Possible power supply problem...

Zeokage · 02-28-2007, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Recently my computer's been switching itself off as if the power's been cut. AVG and AdAware aren't picking up anything. I've managed to isolate 2 instances that seem to trigger it...

1. Running Spybot. It gets somewhere between 13,000 and 17,000 on the bot check and the computer cuts out. AV-Gold was the last checkpoint I remember it hanging on.

2. Running Football Manager 2006. It wasn't doing it in the first place, but recently I've gone back to playing it and every time I try the computer eventually switches off.

That was my first post in the HJT forum, and they've been through a lot of different methods to find out what the problem is (see here to see what I mean) but all that they tried either brought up nothing, or the act of searching for something caused another cutting out.

What's weird is that the computer could be on for hours with no problems, but do one of these searches or play Football Manager and it cuts out, even if it's the first thing I try. Basically, being able to start the programs that eventually lead to a cut makes me think that it's a software problem, but the HJT group said I should try here just in case.

Tumbleweed36 · 02-28-2007, 03:03 PM

Hi,

Please list all your specs for the rig including the brand name, wattage, and amps per rail (on the side of the power supply) for that unit. In the meantime, download and run the SensorsViewPro program under my signature and post the results right here. For our usage on the temperature front, please check this one for at-rest and also when playing a stressful game or something like that.

Post back with questions/concerns.

Zeokage · 03-01-2007, 07:41 AM

This could be interesting... I bought this computer in Japan just over 2 years ago and it's not a tower computer, it's a computer-television hybrid (this one to be exact) and I don't know where I would look for a power supply. I did a search online to see if it was mentioned anywhere and ran into this which has got me worried as I bought it in December 2004.

The back of the computer does say (translated, so it might be vague)...
Rated Value: AC 1000V 50/60Hz 2.3A
Power Consumption: 115 (max. 135)W

As for the temperature thing, it might be because of what this computer is, but it's only giving the temperature of the hard drive, which is at 42C (108F) right now, but I'll monitor and post again when I run FM2006.

Zeokage · 03-01-2007, 08:17 AM

The sensor upgraded to 3.1 and gave a reading of 44C (112F) until the computer switched off.

Last night the computer did switch itself off twice in quick succession last night, but the fan above the plug was extremely hot so I put it down to that.

Zeokage · 03-01-2007, 01:06 PM

Another update (I wish there was automerge or editing for cases like this)... It's turning off with more frequency now, this time turning on the sensor straight away gave a 48C reading while my sister was using it. It's cooled down to 44 again now.

Blocked fan?

Tumbleweed36 · 03-01-2007, 01:26 PM

Hi,

How long has it been since you took a can of compressed air and blew all the dust bunnies out of the fans, the heatsink, the power supply, and other areas of your case? Also, did SensorView list the voltages?

Zeokage · 03-01-2007, 02:15 PM

I've never done it. I wouldn't know where to begin due to the differences between this computer and the towers that I'm used to. I assume this would mean taking apart the computer, which I've been trying not to think about as it is part TV.

SensorView only shows the HD temperature, it can't find the voltage and fan sensors.

Tumbleweed36 · 03-01-2007, 02:18 PM

Hi,

If you can find a way to get in there, dust collects on those fans/heatsinks/power supply areas and can cause what you are seeing. That might solve your problem, but you won't know until you take a side loose and try to get it blown out of there.

Zeokage · 03-01-2007, 02:46 PM

Have you seen the picture of the computer from the links in post #3? Not much of a side to look for, that's the entire computer. I'll see what I can do about taking the back off tomorrow though and get back to you. :)

Where do you get compressed air from? I assume that's the only thing I should really use...

Tumbleweed36 · 03-01-2007, 02:57 PM

Hi,

Earlier I could not get your link to download for some reason. I just got that done at this time. However, it looks (if I can understand - The website is not in English and has so many square characters that are not readable) like it is a laptop....is it a laptop? The thing is so garbled that for me it is difficult to know what you are facing.

With the compressed air, you can get a can of air at most any hardware store, Wal Mart, computer store, etc....for about 5 bucks or so. They have a little straw like thing you can put in the end to direct the air where you want to clean it out. Therefore, it is not necessary to take the whole thing apart, just enough to get that little straw in there. Be sure to clean out the power supply fan when you do this.

Since I can't see much of it, I can't advise you on how to take anything apart, so good luck on that one....Just don't take anything apart that you can't get back together. If it is a laptop, I will try to connect you with someone who is more in that area, so let me know.

Tumbleweed36 · 03-01-2007, 03:08 PM

Hi,

I have determined that it must be a laptop issue, so have asked another moderator and an asst. manager here on our forum to take a look at it. They both know much more about laptops than I do. I will shadow the thread to make sure you get some assistance.

Zeokage · 03-01-2007, 03:17 PM

It's the pictures that I was referring to more than the text, though it's more like a laptop than a desktop (though the weight of the TV components make it impossible to keep on your lap). The second link (and picture) is probably easier to figure out as the problem the article describes could be similar to this problem as I think it might be the same computer, it's definately in the same series.

Thanks for the help so far, I apologise for this being such a complicated issue.

**TheMatt** · 03-01-2007, 07:12 PM

Hi,

So basically, the symptoms are it is just shutting off? Is there anything else I missed?

Try opening up the back. There should be some removable panels that can be taken off by unscrewing some screws. Then, get that can of compressed air (office supplies stores will have it), and blow out all you can see. And if there are any vents, blow in those as well.

If you can access the RAM, try taking out one stick, then the other. In addition, post the voltages and temps you get from SpeedFan and Everest (links in my sig).

Zeokage · 03-02-2007, 02:20 AM

Nope, you haven't missed anything. It's just shutting off with no warning. It seemed that it was certain programs causing it, but it's doing it more frequently in the past couple of days. On the plus side I've just uninstalled FM2006 and Spybot ran through its full check with no problems for the first time since the problem started. I did do it as soon as I turned on the computer and the HD temperature raised from 27C to 42C in less than an hour.

I'll try taking the back off the computer once I find the air. It's like a TV in that respect as it looks as if there's only one thing that can come off. The only temperature that's shown through Everest is the HDD temperature (currently 42C) and SpeedFan unfortunately doesn't do any better.

Maybe it's because it's a Japanese computer? I've brought it back to England with me so it's being powered through a transformer I bought seperately. The outputs are within the ranges on the sticker on the back of the computer and I've been using it here for 18 months now.

**TheMatt** · 03-02-2007, 12:11 PM

Try downloading an ISO of Ubuntu and see if it shuts down with that. It is a live CD, so you won't loose any data.

Also, having the specs of this computer will help. Do a report with Everest to quickly copy down all the info, and then upload it as an attachment.

Zeokage · 03-02-2007, 02:22 PM

Here's the attachment, I copied the specs from it yesterday and put it into the My System part... did I get those stats right?

What's different about Ubuntu?

**TheMatt** · 03-02-2007, 07:40 PM

If it shuts down in Ubuntu, it will tell that it is in fact a hardware issue rather than a software issue. That has an AMD Athlon XP, and it does have a temperature sensor, so it is odd we could not detect it.

If you can open up the back at least partly and run it like that, that will help dispense hot air, and if it shuts down less, then you have an overheating problem. In addition, set the power scheme to Portable/Laptop and see if it shuts down less. When you are making the switch, run MobileMeter (download it from my sig) and see if the frequency changes at all from 1.1 GHz.

02-28-2007, 03:03 PM	#2 (permalink)
Tumbleweed36 Asst Manager Hardware Join Date: May 2005 Location: USA Posts: 14,184 OS: XP Professional	Hi, Please list all your specs for the rig including the brand name, wattage, and amps per rail (on the side of the power supply) for that unit. In the meantime, download and run the SensorsViewPro program under my signature and post the results right here. For our usage on the temperature front, please check this one for at-rest and also when playing a stressful game or something like that. Post back with questions/concerns. __________________ ----------

03-01-2007, 01:26 PM	#6 (permalink)
Tumbleweed36 Asst Manager Hardware Join Date: May 2005 Location: USA Posts: 14,184 OS: XP Professional	Hi, How long has it been since you took a can of compressed air and blew all the dust bunnies out of the fans, the heatsink, the power supply, and other areas of your case? Also, did SensorView list the voltages? __________________ ----------

03-01-2007, 02:18 PM	#8 (permalink)
Tumbleweed36 Asst Manager Hardware Join Date: May 2005 Location: USA Posts: 14,184 OS: XP Professional	Hi, If you can find a way to get in there, dust collects on those fans/heatsinks/power supply areas and can cause what you are seeing. That might solve your problem, but you won't know until you take a side loose and try to get it blown out of there. __________________ ----------

03-01-2007, 02:57 PM	#10 (permalink)
Tumbleweed36 Asst Manager Hardware Join Date: May 2005 Location: USA Posts: 14,184 OS: XP Professional	Hi, Earlier I could not get your link to download for some reason. I just got that done at this time. However, it looks (if I can understand - The website is not in English and has so many square characters that are not readable) like it is a laptop....is it a laptop? The thing is so garbled that for me it is difficult to know what you are facing. With the compressed air, you can get a can of air at most any hardware store, Wal Mart, computer store, etc....for about 5 bucks or so. They have a little straw like thing you can put in the end to direct the air where you want to clean it out. Therefore, it is not necessary to take the whole thing apart, just enough to get that little straw in there. Be sure to clean out the power supply fan when you do this. Since I can't see much of it, I can't advise you on how to take anything apart, so good luck on that one....Just don't take anything apart that you can't get back together. If it is a laptop, I will try to connect you with someone who is more in that area, so let me know. __________________ ----------

03-01-2007, 03:08 PM	#11 (permalink)
Tumbleweed36 Asst Manager Hardware Join Date: May 2005 Location: USA Posts: 14,184 OS: XP Professional	Hi, I have determined that it must be a laptop issue, so have asked another moderator and an asst. manager here on our forum to take a look at it. They both know much more about laptops than I do. I will shadow the thread to make sure you get some assistance. __________________ ---------- Last edited by Tumbleweed36 : 03-01-2007 at 03:40 PM.

03-01-2007, 07:41 AM	#3 (permalink)
Zeokage Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: London, England Posts: 70 OS: Windows XP Home My System	This could be interesting... I bought this computer in Japan just over 2 years ago and it's not a tower computer, it's a computer-television hybrid (this one to be exact) and I don't know where I would look for a power supply. I did a search online to see if it was mentioned anywhere and ran into this which has got me worried as I bought it in December 2004. The back of the computer does say (translated, so it might be vague)... Rated Value: AC 1000V 50/60Hz 2.3A Power Consumption: 115 (max. 135)W As for the temperature thing, it might be because of what this computer is, but it's only giving the temperature of the hard drive, which is at 42C (108F) right now, but I'll monitor and post again when I run FM2006.

03-01-2007, 08:17 AM	#4 (permalink)
Zeokage Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: London, England Posts: 70 OS: Windows XP Home My System	The sensor upgraded to 3.1 and gave a reading of 44C (112F) until the computer switched off. Last night the computer did switch itself off twice in quick succession last night, but the fan above the plug was extremely hot so I put it down to that.

03-01-2007, 01:06 PM	#5 (permalink)
Zeokage Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: London, England Posts: 70 OS: Windows XP Home My System	Another update (I wish there was automerge or editing for cases like this)... It's turning off with more frequency now, this time turning on the sensor straight away gave a 48C reading while my sister was using it. It's cooled down to 44 again now. Blocked fan?

03-01-2007, 02:15 PM	#7 (permalink)
Zeokage Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: London, England Posts: 70 OS: Windows XP Home My System	I've never done it. I wouldn't know where to begin due to the differences between this computer and the towers that I'm used to. I assume this would mean taking apart the computer, which I've been trying not to think about as it is part TV. SensorView only shows the HD temperature, it can't find the voltage and fan sensors.

03-01-2007, 02:46 PM	#9 (permalink)
Zeokage Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: London, England Posts: 70 OS: Windows XP Home My System	Have you seen the picture of the computer from the links in post #3? Not much of a side to look for, that's the entire computer. I'll see what I can do about taking the back off tomorrow though and get back to you. :) Where do you get compressed air from? I assume that's the only thing I should really use...

03-01-2007, 03:17 PM	#12 (permalink)
Zeokage Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: London, England Posts: 70 OS: Windows XP Home My System	It's the pictures that I was referring to more than the text, though it's more like a laptop than a desktop (though the weight of the TV components make it impossible to keep on your lap). The second link (and picture) is probably easier to figure out as the problem the article describes could be similar to this problem as I think it might be the same computer, it's definately in the same series. Thanks for the help so far, I apologise for this being such a complicated issue.

03-01-2007, 07:12 PM	#13 (permalink)
TheMatt Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston Posts: 13,695 OS: Win 3.1, 98, NT 4.0, XP Debian 4.0, Kubuntu 6.06 My System Blog Entries: 3	Hi, So basically, the symptoms are it is just shutting off? Is there anything else I missed? Try opening up the back. There should be some removable panels that can be taken off by unscrewing some screws. Then, get that can of compressed air (office supplies stores will have it), and blow out all you can see. And if there are any vents, blow in those as well. If you can access the RAM, try taking out one stick, then the other. In addition, post the voltages and temps you get from SpeedFan and Everest (links in my sig). __________________ - Matt M - KB1OSC - Folding@Home 85015 If TSF has helped you, please consider donating. If I have stopped responding to a thread, feel free to send me a PM with a link to the thread. It is advisable to subscribe to threads so you will receive updates when replies are posted. You can subscribe to threads from the "Thread Tools" Menu. »Memtest86 »Prime95 »UBCD »SpeedFan »NHC Personal »Everest »Sandra »PC Wizard »RivaTuner »ATi Tool Click here for Useful Articles and Guides

03-02-2007, 02:20 AM	#14 (permalink)
Zeokage Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: London, England Posts: 70 OS: Windows XP Home My System	Nope, you haven't missed anything. It's just shutting off with no warning. It seemed that it was certain programs causing it, but it's doing it more frequently in the past couple of days. On the plus side I've just uninstalled FM2006 and Spybot ran through its full check with no problems for the first time since the problem started. I did do it as soon as I turned on the computer and the HD temperature raised from 27C to 42C in less than an hour. I'll try taking the back off the computer once I find the air. It's like a TV in that respect as it looks as if there's only one thing that can come off. The only temperature that's shown through Everest is the HDD temperature (currently 42C) and SpeedFan unfortunately doesn't do any better. Maybe it's because it's a Japanese computer? I've brought it back to England with me so it's being powered through a transformer I bought seperately. The outputs are within the ranges on the sticker on the back of the computer and I've been using it here for 18 months now.

03-02-2007, 12:11 PM	#15 (permalink)
TheMatt Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston Posts: 13,695 OS: Win 3.1, 98, NT 4.0, XP Debian 4.0, Kubuntu 6.06 My System Blog Entries: 3	Try downloading an ISO of Ubuntu and see if it shuts down with that. It is a live CD, so you won't loose any data. Also, having the specs of this computer will help. Do a report with Everest to quickly copy down all the info, and then upload it as an attachment. __________________ - Matt M - KB1OSC - Folding@Home 85015 If TSF has helped you, please consider donating. If I have stopped responding to a thread, feel free to send me a PM with a link to the thread. It is advisable to subscribe to threads so you will receive updates when replies are posted. You can subscribe to threads from the "Thread Tools" Menu. »Memtest86 »Prime95 »UBCD »SpeedFan »NHC Personal »Everest »Sandra »PC Wizard »RivaTuner »ATi Tool Click here for Useful Articles and Guides

03-02-2007, 07:40 PM	#17 (permalink)
TheMatt Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston Posts: 13,695 OS: Win 3.1, 98, NT 4.0, XP Debian 4.0, Kubuntu 6.06 My System Blog Entries: 3	If it shuts down in Ubuntu, it will tell that it is in fact a hardware issue rather than a software issue. That has an AMD Athlon XP, and it does have a temperature sensor, so it is odd we could not detect it. If you can open up the back at least partly and run it like that, that will help dispense hot air, and if it shuts down less, then you have an overheating problem. In addition, set the power scheme to Portable/Laptop and see if it shuts down less. When you are making the switch, run MobileMeter (download it from my sig) and see if the frequency changes at all from 1.1 GHz. __________________ - Matt M - KB1OSC - Folding@Home 85015 If TSF has helped you, please consider donating. If I have stopped responding to a thread, feel free to send me a PM with a link to the thread. It is advisable to subscribe to threads so you will receive updates when replies are posted. You can subscribe to threads from the "Thread Tools" Menu. »Memtest86 »Prime95 »UBCD »SpeedFan »NHC Personal »Everest »Sandra »PC Wizard »RivaTuner »ATi Tool Click here for Useful Articles and Guides