computer shuts down (looks like a short, but is not)

[Jeperel]

I got an ATX 400 watt generic case with a new mobo in
december of last year, its an Asus A7V8X-X with a Athlon
2100 set to 1350 speed. (as at first we thought it was a
problem with cooling, which it may yet be.) I have a
radeon 7200 (which doesnt work well with DX9 I've come to
know, theres a thought)
I've got an older sound card in there, sound drivers are
not the problem, I've checked.
I've also got a d-link 550+ airplus wi-fi in there too.
512+256 ram going, both are compatible, thats not the
problem either.

The problem is, occasionally the computer will shut down
entirely and without warning during processing intensive
loading times, like during games, or scanning cycles.
When I was first installing XP on this machine, it did
this, so maybe its hardware related? It will also VERY
occasionally shut down during not so intensive times.

I'm at the end of my rope here, this has been going on
for four months, I need to game uninterupted now!
-----------
The shutdown itself completely renders the machine
inoperable, one can press the front switch (and hold it
too) all you want, it doesnt turn back on.
that is until I switch off the back switch for more then
6 or 7 seconds, after which when one turns the switch
back on, it becomes usable again.

I was thinking that maybe its a radeon 7200/directX 9
error since I know they dont get along, but it happened
before XP was installed, so I'm ruling that as unlikely.

whats it sound like processor error or power source,
underpowered unit, or unsatisfactory processor?

 

[David H. Lipman]

Bad RAM, poor CPU cooling, bad logic chip bad CPU can be the cause of your problem.

Dave





| I got an ATX 400 watt generic case with a new mobo in
| december of last year, its an Asus A7V8X-X with a Athlon
| 2100 set to 1350 speed. (as at first we thought it was a
| problem with cooling, which it may yet be.) I have a
| radeon 7200 (which doesnt work well with DX9 I've come to
| know, theres a thought)
| I've got an older sound card in there, sound drivers are
| not the problem, I've checked.
| I've also got a d-link 550+ airplus wi-fi in there too.
| 512+256 ram going, both are compatible, thats not the
| problem either.
|
| The problem is, occasionally the computer will shut down
| entirely and without warning during processing intensive
| loading times, like during games, or scanning cycles.
| When I was first installing XP on this machine, it did
| this, so maybe its hardware related? It will also VERY
| occasionally shut down during not so intensive times.
|
| I'm at the end of my rope here, this has been going on
| for four months, I need to game uninterupted now!
| -----------
| The shutdown itself completely renders the machine
| inoperable, one can press the front switch (and hold it
| too) all you want, it doesnt turn back on.
| that is until I switch off the back switch for more then
| 6 or 7 seconds, after which when one turns the switch
| back on, it becomes usable again.
|
| I was thinking that maybe its a radeon 7200/directX 9
| error since I know they dont get along, but it happened
| before XP was installed, so I'm ruling that as unlikely.
|
| whats it sound like processor error or power source,
| underpowered unit, or unsatisfactory processor?

 

[dglock]

check your power supply, sounds like its dropping voltage.
don