Random sudden power off, usually during games [random times] [power button]
Q: Been having some problems with my PC lately. At seemingly random times, nearly always while playing a game, my computer suddenly turned off. No spontaneous reboots or error screen, the power just cuts off.
This is where it gets strange. When I saw the power button to start a backup pressure, nothing happens. If I turn the switch on the back of my power off and then on to the power button still returns nothing.
The only way I can get my computer back to life as I get (1) the power cord, (2) Turn the switch off, then back On, and (3) try the on / off button. Performing these steps in exact order is the only thing my computer back to on.
When happened tonight will get, I left it alone and came back to the morning (~ 10 hours later). The power button still does not work – I use the above steps and it came back!
I have no hardware changes to my system, just installed / removed a couple of small applications. This happened every time I play a game, and one or two times happened in other times.
AMD Athlon XP 3000 +, WinXP Professional, Antec 420 W power supply (I guess . it was 400-something), MSI motherboard with nForce2 chipset.
Any ideas? Thanks:)
Best Answer: Overheating and its shutting itself down. You need to check your cooling fans and make sure they're working properly. Also this can happen if your computer isn't getting adequate power from the PSU.
In your case, you shouldn't need too much of a fix. I've seen computers that shut down before a game is even started. Some peoples computers shut down at the windows logo screen on start up.
Since you're playing games when this happens, the first fan I would check is the one on your video card, but usually when the computer shuts all the way down, the CPU is getting too hot.
Re:Do as they say…go and download Motherboard Monitor 5 it will show the rails…the other thing I would be wondering about because of the comp shutting down in games is a heat issue
Re:guy: Thanks for the explanation of the rails. How does one check the rails for problems?
Re:Try another PSU.
You can d/l and install Motherboard Monitor 5 and set up the sys log feature to record your voltages and temps to a text.doc. After it shutsdown, reboot and have a look at the text.doc.
Have a look in your PSU, may have a bunch of dust causing it to overheat and shutdown.
guy
Re:the rails on the PSU generate amperage for the 12 volt rail, 5 volt rail and he 3.3 volt rail .. for instance your case fans run off you 12v rail, and your RAM runs off of you 3.3v rail..
Re:First, I'll answer the easy question. The power goes out completely – no fans, no nothing. 100% dead.
As for the others, bear with me – when you say something is grounded to the case, does that mean there's something metal on the motherboard or one of the cards that is touching the metal of the case? I can check for that when I get home tonight.
Also, what do you mean by the rails of the PSU?
As you can tell, hardware is not my area of expertise. I'm a software guy and am often eluded by weird problems.
Re:This happened to me only when I had something grounded to the case. There's probably something loose that's grounded to the case.
Either that, or check your rails of your PSU. The PSU could be defective.
Also, does the power completely go out, or is the computer fans and such still running, it's just that the screen goes blank? The Electrical power completely is gone from the computer spontaneously?
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Tags: power button, random times