PC switches off Suddenly. Need help

[ravikanth]

This all started while im playing a game. PC got switched off automatically. And when ever i boot again it gets switched off after the vista logo. If i try to reinstall the OS, when the cds loads intially while checking the hardware etc.. its get's switched off. If i start my PC after some 2 hrs then its boots normally. But if i try to open 2 or 3 programs it gets switched off. Now not only in games, but if i try to play any movie from my dvd drive, then also system switches off.

I tried clearing the bios manually. Didnt worked.
I have 2 1gb rams installed. I tried altering the ram's by keeping one at a time. But it didnt worked.
I cleared all the dust, by removing the heatsink and added new silica gel over processer. Even it didnt worked.

Right now i am just able to access internet. But if I try to open multiple programs it gets switched off. And i have to leave the system from 1 or 2 hrs and start again to get it running.

My Config is:
Processor: AM2 6000+
Motherboard: ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe Wireless Edition
Graphiccard: XFX Geforce 8600GT 256mb DDR3
Ram : 2gb DDR2 (1+1)
PSU : Frontech 450W
Also i use these Additional Pheriparals: xbox 360 wireless controller, webcam, bluetooth port.

I have AMD cool and quite software installed, which will warn if there is overheat. But it never shows any warning before switching off.

Is this problem with PSU ???? or
Is this problem with Graphic card ???

And what could be the solution for this???? Please comment you views and suggesions.

Thanks in Advance

[satyamy]

I thin prob is with your Power Supply

Do one thing, remove all your unusable component if you have any like Webcam, xbox controller, printer scanner, tv tuner card etc. and try to run your PC
(if PC works than it is your Powersupply)

if you are using Vista
Press F8 key at startup & select low graphics 640 and try to run your PC with opening multiple Programmes if problem is with Graphics (PC wont shutdown very soon in 640 mode)

let us have the results

[ravikanth]

Hi Satyam, thanks for your quick response.

As u suggested 1st i switched on my system in low resolutoion mode. It worked fine with normal applications. Then i startel Moto Gp 08 in 600x800 mode, it worked well for 2 minutes after the game started and then system switched off.

Then i removed all additional pheriperals and tried to start the system, but its getting switched off after vista logo appears. I tried twice and left it for half an hour and started the system now and its working fine right now. I tried running normal applications and its working fine. But if i run any game, for sure it will get switched off.

If it is PSU problem, then please suggest me a gud PSU for my config. I keep my PC on 24x7, all time downloading some stuff. And i access net through inbuilt wi-fi (does this also consume extra power). So suggest me an ideal PSU withing < Rs.3000

[cynosure]

Man this sh1t can also happen if some components of your pc are overheated. Right now this is happening to my rig too. Some days back I removed the fan of my cpu and when I attached it back over the cpu it was loose. Now when I play games, the computer restarts after 4-5 minutes.
I installed everest as it can display system temperatures and to my shock the CPU average temp was 103C and the temperatures of all the 4 cores were ~-17C. I am assuming temp were negative cause sensor might not work at those extreme temps.

Just install everest and see that none of your CPU/ GPU/ motherboard and/or other components are overheated.

And the case is that the component will be heated only under stress. Like in the case of gaming/ripping/decoding the CPU will work under stress but for other jobs like listening to music etc. the CPU does not needs to unleash its full potential and hence it does not gets heated up.

[Ethan_Hunt]

Originally Posted by ravikanth

Hi Satyam, thanks for your quick response.

As u suggested 1st i switched on my system in low resolutoion mode. It worked fine with normal applications. Then i startel Moto Gp 08 in 600x800 mode, it worked well for 2 minutes after the game started and then system switched off.

Then i removed all additional pheriperals and tried to start the system, but its getting switched off after vista logo appears. I tried twice and left it for half an hour and started the system now and its working fine right now. I tried running normal applications and its working fine. But if i run any game, for sure it will get switched off.

If it is PSU problem, then please suggest me a gud PSU for my config. I keep my PC on 24x7, all time downloading some stuff. And i access net through inbuilt wi-fi (does this also consume extra power). So suggest me an ideal PSU withing < Rs.3000

My bet would be mainly towards the PSU as well. I had a similar issues although not so frequent as yours but then realised my Powersafe 500W Gold wasn't able to sustain the load of my HD4850. Immediately got a Corsair VX450 before something would blow up & now everything works like a charm. The frontech PSU's aren't very stable when it comes to quality & efficiency. Why not isolate the issue & check if the PSU is at fault or not? Do you have any friend who has a spare PSU?

[satyamy]

Originally Posted by ravikanth

I have AMD cool and quite software installed, which will warn if there is overheat. But it never shows any warning before switching off.

but ravikanth already said his Processor is not heating up

[ravikanth]

Hi cynosure, i checked the heat of processor, it never exceeds 50degress while ripping. I didnt checked with games coz sys shuts down.

Ethan_Hunt, i dont have a friends PSU to check it . Anyway i want to go for a new PSU. But im confused of which brand to choose corsair (its bit expensive) or cooler master (Cooler Master 500 W eXtreme Power Supply, its around 3K)

[Ethan_Hunt]

Both brands are pretty good. Corsair has a better efficiency rate & has 5 years of warranty. Whereas CM provides 3 years of warranty. You can pick anyone in your budget. Corsair at this point is very expensive. Better go in for a CM in that case, if it's affordable.

[satyamy]

I suggest you to go for a Cooler Master Power Supply
its cheap & effecient as compared to other brand

[cynosure]

Before replacing the PSU, check that the cpu heatsink is not loose.
If your computer shuts down instantly after you launch the game, then you can't monitor the temp but if it shuts down after 5-6 min of gameplay then this is what you can do:
1) Install any app which can monitor the temp of your system. I used everest.
2) Launch a heavy game like UT3.
3) Press Alt+Tab to come to the desktop.
4) Launch everest and monitor the temp. Since the game is running in the background, it will consume some juice off your CPU. At this time, the temp of my cpu was 103C which is very very high. This was the reason in my case. Even I use a local 500W Amigo PSU which otherwise works perfectly.

[ravikanth]

Hi cynosure, I monitored the temp. as you said. CPU's temp is 48C and mobo's temp is 36C before the system swithces off in game.
I didnt used everest, I used the default app. in my system (AMD cool and quite). Does everest display's graphic cards temp too? Or is there any other way to monitor graphic card temp?

[ravikanth]

I bought Corsair vx450. And my PC is working perfect again.
Thanks for all your suggessions.