Thread: Can anyone help?

I have a problem.

My PC keeps losing power - it just goes dead, maybe after 10 minutes, maybe after half an hour.
It will not re-boot straight away, i have to leave it for at least 5 minutes.

I'm guessing it's the PSU, and would like to know if there is any way i can test it before i replace it.

I'm sure i've seen a program that lets you monitor the temperature, but have no idea what it is or even if it would help.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Core Temp

Could also be a hairline fracture on the mai board.

Thanks for the quick response.

I'll install that in a few minutes when the pc is back on again.

I took it to the repairers last week, explained the problem.
They kept it for a week, gave it back to me with the information that they could find no problem.
Since then it will not work for more than half an hour - it cuts off even if it is just standing idle on the screensaver.

Animal porn overload. Step away from the computer and take deep breaths. It's ok. The little ferrets will still be there when you return in an hour or so.

Laptop or desktop? If it is a desktop I would start by taking a can of air opening up the case and blowing all the dust out of the heatsinks and fans.

Agree with Necron - the GF's laptop has the same symptoms and is roasting hot when it shuts down. Have a listen to see if the cooling fan is running, and install that program as well.

Just tried to download the prog - "Access denied" - "potentially dangerous content".

Has anybody downloaded this?

It's the nature of the program and the way it executes.
It is safe.

Originally Posted by Necron99

It's the nature of the program and the way it executes.

The anti virus is not giving me an option as to download or not - it's just blocking it.

I fucking hate computers.
I like sledgehammers.

Disable your AV.
Or use google, there are others. Go to cnet and search there.

Would say something is overheating. Open up the side and check that all the fans are spinning. Also clean dust as mentioned.

Originally Posted by Necron99

Disable your AV. Or use google, there are others. Go to cnet and search there.

I am going to adopt plan B.

Plan B
Take offending hardware outside and sledgehammer the bastard.


Actually, next time it powers off, i'll strip it down and have a mess with it - at least i'll see if the fans are working and whether the power supply is getting hot.

Originally Posted by withnallstoke

I'm sure i've seen a program that lets you monitor the temperature, but have no idea what it is or even if it would help.

It wont really help. But it wil tell you I'M FUCKIN HOT

Is it a Laptop or Desktop ?

Just had it apart.

It was pretty clean (looks like the shop did clean it).
All the fans were working, but after about 10 minutes the CPU board and (to a lesser extent) the PSU were both hot to touch.

I tapped around on the boards with a rubber handled screwdriver - this usually shows up a hairline crack or bad contacts - but it carried on working.

Everything bar the motherboard have been replaced in the past (it's 6 years old already).

It may be for the knackers yard, so the missus will have to buy a new one.

(It's a desktop).

This is a problem with air-cooled electronics. Have you tried using water to cool it down?

The next time it overheats throw it into a bucket of water.










Then buy a new computer.

not the fish tank though

Originally Posted by Thormaturge

The next time it overheats throw it into a bucket of water.

You must think i'm stupid.

The bucket is too small.

I had the exact same problem just recently. Turns out the battery had completely died, kaput, dead, it was no more, and even the minutest break in power supply was causing it to turn off.
New battery fixed It.

^ On the motherboard?

An old one of mine went like that it was the PSU.

They don't cost a lot, if it's not that then you've got a new PSU!

Win Win.....or something...

^ computer repair 101.
How does a tech fix a flat tire?
Changes each tire in turn until all four tires are inflated.

Have you got a bootlegged copy of Windows 7 running on it ?

Apparently that will cause it to shutdown

ha ha fast forward 6 months and he'll have a brand new PC if he follows the advice.

You could also have picked up a virus.

Run malware Bytes on it, although your PC may well shutdown before it completes.

If thats the case I would reformat your PC, then see if you are still having the problem