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Swmbo's machine keeps dying
Ninehigh - 27/4/09 at 01:14 AM

Swmbo's tower pc keeps switching off at apparently random times. We replaced the old 80gb sata drive with a 400gb one and then this started.

The only thing that makes sense is 1. The processor is getting too hot and auto shutting off (taking the side off cured it for a while) or 2. the new drive is taking more power so it's "blacking out"

Any other ideas? It's a new install of xp due to new drive but that drive is the only thing that's changed

cjtheman - 27/4/09 at 06:02 AM

hi
check the processor fan and give the heat sink a clean
hth
colin

yellow melos - 27/4/09 at 06:45 AM

could pe a power problem, modern boards will tell you at next boot if it overheats. what watt is the power supply ???

MikeRJ - 27/4/09 at 09:17 AM

Check the really daft things first such as dodgy power cable, ATX power connector on motherboard not fully plugged in, power switch on back of PSU (if fitted) not clicked fully on. Check PSU fan and CPU fan are running. You can usualy check CPU temps and fan RPM in the BIOS of most motherboards.

A modern 400GB drive is unlikely to take much more current than an older 80GB one, so unless the PSU was already overloaded I doubt this would be the cause. It's more likely that something has been disturbed.

Keith Weiland - 27/4/09 at 09:38 AM

If it is just switching straight off with no blue screen then this indicates a power problem, most likely an overheating power supply or a loose connection either at the kettle lead into the Power supply or the ATX connector to the motherboard. If it is an overheating CPU it will usually freeze up rather than shut down. I have a power supply tester if you are anywhere near me, I also have a spare working Power Supply if it would help.

BenB - 27/4/09 at 11:25 AM

IF you go into the administration error log you can see what (if any) errors were flagged up immediately before it died...

Ninehigh - 27/4/09 at 03:25 PM

All the fans are running fine although they are a bit dusty, no blue screen just straight off. My old one did the same thing turned out to be no thermal paste on the heatsink and it just switched straight off.

Cpu temperature is running about 70c though!

Oh and how do you get into the error log we can't find it?

Ninehigh - 3/5/09 at 05:06 PM

New bit, took the fan off the heatsink and it was completely caked in dust. Sucked it all out and now it runs at 56-59