×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Computer turns off without warning

Computer turns off without warning

Computer turns off without warning

(OP)
Help...!

I have the following hardware:

650W power supply (spire 650w)
AMD Athlon-64 X2 5000 AM2 Box
4gb DDR2 PC6400 memory
WD SATA Raptor 74GB 10.000rpm
ATI Fire GL V7200 256 MB PCI3 Card (driver 6.14.10.6392)
Mobo ASUS M2N-SLI deluxe (we had MSI K9N platinum, we changed but it did not matter it seems)
19gb swap (d:\)

Software:

Windows XP Prof. 64bit UK
Solidworks 2007 sp2.2 32bit (we lost the 64bit dvd :(, but it should not be a problem according to the solidworks resellers)

Problem:

The computer shuts down without warning and is not restarting when solidworks is running idle or when i use it. Our electrical installation is ok. The processor is running idle. This happens a few times per day.

I really dont know whats wrong :(

pls help me.

RE: Computer turns off without warning

(OP)
edit: i use logitech usb cordless mouse and keyboard with usb coard

RE: Computer turns off without warning

It doesn't sound like a SolidWorks issue. It may have samething to do with the power options in the control panel.

RE: Computer turns off without warning

(OP)
thank you for the reply! But i checked the power options and everything is configured that the computer is always running, only the monitor swiches of after 20 min.

RE: Computer turns off without warning

Could be any number of things. First things that come to mind are:  Windows power management settings are not set right, i.e. it's going into a standby/hibernation state when idle for a certain period of time. Your motherboard/PSU is going into a thermal shutdown due to excessive heat build up or bad sensor in/on either of them. You did say you changed out the board, any chance you can swap out the PSU? I know it's weird but I have seen bad CPU's cause this exact same thing, again any chance you can swap it out temporarily to see if that addresses the issue?

But based on what you've done and are describing it sounds like it's hardware related.

That's the quick off the top of my head thoughts, if I think of anything more I'll post back.

Kevin Carpenter
CAD Systems Administrator
Invacare Corp.

RE: Computer turns off without warning

Clean your heat sinks.

RE: Computer turns off without warning

(OP)
Cleaning the heat sinks would be strange, the computer is 2 weeks old, but thanks for the advise. Asus probe senses a normal cpu temperture.

RE: Computer turns off without warning

I agree with kcarpenter about the power supply.
Make sure that the power opptions are set to standby never, and hibernation never.

RE: Computer turns off without warning

(OP)
i checked > right mouse button > properties > screen saver > power : power schemes, always on -- turn off monitor, after 20 min -- turn off hard disks, never -- system standby, never.

RE: Computer turns off without warning

When I had my computer on the floor it was sometimes shutting down for no apparent reason, and after a few times I suddenly discovered I was bumping into the switch with my leg. I have also hit the plug at the wall with my foot and loosened it just enough to sometimes shut down.

RE: Computer turns off without warning

I'm guessing it's one of two issues:
1) Windows 64-bit--probably a driver/hardware conflict issue

2) A few years ago I was getting restarts and freezes in my old system, particularly after the monitor shut off while I was away (after screen saver timed out).  The issue turned out to be a bad motherboard (yes, it was new and had this fault since the computer was new).  Once that was replaced, the problem evaporated.  It took a bit of trouble-shooting with tech support to isolate the problem to the motherboard.

Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
Reason trumps all.  And awe transcends reason.

RE: Computer turns off without warning

Do you have anything plugged into the USB ports. If you get a short accross a USB port most motherboads will sense this and shut down. Some, particularly Dell's, will fry.

What are you're fan speeds in the bios?

RE: Computer turns off without warning

(OP)
thanks for the replies, i will check monday for the bios fan speeds. Is it nessecary that all fans are conected to the asus motherboard (like case fan etc.) ?

hidde

RE: Computer turns off without warning

make sure you have proper grounding for both your PC and network components (switches, etc). Just run a wire to the water pipes to test it. Saw several 'problem PCs' with problems like that perform flawless with fixed grounding.

Stefan Hamminga
EngIT Solutions
CSWP/Mechanical designer

RE: Computer turns off without warning

I would gather a bad power supply. Yes its a new computer, but that doesn't mean it couldn't be a bad one.

If you can switch out the power supply with one like it and see if that fixes the problem.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP pc2
www.scottjbaugh.com
"If it's not broke, Don't fix it!"
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies

RE: Computer turns off without warning

If you get a new power supply, might as well get one with a few extra watts.

RE: Computer turns off without warning

(OP)
Thanks for the replies. Only the cpu fan is monitored, the casefan is attached to the powersupply. The bios is passive cooled with heatpipes. I switched the cordless mouse to a mx500 logitech cord mouse... the computer is running for 8 hours straight :D ... let us hope it will continue working...

hidde

RE: Computer turns off without warning

Wow...wouldn't have guessed that would cause your problems. Maybe you could check the drivers for you're wireless mouse and update them if needed and try it again. Or maybe a different USB port. I suppose it's possible your mouse is defective or at least base/reciever is.

In any case glad to see you're stable once again.

Kevin Carpenter
CAD Systems Administrator
Invacare Corp.

RE: Computer turns off without warning

I guessed it was a USB short because it was a problem for us at one time. We created a USB cable that created a short accross two pins when you inserted it or pulled it out accross this custom 8 pin array on a handheld device. The second this short occured on the USB port the computer either went dead cold or smoked. Most motherboards will detect this short and turn off, but there were certain dell ones in house here that fried. Hidde, your complete shutdown with no blue screen of death indicated a short. If it happens again without this problematic usb cordless mouse attached I would follow the others advice and start debugging the power supply for ground faults.

RFUS

RE: Computer turns off without warning

Whatever it's worth, I've had trouble with powered USB hubs in the past.  Purchased three, with only the third functioning (the second one popped and smoked as soon as I plugged it in--fortunately without damage to my system).  As rfus suggested, this might be a good place to start looking in case of problems.  Thanks!

Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
Reason trumps all.  And awe transcends reason.

RE: Computer turns off without warning

(OP)
Bad news, it worked till 1 hour ago. It turnud off 3 times in a row... :(  I will check ground and powersupply.

It turnes off most of the time when i use solidworks, but the last time it turned off when it was processing my login.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources