System Shutdown?

[Hymer]

Hello,

Over the past two weeks I have had two complete shut-downs of my computer
when browsing with IE6 using XP Pro with all updates. It is a whole system
off without going through the shut down routine.

The system seems fine when I boot-up again.

I am running real time CA antivirus. And, I frequently run Spybot, Adaware,
and Super Spyware Antispyware Repair.

Does anyone know what might be happening?

Thanks,

Bob

 

[MoiMoi]

Hello,

Over the past two weeks I have had two complete shut-downs of my computer
when browsing with IE6 using XP Pro with all updates. It is a whole system
off without going through the shut down routine.

The system seems fine when I boot-up again.

I am running real time CA antivirus. And, I frequently run Spybot, Adaware,
and Super Spyware Antispyware Repair.

Does anyone know what might be happening?

Thanks,

Bob

I'd used CA AV since it was a freebie years ago; suddenly (in the ver. 8
iteration?) it was bringing my XP Home box down, when I'd fire up a
couple of different programs. My puter was fairly new, and I really
thought I had a hardware failure, since it's pretty hard to zap the
whole OS. But it was the CA AV.
It would also terminate Pegasus mail if I had it activated for the
emailer.

I'd look there first. Really.

MM

 

[Hymer]

I'd used CA AV since it was a freebie years ago; suddenly (in the ver. 8
iteration?) it was bringing my XP Home box down, when I'd fire up a
couple of different programs. My puter was fairly new, and I really
thought I had a hardware failure, since it's pretty hard to zap the
whole OS. But it was the CA AV.
It would also terminate Pegasus mail if I had it activated for the
emailer.

I'd look there first. Really.

MM

Thanks a lot. I will check it out. I like CA because it has a small
footprint. What AV did you change to?

Bob

 

[Colon Terminus]

Hello,

Over the past two weeks I have had two complete shut-downs of my computer
when browsing with IE6 using XP Pro with all updates. It is a whole system
off without going through the shut down routine.

The system seems fine when I boot-up again.

I am running real time CA antivirus. And, I frequently run Spybot, Adaware,
and Super Spyware Antispyware Repair.

Does anyone know what might be happening?

Thanks,

Bob

You may find a clue in the event log.

 

[Hymer]

You may find a clue in the event log.

Well, my box was very dusty. Worse, there are two fans on the back of the
box that got dislodged from their mounting. I am hoping that the cleanup and
fan mounting will solve the problem.

Also, the Event Log shows three errors at about the time of shutdown. Two
just
said Service Control Manager but one said IPNATHLP. Does that tell you
anything?


Thanks a lot,

Bob

 

[Mich...]

Hello,

Over the past two weeks I have had two complete shut-downs of my computer
when browsing with IE6 using XP Pro with all updates. It is a whole system
off without going through the shut down routine.

The system seems fine when I boot-up again.

I am running real time CA antivirus. And, I frequently run Spybot,
Adaware, and Super Spyware Antispyware Repair.

Does anyone know what might be happening?

Thanks,

Bob

I work as a self employed PC tech
I replace Power supplies all the time for this sudden shutdown problem
let me guess, computer about 4 years old?
90% of the time the new PSU is the right call for me
Just a thought, good luck!

Mich...

 

[Larry Sabo]

[snip]

I work as a self employed PC tech
I replace Power supplies all the time for this sudden shutdown problem
let me guess, computer about 4 years old?
90% of the time the new PSU is the right call for me
Just a thought, good luck!

Good advice. I had an old system whose PSU blew, and took the
motherboard, two hard drive and a bunch of PCI cards with it. The caps
in the PSU were all "pregnant," except the one that blew up.

 

[Leythos]

[snip]

I work as a self employed PC tech
I replace Power supplies all the time for this sudden shutdown problem
let me guess, computer about 4 years old?
90% of the time the new PSU is the right call for me
Just a thought, good luck!

Good advice. I had an old system whose PSU blew, and took the
motherboard, two hard drive and a bunch of PCI cards with it. The caps
in the PSU were all "pregnant," except the one that blew up.

In many cases that "pregnant" caps are what killed the PSU. The pregnant
caps are often the result of a bad formula that was used to fill them, and
it causes them to swell and/or burst, and they often short out when they
do this.

The first thing I look at, and not just with computers, is the CAPS, and
if they are "pregnant" I don't even go any further - it's just time for a
new board at that point.

--
Want to know what PCBUTTS1 is really about?
*** WARNING - this links contains foul/pornographic content of an
abusive nature created by PCBUTTS1 and still hosted on his public
website ***
http://www.pcbutts1.com/downloads/leythos.htm

 

[Hymer]

[snip]

I work as a self employed PC tech
I replace Power supplies all the time for this sudden shutdown problem
let me guess, computer about 4 years old?
90% of the time the new PSU is the right call for me
Just a thought, good luck!

Good advice. I had an old system whose PSU blew, and took the
motherboard, two hard drive and a bunch of PCI cards with it. The caps
in the PSU were all "pregnant," except the one that blew up.

In many cases that "pregnant" caps are what killed the PSU. The pregnant
caps are often the result of a bad formula that was used to fill them, and
it causes them to swell and/or burst, and they often short out when they
do this.

The first thing I look at, and not just with computers, is the CAPS, and
if they are "pregnant" I don't even go any further - it's just time for a
new board at that point.

I am not familiar with the CAPS. What should I look for to see if they are
"pregnant"? Are they on the power supply?

Thanks,

Bob

 

[Leythos]

I am not familiar with the CAPS. What should I look for to see if they are
"pregnant"? Are they on the power supply?

http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=195

http://www.badcaps.net/

--
Want to know what PCBUTTS1 is really about?
*** WARNING - this links contains foul/pornographic content of an
abusive nature created by PCBUTTS1 and still hosted on his public
website ***
http://www.pcbutts1.com/downloads/leythos.htm

 

[Larry Sabo]

The first thing I look at, and not just with computers, is the CAPS, and
if they are "pregnant" I don't even go any further - it's just time for a
new board at that point.

I replace the caps to salvage the mainboard. Saves a lot of hastles
with OEM systems, whose mainboards are sometimes prohibitively
expensive, or unavailable. Unless you replace the mainboard with an
identical board, XP and Win2K can be real problems to recover, giving
lots of BSODs once startup is attempted. Most users wouldn't be able
to replace the caps themselves, but might be able to find a local tech
to do so for less than half the cost of a new board. I run into bad
caps on mainboards more often than on PSUs.

Sorry to wander so OT with my ramblings, but the OP should definitely
check the mainboard caps (tops) for signs of swelling.

 

[Larry Sabo]

I am not familiar with the CAPS. What should I look for to see if they are
"pregnant"? Are they on the power supply?

Thanks,

Bob

Bob, remove the side cover from the case and peer down at the
cylindrical objects sticking up from the mainboard, typically about
20-30mm (3/4 - 1 1/4") tall and 5-10mm (1/4 - 3/8") in diameter. The
tops should be perfectly flat, and have radial score lines that make
it obvious (by comparing to other caps) that they are swollen. The
caps in the power supply are harder to get at, inasmuch as you have to
remove the PSU and its covers.

Larry

 

[Leythos]

I replace the caps to salvage the mainboard. Saves a lot of hastles
with OEM systems, whose mainboards are sometimes prohibitively
expensive, or unavailable. Unless you replace the mainboard with an
identical board, XP and Win2K can be real problems to recover, giving
lots of BSODs once startup is attempted. Most users wouldn't be able
to replace the caps themselves, but might be able to find a local tech
to do so for less than half the cost of a new board. I run into bad
caps on mainboards more often than on PSUs.

Sorry to wander so OT with my ramblings, but the OP should definitely
check the mainboard caps (tops) for signs of swelling.

I have a very nice weller station and have been soldering since the early
70's, even got a couple micro-mini schools for soldering while in the
service so that I can do 6 layer boards. In most cases, replacing the caps
is very easy, as long as you do it properly so that you don't damage the
layers between the front/back. Most people don't have the hardware to do
the job, and stations are not cheap.

I've actually found more routers and cheap SOHO devices with bad caps
because of the fill than motherboards (in the last 12 months). I've stated
to see a rash of Dell Dimension machines that have Win 2000 on them (yea,
that old) with swelling caps, but those machines are P3 systems and due to
be replaced anyway.

For a server I would replace the caps, but not for the typical workstation
(unless it was my own).

--
Want to know what PCBUTTS1 is really about?
*** WARNING - this links contains foul/pornographic content of an
abusive nature created by PCBUTTS1 and still hosted on his public
website ***
http://www.pcbutts1.com/downloads/leythos.htm

 

[MoiMoi]

Thanks a lot. I will check it out. I like CA because it has a small
footprint. What AV did you change to?

Bob

I've found that free AVG has served me plenty well enough.

If you rule out hardware issues and prob continues, you might want to
unintall CA AV for a while at least, as test.

MM

 

[Offbreed]

I am not familiar with the CAPS. What should I look for to see if they are
"pregnant"? Are they on the power supply?

They are talking about electrolytic capacitors, small cylinders, usually
with a stripe with a bunch of pluses down one side. There are other
types, but those are seldom any problem.

 

[Hymer]

They are talking about electrolytic capacitors, small cylinders, usually
with a stripe with a bunch of pluses down one side. There are other types,
but those are seldom any problem.

Thanks for all the tips everyone. The capacitors all look good. No swelling
at the top and the system seems to be working fine. I think it was mostly
the fact that two fans became dislodged from the back of the box and were
not functioning. Fortunately, I had the shutdown rather than the burnout.

Thanks Again,

Bob