thanks for any help you can give!

Is the processor fan on the processor heat sink working properly? Touch
the heat sink to see if it is too hot to touch. If it is, it probably
is a heat problem due to improper heat sink/fan installation or your
processor voltages are too high.

 

[Shep©]

we have a amd 400 mhz system. i believe we used a good ram chip and not
generic stuff. I am getting random shut downs. if we leave the computer
alone for a while and come back it will be off! sometimes it wont even
finish booting. i thought it could be a virus so i did a complete reformat
with no luck. i also swapped power supplies with a known good one and
checked the bios and windows to make sure power management wasnt the
problem. any idea what could be going on? is it time for a new computer?
this is my parents setup but i would like to fix it for them. if you need
more info for the motherboard and stuff let me know and i can look. we have
used it for several years with no problems.

thanks for any help you can give!

Post full hardware spec.
PCI slots and devices used and operating system.



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[DaveW]

Sounds like either a bad power supply or a bad motherboard. I would try the
simpler task of replacing the power suppy first.