More Random Shutdown Problems
After extensively reading the posts here, and eliminating some of the possibilities myself, I have decided that my problem is at least somewhat unique and worth a register and thread creation.
Problem: Computer will turn off completely from Windows XP Home
I have eliminated PSU as the cause, by checking voltage, temp, and fan speeds in my BIOS, and they are all in range, at least i think... (3.3 @ 3.26 5 @ 5.05 and 12 @ 12.26) temps were fine, and have never been an issue before. (i have 4 case fans and 4 PSU fans all working fine)
I also allowed my computer to idle within the BIOS, just to make sure it wasn't overheating over time and shutting down because of that.
This leads me to believe that it's a software problem. I tried to use Windows System Restore to restore to 3 different dates, 2 days ago, as well as 4 and 6. The system restores were done in safe mode, which seemed a little more stable than normal mode, but the computer shut down in the middle of each of these system restores. At one point in time i was getting the corrupted windows/confic/system error, but after a few reboots it stopped occuring, and after sitting down and just turning the computer on and on and on again here i sit frantically typing this message riding on what i hope is not borrowed time.
thank you in advance for your help =)
Problem: Computer will turn off completely from Windows XP Home
I have eliminated PSU as the cause, by checking voltage, temp, and fan speeds in my BIOS, and they are all in range, at least i think... (3.3 @ 3.26 5 @ 5.05 and 12 @ 12.26) temps were fine, and have never been an issue before. (i have 4 case fans and 4 PSU fans all working fine)
I also allowed my computer to idle within the BIOS, just to make sure it wasn't overheating over time and shutting down because of that.
This leads me to believe that it's a software problem. I tried to use Windows System Restore to restore to 3 different dates, 2 days ago, as well as 4 and 6. The system restores were done in safe mode, which seemed a little more stable than normal mode, but the computer shut down in the middle of each of these system restores. At one point in time i was getting the corrupted windows/confic/system error, but after a few reboots it stopped occuring, and after sitting down and just turning the computer on and on and on again here i sit frantically typing this message riding on what i hope is not borrowed time.
thank you in advance for your help =)
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Comments
Could you give me more detailed instructions on how to do this? I tried running the program and targeting a writable CD as the drive, but it didn't put any files on the CD. I also tried copying the extracted files to the CD and booting from that with no results.
So i got memtest running, awaiting results. Assuming that it finds nothing wrong, should I run it again to double check? or is one test going to tell me for sure the first time?
I started the test, and went out, came back 6 and a half hours later to find the program still running. I saw this as a good sign, and tried to restart the computer normally, which turned off as soon as it hit the windows welcoming screen. An attempt to start the computer in safe mode resulted in the same problem.
For the record i'm running an Aspire 600w PSU.
I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "rails", but the book has the following table in it
Dc O/P Load Max Peak
+3.3 V(Amps) 34A
+5 V (Amps) 36A
+12 V1 (Amps) 18A 20A
+12V2 (Amps) 20A 22A
I hope this is what you were looking for.
With no memory problems found (there was nothing listed in Memtest-86, right?) and what looks to be an excellent PSU, you've already eliminated the two most likely causes of your problem.
Can you detect any pattern at all to the shutdowns? Have you disabled the "automatic restart" after a System Error? If you can't get a BSOD with any info to give us a lead on cracking this, I would try a different video driver as the next step. (Newer driver if available, slightly older if you already have the latest.)
I know you said that your temps are fine, but just for kicks, list them for us. A Video Card temp would be good, too, if that's possible.
You could also just go for a Windows Repair Install. An hour doing that might prove more beneficial in the long run than days of trying random fixes which may or may not work.
To start, my temps are as follows:
CPU: 32
Mo. Bo.: 33
the cpu fan clocks in at 3300 rpm
The random shutdowns are typically 10 seconds - 1 minute after windows starts. They occur in both regular and safe mode, although less often in safe mode. In my random tryings, i was able to get the computer into a stable safe mode, run msconfig, and do a selective startup, unchecking all the boxes and starting the computer normally like that. The computer runs fine, except for the fact that it becomes an expensive calculator =) I have disabled the auto-restart via the "F8 key during boot" menu, where it says "disable auto restart".
Speaking of BSOD, i was able to conjure one in my travels. it had a list of several suggestions like changing video drivers and other stuff, it also reccomends using the windows CD to repair, but i'll get to that in a second. As with all BSOD I get the technical line, and here it is:
0x0000008E (0xC0000005, 0x8062bfbf, 0xBE7596C, 0x00000000)
not sure what that means hopefully something fixable.
Every now and then I get ye olde "cannot start because windows/system32/config/system is missing/corrupt" and it reccomends a repair using the windows CD. So I'll pop in the cd and boot from it, and i get the setup screen and hit R, and i log onto the windows that is installed, actually the only one, and then i get the command prompt, but am no sure how exactly to go about the repairing.
Once again, i would like to thank you for all your help, you have been very helpful and I have hope that eventually everything will be working again =)
Had similar problem recently, motherboard and memory etc passed all tests but still kept problems.
On closer look at motherboard found that a few of those little black round things (look like mini AAA batteries) on the board had some residue on the top of them.
Being a novice got in touch with manufacturer, turns out I'd had an electrical surge and the motherboard had overheated these little components, and this caused all the problems, had to have a new replacement motherboard in the end.
Good luck
Worth a look!
Mikolaj
It's is a very baffling problem. I find it hard to believe that it could be a hardware problem, since in Safe Mode Windows works fine 100% of the time, and without it it will always bluescreen with that same STOP message.
What is even stranger to me is that even if I disable ALL my hardware drivers , AND if via the msconfig utility I disable EVERYTHING from loading at startup (including windows services, startup program, win.ini, system.ini anything else that's on there), it will STILL bluescreen. The only way for it to work is with /safeboot. What alse does safeboot do besides not loading drivers & startup programs that's different from a normal startup?
You could also try different video and/or network drivers. Newer if available; older if you already have the latest.
It could also be a PSU problem. What do the amperages look like on your 12V+, 5V+, and 3.3V+ rails?