PC Shutdown and other odd problems

[dek123leo]

Hi guys,

I thought I'd run this question by you. I've searched for an answer but can't seem to find anything and need some input.

I've got a compaq pc thats about 6 years old. I know I need a new one, but can't afford it right now. I mainly use it for the internet, word, etc. No games or anything fancy so it works for my needs.

A while back it started shutting off completely on its own. And this wasn't in the middle of any big programs running or multiple programs running. It could be with nothing running! It would continue to do that. This will always happen every time I start my computer. It'll be on for a few minutes and completely shut off. I noticed if I put my computer in stand by mode when first booted up, then sign back in, it won't shut down. I can't figure this out. It's not the tempeture as that's okay. It's always not that virus that would countdown until shutdown. (It was out a few years ago, but I forgot the name.)

Another problem is that it freezes up. This also happens when nothing major is running. If I try to turn the PC back on, it will shut down. I have to wait about a half hour before turning it back on. Then go to standby mode, then sign in. It's weird.

Here's what I've done so far but still have the problem:
1. Run a virus scan and delete and problems
2. Run ad aware and delete any problems
3. Run Defrag on a regular basis
4. Run Disk cleanup on a regular basis
5. Have a firewall and virus protection software installed and protecting the pc.
6. Check temperture and make sure that's okay.
7. Deleted many of the major programs running on computer to free up memory.

I also don't think it's do to age as it started happening about two years after getting it. It's not a recent thing.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!!!!

Thanks

 

[mike_n_herrin]

/\ i was going to recommend getting a Linux live cd (usually you can get one from a book store in a Linux magazine) (knoppix is the one i would pick if you have a choice, but any live version will work) and see if the computer does this when you are running a Live CD. to determine if it's a software or hardware issue.

 

[justgofaster]

^ Great minds think alike.

 

[justgofaster]

Ahhh then you must be thinking the same thing i think about when I see your picture as you do mine.

Sometimes you guys make absolutely no sense.

I wonder if he has ever thought of telling a linux noob to run

dd if=/dev/random of=/dev/sda

WARNING: DO NOT RUN THAT COMMAND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD AND GEORGE CLOONEY

Only if his mind is as great as yours, Masterful One.

 

[justgofaster]

P.S. I didn't recommend dek123leo try a live Linux distro, 'cause I already know he's got a hardware problem.


(Way ahead of you amateurs.)

 

[mike_n_herrin]

i was only saying i agreed basically with OrionFyre. sorry i wasn't clear.

how can you tell he has a hardware issue and not a windows/software one justgofaster?

 

[justgofaster]

how can you tell he has a hardware issue and not a windows/software one justgofaster?

It's a corollary to Murphy's Law. If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, then the one that will go wrong is the one that will be the most expensive!


(Sorry for the thread hijack, dekleo. Always listen to mike and orion. They know stuff.)

 

[TaigaStar]

I'm going to throw my support behind the power supply theory, as well. I had the same problem (but with a newer, gaming-heavy computer) and had to replace the hard drive for it. I was not a happy camper.

 

[looseliam]

Ahhh then you must be thinking the same thing i think about when I see your picture as you do mine.




I wonder if he has ever thought of telling a linux noob to run

dd if=/dev/random of=/dev/sda

WARNING: DO NOT RUN THAT COMMAND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD AND GEORGE CLOONEY

But I think you missing something there, I can't put my finger on it.

 

[TaigaStar]

Since I know nothing of linux, let me ask... "What does that command do?"

 

[dek123leo]

Thanks for all the help and don't worry about hijacking the thread.

The things I can't figure out are:

1. Why do I have to put it in standby every time I turn it on to prevent it from shutting down minutes later?
2. Once revived from standby mode, it seems to function fine for a while, why?
3. Why does it freeze up? Even during low memory usage.
4. Why must I wait 30 minutes before I can turn it back on. (Once frozen I shut it down (manually) then turn it on again. Unless I wait 30 minutes or more, it will shut off during boot up.

You guys mentioned power supply, does that mean I might need a new hard drive?

I am a novice and have never used linux, so...basic help would be nice. Or a different method.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[dek123leo]

Thanks for all your trouble and help. This sounds close to an answer. Thanks for the ease of use too. I cracked up at the "I NEED" part.

From what you have posted I am just throwing stuff out here. and unless I can actually sit down and test the power supply's output this is all hearsay and conjecture.

Inside the power supply is some circuitry which I guarantee is getting over-heated

My guess is the one of the fat ass transistors thats attached to the twenty five pound heat sink isn't connected properly.

Putting it into power saving mode may play some funny workings on the inside, including letting any heat bleed off. Again having to wait a half hour or so also indicates that it is a heat build up problem. Unfortunately no real effort has been made to allow live readings to be taken from power supplies in tower units other than wattage and general power information.

As for replacement. You can easily open your computer up (6 years is way past any warranty voiding) THe power supply will be the biggest cube shaped mass in the whole thing. The power cord plugs into it from the back. If you open up the system right after it shuts down on it's own. UNPLUG THE POWER CORD and feel the PSU it'll be very very warm. Another $10 down my good man.

Replacing it is as easy as unscrewing the screws holding it in place and disconnecting the wires from the mother board and hard drive and optical drives.

Then if you have a computer supply store just take in the faulty PSU and say "I NEED" and hand it to them. (but go with a higher grade unit, about $45 and up depending on specs) Also add on about 100 watts just to be on the safe side. Many brand name computers come with a PSU for "to get by" But you won't be needing a 700 watt power supply on a 6 year old machine...

But to be sure. I would deffinately go with a linux CD first.
I'm going to bed. So someone post how to make a LiveCD please
Orion is tired.

 

[justgofaster]

Thanks for all the help and don't worry about hijacking the thread.

The things I can't figure out are:

1. Why do I have to put it in standby every time I turn it on to prevent it from shutting down minutes later?
2. Once revived from standby mode, it seems to function fine for a while, why?
3. Why does it freeze up? Even during low memory usage.
4. Why must I wait 30 minutes before I can turn it back on. (Once frozen I shut it down (manually) then turn it on again. Unless I wait 30 minutes or more, it will shut off during boot up.

You guys mentioned power supply, does that mean I might need a new hard drive?

Probably, your computer shuts down when some voltage on the motherboard drops below a critical amount. If the power supply is failing, that may happen when the system comes under load - e.g., the processor is very busy and the hard drive is being accessed and your network card is busy surfing.

That's why orion and mike recommended you try to boot Linux. If the hardware is failing, it's going to fail with any OS you're running. You will know instantly that no amount of defragging or virus scubbing is going to help you.

I don't know why your computer needs to sit 30 min before you can boot it up again after it freezes. Maybe your power supply needs to cool down before it can work again. This is an old computer. Is the power supply fan or processor fan clogged up with dust? Open the GD thing up and vacuum it out!

I am a novice and have never used linux, so...basic help would be nice.

You must learn the ways of the enlightened ones, Grasshopper, if you are ever to achieve Nirvana. Bit by tiny bit does one ascend the mountain.

 

[mike_n_herrin]

It's hard to explain a live linux CD/DVD. But i'll give it a shot. Basically what it is, is a full operating system (like all the versions of windows are operating systems, or a mac has it's own operating system). The "live" part means the whole thing runs off a CD/DVD and does not install anything to your computer. so when you turn off the computer and take the CD/DVD out it's exactly the way it was before.

the "live" linux operating system comes complete will all the software you might need. office programs, TV viewing program, photo editing, etc etc. My favorite "live" linux is "Knoppix." it's up to 5.1.1 or 5.3 if you want to download it, but since you said you're a bit of a computer novice, i'd recommend not trying to download it especially if you don't have high speed internet.

if you have a book store or magazine store that sells Linux magazines, there is usually a "live" cd/dvd that comes attached to each monthly edition. however, because there are literally hundreds of different versions (called distributions or distros for short) of linux you never know what will be on the CD/dvd that month.

the only thing you have to know about a "live" linux version is how to get your computer to start by running from the CD/DVD drive first instead of the hard drive. However often the magazine will tell in general terms how to do that.