Computer shuts down

[Ron]

After a reformat to eliminate some spyware and adwaere that software
solutions wouldn't cure, my computer shuts down frequently.Usually after
initial
boot-up the next time after about 20 sec, then after about 1min, then about
2min, then about 5 min. But today it is shutting down after about 3 min each
time I reboot. The sound is like pulling the power cord, no wind down of
futher noise. Last night it would die 3-4 times but as it warmed up, it
would stay.
Tonight it won't stay more than 3 min and it's gone. Should I suspect power
supply, motherboard, ????

 

[Shenan Stanley]

After a reformat to eliminate some spyware and adwaere that software
solutions wouldn't cure, my computer shuts down frequently.Usually
after initial
boot-up the next time after about 20 sec, then after about 1min,
then about 2min, then about 5 min. But today it is shutting down
after about 3 min each time I reboot. The sound is like pulling the
power cord, no wind down of futher noise. Last night it would die
3-4 times but as it warmed up, it would stay.
Tonight it won't stay more than 3 min and it's gone. Should I
suspect power supply, motherboard, ????

Sounds like hardware.
When you 'reinstalled', however - did you update all the hardware drivers
from the hardware manufacturer's support site(s)?

 

[Gary Brandenburg]

My folks have developed this same problem, just today, on their pc, although it
wasn't turning off that many times, till it would, finally, not boot at all.
I went by there, & as crude as it may sound, I got down at the back of the tower &
took 1 whiff of the fan & could smell that burnt, electrical smell in the power
supply.
Going to pick 1 up tomorrow & go by there after work & change that out.
Just a possibility &, quite a coincidence, if you have the same problem.

~Gary

 

[Ron]

Yes, I re-installed all the original hardware drivers from the CD'S.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

After a reformat to eliminate some spyware and adwaere that
software solutions wouldn't cure, my computer shuts down
frequently.Usually after initial
boot-up the next time after about 20 sec, then after about 1min,
then about 2min, then about 5 min. But today it is shutting down
after about 3 min each time I reboot. The sound is like pulling
the power cord, no wind down of futher noise. Last night it would
die 3-4 times but as it warmed up, it would stay.
Tonight it won't stay more than 3 min and it's gone. Should I
suspect power supply, motherboard, ????

Sounds like hardware.
When you 'reinstalled', however - did you update all the hardware
drivers from the hardware manufacturer's support site(s)?

Yes, I re-installed all the original hardware drivers from the CD'S.

That's good - but not quite what I asked. ;-)

Did you visit the hardware manufacturer's web site(s) and download and
install the latest hardware driver for each hardware component. It is
entirely possibly that before you formatted and installed afresh - you had
updated certain drivers on the system along the way. The drivers on the
'CDs' are not likely to be the latest (even if you order the machine and it
was delivered to your home less than 30 days ago - there is some possibility
that there is a later driver than was on the CDs that shipped with the
system on the hardware manufacturer's web page.)

You won't hurt anything getting the latest drivers for your hardware
(chipset, network, video come top mind to be the first to update) - use
Belarc Advisor and Device Manager to see where you need to go for each piece
of hardware (in order to figure out the manufacturer's name so you can
locate their web page and support section of said web page for the
downloading of the drivers.)

 

[Ron]

Thanks, I'll give that a try tomorrow.\\

That's good - but not quite what I asked. ;-)

Did you visit the hardware manufacturer's web site(s) and download and
install the latest hardware driver for each hardware component. It is
entirely possibly that before you formatted and installed afresh - you had
updated certain drivers on the system along the way. The drivers on the
'CDs' are not likely to be the latest (even if you order the machine and
it was delivered to your home less than 30 days ago - there is some
possibility that there is a later driver than was on the CDs that shipped
with the system on the hardware manufacturer's web page.)

You won't hurt anything getting the latest drivers for your hardware
(chipset, network, video come top mind to be the first to update) - use
Belarc Advisor and Device Manager to see where you need to go for each
piece of hardware (in order to figure out the manufacturer's name so you
can locate their web page and support section of said web page for the
downloading of the drivers.)

 

[Ron]

I can't keep the computer up long enounh to d/l anything. Does anyone have
any idea if iit is software, power supply , or motherboatrd..?

 

[Plato]

After a reformat to eliminate some spyware and adwaere that software
solutions wouldn't cure, my computer shuts down frequently.Usually after
initial
boot-up the next time after about 20 sec, then after about 1min, then about

Have you installed the latest drivers from your card makers? ie not MS?

 

[Ron Badour]

After you reinstalled the system, did you install the drivers from the CD
first or did you install the SPs and updates first? At what point did the
shut down problem start (i.e., immediately after the install, after loading
service packs, after installing the drivers, etc.)? For example, if the
problem started during or immediately after the reinstall, then I think it
is hardware related. If you installed the drivers and the problem started,
then I think maybe you installed a wrong driver. If you installed the
drivers and the SPs and updates and then the problem started, I would look
at getting updated drivers. You could also format the drive and start over.
If the problem does not occur during the installation, then that should rule
out a hardware problem.

If you have a multi meter, you can test the power supply yourself--Google
for the procedure. If no meter, there are power supply testers for relative
low prices--use Google again to locate one. Or, use a known good power
supply on the problem machine and see what happens.

 

[loz]

Last time this happenened to me the cause was the power supply fan had
clogged with dust and when it overheated it cut out.I cleaned the
powersupply unit and all was well. LOZ

 

[w_tom]

If you have a multi meter, you can test thepower supplyyourself--Google
for the procedure. If no meter, there arepower supplytesters for relative
low prices--use Google again to locate one.

Power supply system involves more than just a power supply. Power
supply tester will not test the entire supply 'system'. Power supply
tester will also report as good some power supplies that are actually
defective.

Essential for identifying the power supply as defective OR
'definitively' identifying the whole 'supply subsystem' as good means
two minutes, a meter, and disconnecting nothing. The procedure is
"When your computer dies without warning....." starting 6 Feb 2007 in
the newsgroup alt.windows-xp at:
http://tinyurl.com/yvf9vh

For Ron's problem, the most useful part in that procedure are
voltages on red, orange, yellow, and purple wires - when everything is
drawing power from the supply. Again, tested without disconnecting a
single wire. A power supply tester cannot test for this type of
failure.

For about the same money, a multimeter even from K-mart, Wal-mart,
Radio Shack, any Tru-Value Hardware store, Lowes, etc is $20 better
spent. Unlike the power supply tester, a multimeter also has numerous
other useful functions including confirming a replacement power
supply. A defective supply can still boot a computer. But a new and
defective supply would be quickly identified with the meter long
before that defect causes more computer problems. Again, a power
supply tester cannot do that.

Power supply tester will even declare as good some power supplies
that are defective. Power supply tester cannot define the entire
power supply 'system' as "definitively good". Only useful answer
includes the word 'definitive'. Power supply tester cannot answer
with the word 'definitive'. Get the multimeter. If a new power
supply is required, meter will also confirm that supply is
'definitively good'.

 

[Unknown]

For test purposes, why don't you disconnect as many I/O devices as possible
to see if
power will stay up. Printers, floppies, CDs etc.

I can't keep the computer up long enounh to d/l anything. Does anyone have
any idea if iit is software, power supply , or motherboatrd..?