[SOLVED] PC turned off...Overheating or PSU???

**Techie19** · 05-10-2011, 03:49 AM

I have a Gateway GT4010 which is about 5 years old. Yes, I know I'm do for an upgrade, but for now it does its purpose.

So yesterday I was online. Was also running MS Office excel. All of a sudden my PC shut off. I thought it was another power outage, which happens sometimes around my way. Sometimes I'll wake up in the morning and find my computer turned off. Also my microwave, coffee maker, and other small appliances. This tells me there was a power outage in the middle of the nite.

So being that there's a history of power outages, I'm thinking that the PSU is going bad (due to yesterday's episode). The same happened about 2 weeks ago, while I was using the computer it just turned off.

I haven't opened up the case and cleaned the inside in about 3 months or so.

You guys think its overheating or the PSU going bad?

greenbrucelee · 05-10-2011, 04:20 AM

probably... Can you switch the pc on? can you get into the BIOS?

If you can please post the voltages and temps, if your BIOS is locked and you cant see those readings please download CPUID hardware monitor and post the cpu temps and voltages from there.

You should try cleaning the pc out with compressed air aswell.

Tyree · 05-10-2011, 06:05 AM

Power outages are very hard on PSU's and especially OEM units.

**Techie19** · 05-10-2011, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenbrucelee

probably... Can you switch the pc on? can you get into the BIOS?

If you can please post the voltages and temps, if your BIOS is locked and you cant see those readings please download CPUID hardware monitor and post the cpu temps and voltages from there.

You should try cleaning the pc out with compressed air aswell.

greenbrucelee · 05-11-2011, 03:21 AM

That isn't what I asked for. If you can get into the Bios (thats the bit when you first switch on the pc and it says press del or press f1 to enter setup) please post the temps and voltages from it.

If your BIOS is locked please download CPUID hardware monitor and post the information from that.

**Techie19** · 05-11-2011, 04:53 AM

I know how to get into the BIOS. I posted the information I did because I figured it was the same as what you asked. But I will go into the BIOS and post the information I get from there. Will I be able to do a print screen image of the BIOS?

greenbrucelee · 05-11-2011, 05:28 AM

you will need a camera. I am specifically looking for the 12v 3.3 and 5v readings and the temperatures.

**Techie19** · 05-12-2011, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenbrucelee

you will need a camera. I am specifically looking for the 12v 3.3 and 5v readings and the temperatures.

Here's the info I was able to get from the BIOS...

**Techie19** · 05-21-2011, 02:22 PM

PC shut off today again. It was on as always and I put a dvd in the optical drive and all a sudden it just shut off.

Tyree · 05-21-2011, 03:17 PM

Your Voltages are within specs. Your CPU temp is a little warm but not enough to cause issues.
Any 5 yr. old OEM PSU is certainly a prime candidate for failure.

**Techie19** · 05-21-2011, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyree

Your Voltages are within specs. Your CPU temp is a little warm but not enough to cause issues.
Any 5 yr. old OEM PSU is certainly a prime candidate for failure.

I guess I'm due for a new computer. Will keep all my data backed up so the day the power supply goes I can just restore all my data to the new system.

greenbrucelee · 05-22-2011, 05:17 AM

why not just buy a new power supply? (just make sure its agood make).

Tyree · 05-22-2011, 05:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenbrucelee

why not just buy a new power supply? (just make sure its agood make).

Ditto. When lower quality PSU's fail it is not uncommon for them to damage other components.

**Techie19** · 05-22-2011, 05:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenbrucelee

why not just buy a new power supply? (just make sure its agood make).

I just figured my computer is 5 yrs old now. But you make a good point. The power supply for my PC is BTX, so I just gotta look for one. They're not as common as the ATX form factor ones.

**Techie19** · 09-10-2011, 05:09 PM

Hello there all. Sorry for not replying sooner, but just been crazy busy with work and school. I searched for BTX power supplies and they're kind of expensive compared to ATX. Supply and Demand I guess, being that BTX never really took off. I don't' think it's worth the money, again, being that my computer is 5+ yrs old. Been using my laptop.

I did open up the case and there was quite a good amount of dust in it. So I cleaned it out with a can of compressed air. Closed the case back up and plugged everything back. Turn it on and had no problem with it shutting off. That is until I plugged in a flash drive to the USB port in front of the case. As soon as I plugged it in, it turned off.

I removed the flash drive and turned it back on. This time booting off a Ubuntu Linux CD. I left the computer running all day off the Ubuntu disc and it never turned off.

Can this new information help in confirming that it is the PSU or something else causing the PC to turn off? Bad RAM? Bad Mobo?

Thx to everyone that has posted and helped with this.

greenbrucelee · 09-11-2011, 02:49 AM

a bad psu can cause problems with the ram, motherboard and everything else. You should start with replacing that first.

Tyree · 09-11-2011, 08:55 AM

As above^
Your PSU needs to be replace so that would be the place to start.

**Techie19** · 09-11-2011, 10:45 AM

Thanks again guys for your help.

Just curious as to why when running the computer off the Linux boot disc the computer never shut off?

**Techie19** · 09-11-2011, 10:52 AM

Also, was checking newegg and came across this PSU:

Newegg.com - KINGWIN ABT-650MM 650W ATX 12V v2.2/ BTX SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Power Supply

What do you guys think?

I don't want to spend much money because I might just end up selling the computer. I doubt that I'll be able to sell it to someone without a PSU, or a faulty PSU.

Tyree · 09-11-2011, 10:55 AM

Very poor quality PSU.