Need help from Sparky or you other computer gurus---bizarre problem!!!

[runnah]

How to view and manage event logs in Event Viewer in Windows XP

If that helps.

 

[JClishe]

Definitely sounds like either the PSU or motherboard. PSU's can be simple to replace, and, they can also by a major pain in the ass. All depends on the case layout and how much room you have to work with on the inside.

 

[KenC]

If the repair shop guy looked at it with the tower opened up he was much less likely to run into any issues relating to overheating.

 

[jwbryson1]

If the repair shop guy looked at it with the tower opened up he was much less likely to run into any issues relating to overheating.

Why, because it was better ventilated?

I'm pretty sure he looked with the side panel off so he could see the green light was illuminated on the MOBO and so he could listen more easily to the RAID hard drives.

 

[Joves]

Sound like the PSU to me more than the MB. Okay once you unplug the unit for a few minutes will it run fine, for a while, or do you get maybe some screen flickers, and other odd behavior the longer it runs? With every computer I have ever owned I have gone through more PSs than MBs. Except for when I was Over CLocking machines, then that was from pushing it. Oh look and see if your PSUs fans are running after warming up and sniff for any odd smells like toasty electrical, not burning but toast. Power supplies can sometimes drag on and cause minor little problems till they die, or go all at once. THe only way to be sure is using a Volt meter but, I am guessing you do not have one.

 

[KenC]

If the repair shop guy looked at it with the tower opened up he was much less likely to run into any issues relating to overheating.

Why, because it was better ventilated?

I'm pretty sure he looked with the side panel off so he could see the green light was illuminated on the MOBO and so he could listen more easily to the RAID hard drives.

Of course. I know he had good reason to open it, but he may have needed to cover it up for a while to allow more heat buildup to see whether that was an issue.

 

[cgipson1]

Jeff... when was the last time you opened the case up, and used a can of air to blow all the crap out of there? Blow out the PSU, any heat sinks, etc....

It may be too late now, but that is often a cause of overheating... especially in the PSU.

If you have a multimeter.. test the PSU How To Manually Test a Power Supply With a Multimeter

Also test the overheating theory... open the case. Aim a fan of some sort into the system blowing air into it.... turn it on.. see if it dies. If it doesn't die, than it is definitely an overheating issue. And yea.. the PSU is probably the culprit. Same thing happened to my girlfriends PC not long ago, because she never cleaned it out.

PSU's are cheap and easy to change out.... go for it.

Also make sure the PC is somewhere with adequate airflow around it ... not in a enclosed space or up again the wall....

 

[IByte]

Shooot after 5 years I would check the heatsink, clean the dry silicon off that and the CPU, repaste...done.

Buy a new power supply; it's really not worth getting hurt tinkering inside the PSU.

 

[cgipson1]

Shooot after 5 years I would check the heatsink, clean the dry silicon off that and the CPU, repaste...done.

Buy a new power supply; it's really not worth getting hurt tinkering inside the PSU.

Always a good idea... use some decent heatsink goop, and it is worth it.


PSU's have big CAPS.. and they will bite you!

 

[IByte]

Always a good idea... use some decent heatsink goop, and it is worth it.

PSU's have big CAPS.. and they will bite you!

.....1.21 gigawatts son!! XD.

 

[cgipson1]

Always a good idea... use some decent heatsink goop, and it is worth it.

PSU's have big CAPS.. and they will bite you!

.....1.21 gigawatts son!! XD.

YEa.. but only at 88mph!

 

[jwbryson1]

Jeff... when was the last time you opened the case up, and used a can of air to blow all the crap out of there? Blow out the PSU, any heat sinks, etc....

Umm...never.

 

[cgipson1]

Jeff... when was the last time you opened the case up, and used a can of air to blow all the crap out of there? Blow out the PSU, any heat sinks, etc....

Umm...never.

Whaatttaaa YOU Thinkkkin, SON!
Abusing that POOR PC that way! Oughtta be a LAW..... lol!

 

[jwbryson1]

For those of you playing along at home and losing sleep over the status of my box, here's an update. For the rest of you who don't give a rat's ass (99.9999% of you no doubt, please just move along).

I had my PSU replaced yesterday and the box seems to be working so far in the old electrical outlet, so I am currently thinking problem solved. I am going to give it a few days to see how it works, but last night it was working, so yay for me! The best part you ask? The repair shop is awesome! They replaced the PSU at their cost (about $50), and they upgraded my memory from 2G to 4G for $17, so I got out of the shop for about $70. They didn't charge me a penny for labor.

Awesome! :thumbup:

 

[cgipson1]

Congrats, Jeff..... now every six months or so.. open that case, and blow it out good....