My computer keeps switching itself off.
I had a new PSU fitted in January and it was all working fine until about 4 weeks ago when it just started to turn itself of, it's as if someone has pulled the plug out!. It started where it would turn off about once a week now its every 2-3 hours.
It will not turn back on for aleast 15-20 if not more minutes.
Could it be the PSU again? or what else could be causing this to happen it's driving us all mad!!!!
It could be a variety of things. It is possible that you have a virus. also it is possible that components inside your computer (such as your processor or chipset) are overheating, which causes the computer to turn itself off to prevent damage to components. Could you give us a bit more information such as whether the computer displays the shutting down screen or the power is just cut? Also when you say it wont start up for 15-20 mins do you mean that it initially starts up but the power cuts pretty much straight away or that when you press the power button nothing at all happens?
No the computer does not show any screen, no warning at all it just shuts off, when I press the power button nothing at all happens, no fan nothing, all dead.
After about 15-20 mins if I'm lucky I can push power button and it comes on as if nothing has happened.
Most modern electrical appliances have some sort of short circuit protection whereby if there is a short circuit the device will cut the power for half an hour or so. If it was a overheating problem it should not take that long to cool down and a virus would not be able to stop it starting up altogether. If you are comfortable with opening the computer up then you could unplug it wait a minute or two to let the power drain out of it, make sure you are earthed or at least not wearing nylon and open the box.
Check for any loose wires. also any wires that are trapped may have caused the insulation to wear through and be shorting out. Also when you say it turns off every 2-3 hours is it consistent or random?
Thanks for the advice I will open it up and have a look, When I said every 2-3 hrs thats random, somtimes its sooner than that other times it can be on for longer before it cuts out. i.e it has been on now since about 3.30pm and all ok so far so thats coming up 4hrs.
So you don't think it's a virus, just that somthing is over-heating and causing a short.?
No, I am saying that it is not a overheating problem because if it was overheating it should start up quicker (as in 2-3 mins latter) and any software problem (virus or otherwise) could not stop it at least starting to turn on. By the way do you know the make and model of you power supply?
Hi again,
We have taken the back off and can't see anything that shouldn't be there, the make of the PSU is
Trust 370W PSU PW-5110 . but there is a connecter coming from the PSU with 4 prongs that is just there and not connected to anything? should this be attached there is a 4 pin oulet that it fits into?
No, the spare connection should not bother it. I am sorry but I am about out of ideas. You can try contacting the support for your power supply here and asking them if the power supply has some kind of short circuit protection and if so how long it shuts the power off for and then comparing this to the 15-20 mins that you said you had to wait before turning it on again. Other than that the only thing I can sujest is to take the computer into your local computer repair shop. If I was there in front of you computer there is a posiblity that I could do more. Sorry that I couldn't be more help.
