# Random Shutdown



## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

Hope this is the correct place to post this. If not I am sorry.

I keep getting random shut downs on my new computer I custom built. I am not a novice computer person and have built many many computers. I am a certifed hardware tech. But I cannot find the problem. 

Specs:
-450w PSU
-Asus NF-95 Motherboard
-AMD Athlon 64 3500+
~Silver Compond Thermal Paste
~Cool Master Artic Cooling Heatsink 90mm Fan
-1GB RAM PC3200
-120GB Western Digital HD
-ATI X850XT 256MB Platinum Edition PCIe

Can anyone help?


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

450w PSU
would expect to see 550w+ quality supply running the system
http://www.techsupportforum.com/showthread.php?t=118666


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

Why would I need 550+ for this?


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## Doby (Jan 17, 2006)

List the full specs of the psu and the voltages its producing on the +3.3v, +5v and +12v.

Provide a link to the psu if possible.

It may also help to turn on BSODs in your computer properties. That way you can have some idea as to what's causing Windows to die, if it isn't a hardware issue.

This can be done by right clicking "my computer"->properties->Advanced->Startup and Recovery Settings
Uncheck the "Automatically restart checkbox.

If you get the BSOD, post the error and DLL that is causing it.


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## TheMatt (May 9, 2006)

Are these Shutdowns or Reboots?

Download SensorsView and check that all the fans are spinning and your temps are OK. Use this program to find out the voltages.


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

Wow this site is great you all really seem to care and actully help.

I will do both those things tomorrow or the next day. I work full-time and go to college full-time so I will do this ASAP and get back. Thanks a lot to all of you for helping me. ray:


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

This is a link to the case I purchased with the power supply on it. 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811145066


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## Terrister (Apr 18, 2005)

That power supply is the same size you already have and at that price, probably not any better. You should expect to pay at least $50 for a good power supply. Both your case and power supply were less than $30.

Please read this.
http://www.techsupportforum.com/showthread.php?t=107466


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

No that is what I have now, not what I want to get.


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

I went to the PSU Calculator on the PSU Thread and it told me about 243w. That can't be right.


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## Terrister (Apr 18, 2005)

Sorry, I misread it. 
We have a link in the power supply article to see how large a power supply you need. Also reccomend some in there.


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

So are we sure that the PSU is most likely the issue?

I am limited on cash so I am trying to make sure I get the right stuff the first time and keep it as low as possible. 

Thanks again all for all your help. I will be on this site a lot getting help and helping others as much as I can.


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## Terrister (Apr 18, 2005)

Lets run this program http://www.stvsoft.com/ and check on your voltages and heat.


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

This is what I am reading:

CPU 0 Degree C
SYS 0 Degree C
AUX 0 Degree c
HD0 20 Degree C

Mem Usage 22%
All Fans 0 RPM

Voltages:

VCoreA: 1.40V
+3.3V: 3.33V
+12V: 12.20V
+VBAT: 3.02V


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

I understand most of it and can figure a lot out but I am not sure if this is correct or if something is wrong. I know that the CPU, SYS, and AUX are not running that cool and the fans are not dead so maybe this is a motherboard error?


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

Also when I was on that machine today trying to get Americas Army playing the game would either lock up or shut down. When I looked at the Sys Program the memory usage was maxed out or very close to. Why would 1GB of RAM be maxed out on that? Maybe it is the motherboard


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

The RAM is idle at 20% of 1GB that aint right


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

see what figures you get from everest
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4181.html
what amps are listed on the side of the power supply on the 12v+ line
for pcie the recommended from ati is 24a


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## OMGmissinglink (Sep 24, 2006)

silver compound meaning arctic silver ceramique or 5 ?

http://www.overcool.com/Exec/product.asp?userid=99942571007488&item_id=36513 AS5


http://www.overcool.com/Exec/product.asp?userid=99942571007488&item_id=36515 silver ceramique


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

Ok 'dai' I have installed this program and seems to be giving me better info, what and where can I find the info you need?


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

'OMGmissinglink' I have the AS5 paste on the CPU.


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

I really hope we can get to the bottom of this and fix it soon. My 30 days with receipts on the items are running out. I want to make sure I can return them if I need to if anything is bad. Thanks so much all!


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

I also had a problem just like this with my other Desktop. The issue was the hard drive. When I have the 120GB in there it would shutdown randomly. The drives works in other computer just not that one. So when I had that hard drive in this new computer I thought it was the hard drive. But when I put another HD in the new computer it still shut down randomly. So that is why I don't think it is the hard drive this time. I really hope we can figure this out. Thanks all


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## OMGmissinglink (Sep 24, 2006)

The HD is sata or ide drive? y/n
bios settings on the display, onboard GPU is disabled? y/n
bios setting on the display, PCI-E? y/n

if the HD is ide your using the 80pin ribbon

connection order on the 80 ribbon - Board - slave - Master y/n


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

HD is IDE Master
Onboard VGA: Enable if no Ext VGA
Init Display First PCIex

Also CPU Temp: 60 Degree C


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## OMGmissinglink (Sep 24, 2006)

Onboard VGA: Enable if no Ext VGA / disabled or enabled in bios?
40 pin ribbon ide cable or 80 pin?


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

click on computer on the left and then sensor


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

'dai' 

Version EVEREST v2.20.405
Homepage http://www.lavalys.com/
Report Type Report Wizard
Computer ERIKA-2
Generator Snake
Operating System Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition 5.1.2600 (WinXP Retail)
Date 2006-10-12
Time 11:57


--------[ Sensor ]------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sensor Properties:
Sensor Type Winbond W83647HF (ISA 290h)
GPU Sensor Type National LM63 (ATI-I2C 4Ch)

Temperatures:
GPU 33 °C (91 °F)
GPU Ambient  31 °C (88 °F)
WDC WD1200JB-00FUA0 21 °C (70 °F)

Voltage Values:
CPU Core 1.16 V
Aux 3.65 V
+3.3 V 3.34 V
+5 V 5.56 V
+12 V 12.46 V
-12 V 1.46 V
-5 V 2.95 V
+5 V Standby 5.07 V
VBAT Battery 3.02 V
Debug Info F FF FF FF
Debug Info T 208 208 208
Debug Info V AD E4 D1 CF CD C7 D4 (01)


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

'OMGmissinglink' there is no disable option in bios. It was enable or disable is EXT VGA. So I have it set to disable if EXT VGA seeing as I have the X850 in there. 

The HD is http://www.westerndigital.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=27


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

Also I was just trying to find the issue a little better and I ran the game I like to play Americas Amry with the sensorview open. All the Voltages were fine. I CPU was at about 90% average and RAM was 75% average. That seemed kinda high for the game but IDK. Do you think it would be a bad processor or motherboard?


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

Another thing is that I ran my game again this time with Everest and I saw my GPU temp raise 10 degree C and wasn't slowing down. The screen would go black, the GPU fan would spin a lot faster and the screen would come back frozen for a few and then repeat. I was just running around without anyone else in the server the GPU was really heating up. Maybe it is the Video Card?? IDK just throwing out ideas. Thanks for the help! I really need to get this figured out so if anything is bad I can return it soon before my 30days run out.


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

I am beginning to think it is the motherboard. Seeing as when I use Everest on my other Desktop it gives me the CPU temp and all fan speeds. Is this a logical idea or am I incorrect?


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

In regaurds to 'thematt' way back (sorry missed the post) they are restarts.


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## OMGmissinglink (Sep 24, 2006)

You've not posted the HD's ribbon your using is 40 or 80 pin?

connection order

40 pin board/master/slave
80 pin colored end - board/slave/master


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

Oh I see, I am sorry.

How can I tell?

Colored end as in the Blue Plastic piece??


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## OMGmissinglink (Sep 24, 2006)

in bios where the onboard GPU settings are, set to "disabled",
onboard devices -init first display settings, set to PCI-E,
if your using the 80pin HD ribbon - connection as follows color end plugs in board / next connector is the "slave" / next connector is the master "which your hd should be connected. then hd check manufactures specks' make sure HD is jumpered as master.

cpu temps under gaming raising 10 deg. pretty normal not a problem.


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## OMGmissinglink (Sep 24, 2006)

> Also CPU Temp: 60 Degree C


 either your HSF is not seated properly / also recommend using arctic silver 5 thermal paste / clean the cpu and HS prior to applying the AS5

http://www.overcool.com/Exec/product.asp?userid=99942571007488&item_id=36513 AS5 do not use AS Ceramique thermal paste.


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

There is not option to totally disable the Onboard GPU. I can only set it to "enable if no ext vga". So that is what I have it set to.

Also when I was looking in my BIOS I don't know why this didn't hit me before but yeah the CPU is WAY TOO HIGH! So I have now taken off the heatsink and trying to find my thermal paste to give it a fresh set and see if maybe that is part of the issue. When I started the PC the BIOS were showing CPU at 56 C, shut down was at 60 C. So maybe that was part of the problem. 

Also I am using the 80pin IDE.


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

Yup something wrong with my CPU temp. That might not be all but it is a start. After 5min. of watching temp in BIOS it at 76 C


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

The only thing is that if it was a CPU overheat wouldn't the system shutdown instead of restarting??


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## OMGmissinglink (Sep 24, 2006)

Snake21605 said:


> There is not option to totally disable the Onboard GPU. I can only set it to "enable if no ext vga". So that is what I have it set to..


set to no ext vga then.



> Also when I was looking in my BIOS I don't know why this didn't hit me before but yeah the CPU is WAY TOO HIGH! So I have now taken off the heatsink and trying to find my thermal paste to give it a fresh set and see if maybe that is part of the issue. When I started the PC the BIOS were showing CPU at 56 C, shut down was at 60 C. So maybe that was part of the problem.
> 
> Also I am using the 80pin IDE.


cpu temp is one problem use the link above the AS5 drops the cpu temps 5-13 deg. over standard thermal paste.


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

Well we now know why sometimes the computer shutsdown and I have to re-plug it to start it again. But what cause the system to reboot?? GRRR..... so much money and it don't work.


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## OMGmissinglink (Sep 24, 2006)

overheating will caue the pc to reboot or shut off depending on the bios settings, is the graphic's card seated firm? might try pulling and reinsert.
couldn't find any suggest memory compatability on abits webpage?


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

Well I would personally like to thank you for all your help so far. You really seem to care and give correct info. Thanks so much!:grin: 

I will get the CPU stuff fixed this weekend and we can go from there. Unless I to fix it sooner. Thanks


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

Ok all Thank You so Much for your Help!

The problem was the motherboard. Don't know why but other MB works fine with temp and CPU. So yeah thanks again!


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## Doby (Jan 17, 2006)

Thanks for letting us know, thats important to us


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## Snake21605 (Oct 10, 2006)

Well you helped so much I should atleast let you know what is was and if it was solved.

I hope to continue being on this site helping and getting helped for as long as I can. Thanks all!

-Snake


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