i need some help... very badly!

n3m3sis · 01-17-2008, 05:50 PM

okay so a couple of months ago my computer started randomly turning off. at first it was just an occasional thing but now it wont stay powered on. it also wont stay powered off. when i do start it up it usually wont make it to the desktop and when it powers off it will continuously try to power itself back up usually not even making it as far as the loading windows screen. at first i though it was the power supply because the cord going into the psu was very loose. i bought a new psu and it continued to do the same thing. so i exchanged the psu for a stick of ram. a 512mb DDR PC2700 made by simple tech. i was sure this was going to fix the problem so i put the new ram in the computer and it ran smooth for about 2 hours or so when it starts turning off again. i was thinking it could possibly be the psu and the ram but when it powers itself off it logs off of windows and saves settings etc. so at this point i am completely in the dark as to even a possibility of what is wrong. any help would be greatly appreciated. i know considerably more than the average user but by know means am an expert so i will tell you what i can about my pc.

Emachines w2888 not quite 5 years old but close

Windows XP SP2 installed (i believe)

stock ram made by Hynix i think? 512mb DDR PC2700

new ram made by Simple Tech 512mb DDR compatible with PC3200, 2700 and 2100

there are 2 seperate slots for ram on my motherboard that can hold up to 2GB of memory if that matters at all... like said ANY help would be great!! thanks.

dai · 01-17-2008, 07:04 PM

maybe an infection
follow the 5 steps here
IMPORTANT - Read This Before Posting For Malware Removal Help

n3m3sis · 01-17-2008, 07:15 PM

step 1 says to get into the control and add/remove programs... i cant get that far even.
also i have reformatted the computer and it did the same thing again. as far as im aware reformatting usually removes all harmful files on your hard drive. just a little while ago my friend said that it could possibly be the hard drive so im going to see if the drive works in another computer or if i can get as far as the bios without the hard drive. other than that i am still lost as to the problem so if you know any other possible hardware problems please let me know... thanks for the reply.

dai · 01-18-2008, 05:42 AM

post your voltage and tempreture listed in the bios
when you tried the new power supply was it a quality supply of larger wattage then what was in there
it sounds from your discription you bought the cheapest you could lay your hands on

n3m3sis · 01-18-2008, 09:26 AM

the computers not hooked up right now so i will have to do that later to get into the bios
the power supply that i bought was a 500 watt basiq i believe and yes it was cheap at 40 bucks
the stock psu is 300 or 350 watts
more than anything i was looking for hardware to hold me over until i started to build a new system but now im considering doing it sooner so i avoid this headache... the motherboard will be my first piece and i havnt decided on intel or amd yet are there any that you reccomend? ill be using it mainly just for internet and music but i would like it to possibly be a mid end gaming pc. i would also like it not to have onboard video or sound but i hanvt been able to find anything like that. eventually i want to throw in some type of a sound card to record a guitar and ill get a decent video card so its not really needed on the mb

dai · 01-19-2008, 09:38 AM

asus p5k

01-17-2008, 05:50 PM	#1 (permalink)
n3m3sis Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 3 OS: XP SP2	i need some help... very badly! okay so a couple of months ago my computer started randomly turning off. at first it was just an occasional thing but now it wont stay powered on. it also wont stay powered off. when i do start it up it usually wont make it to the desktop and when it powers off it will continuously try to power itself back up usually not even making it as far as the loading windows screen. at first i though it was the power supply because the cord going into the psu was very loose. i bought a new psu and it continued to do the same thing. so i exchanged the psu for a stick of ram. a 512mb DDR PC2700 made by simple tech. i was sure this was going to fix the problem so i put the new ram in the computer and it ran smooth for about 2 hours or so when it starts turning off again. i was thinking it could possibly be the psu and the ram but when it powers itself off it logs off of windows and saves settings etc. so at this point i am completely in the dark as to even a possibility of what is wrong. any help would be greatly appreciated. i know considerably more than the average user but by know means am an expert so i will tell you what i can about my pc. Emachines w2888 not quite 5 years old but close Windows XP SP2 installed (i believe) stock ram made by Hynix i think? 512mb DDR PC2700 new ram made by Simple Tech 512mb DDR compatible with PC3200, 2700 and 2100 there are 2 seperate slots for ram on my motherboard that can hold up to 2GB of memory if that matters at all... like said ANY help would be great!! thanks.

01-17-2008, 07:04 PM	#2 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 42,106 OS: vista 32x ultimate retail	Re: i need some help... very badly! maybe an infection follow the 5 steps here IMPORTANT - Read This Before Posting For Malware Removal Help __________________

01-17-2008, 07:15 PM	#3 (permalink)
n3m3sis Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 3 OS: XP SP2	Re: i need some help... very badly! step 1 says to get into the control and add/remove programs... i cant get that far even. also i have reformatted the computer and it did the same thing again. as far as im aware reformatting usually removes all harmful files on your hard drive. just a little while ago my friend said that it could possibly be the hard drive so im going to see if the drive works in another computer or if i can get as far as the bios without the hard drive. other than that i am still lost as to the problem so if you know any other possible hardware problems please let me know... thanks for the reply.

01-18-2008, 05:42 AM	#4 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 42,106 OS: vista 32x ultimate retail	Re: i need some help... very badly! post your voltage and tempreture listed in the bios when you tried the new power supply was it a quality supply of larger wattage then what was in there it sounds from your discription you bought the cheapest you could lay your hands on __________________

01-18-2008, 09:26 AM	#5 (permalink)
n3m3sis Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 3 OS: XP SP2	Re: i need some help... very badly! the computers not hooked up right now so i will have to do that later to get into the bios the power supply that i bought was a 500 watt basiq i believe and yes it was cheap at 40 bucks the stock psu is 300 or 350 watts more than anything i was looking for hardware to hold me over until i started to build a new system but now im considering doing it sooner so i avoid this headache... the motherboard will be my first piece and i havnt decided on intel or amd yet are there any that you reccomend? ill be using it mainly just for internet and music but i would like it to possibly be a mid end gaming pc. i would also like it not to have onboard video or sound but i hanvt been able to find anything like that. eventually i want to throw in some type of a sound card to record a guitar and ill get a decent video card so its not really needed on the mb

01-19-2008, 09:38 AM	#6 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 42,106 OS: vista 32x ultimate retail	Re: i need some help... very badly! asus p5k __________________