# [SOLVED] Sudden PC shutdown



## Gdn8Melbourne (Oct 28, 2011)

My pc suddenly got shut down itself. Right then i was achieving a huge file in 7z, Playing online games in facebook and was browsing in Chrome... I know the cpu overload is the reason of sudden shutdown but it was not like the cpu was 100% in use all the time. I have system monitor opened all the time. I even cpu-rendered heavier images in blender in past. No history of crash. I dont know ubuntu itself crashed or not. I know my UPS's battery is down and it cant take load when the power is gone. But when there is power, I don't see any reason to this shutdown. I totally clueless about this sudden shutdown.
Help please.
Thanks.


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## randysrdh (Nov 29, 2013)

*Re: Sudden PC shutdown*

You need to clean your computer insides your processor is overheating .... take a shopvac that you can reverse the hose and make it blow out .... clean heat sinks and fans they are caked with dust ... if it continues to overheat it will burn up your processor and mother board !!!!


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## Gdn8Melbourne (Oct 28, 2011)

*Re: Sudden PC shutdown*

My processor didn't overheat in 3 years, even when i used 100% cpu for hours, and I cleaned it recently. Didn't blow the dusts up, but brushed the dusts off.

I was guessing maybe a sudden fall in power voltage or something made the ups shutdown the pc...


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## Done_Fishin (Oct 10, 2006)

*Re: Sudden PC shutdown*

Check that your power lead(s) leading to your PC haven't worked themselves a bit loose in their sockets. I have known this to be one cause of sudden shutdowns due to intermittent contact. Otherwise you'll just have to wait & see if it becomes a "feature" or just a one off that wants to baffle you. Memory problems can also cause this effect along with sudden power surges .. especially since you say you have a UPS with a duff Battery. A power spike occurs so the UPS switches over to battery operation for 30 seconds (checking to see if the Voltage stabilised) but the battery doesn't hold up that long so everything powers down.


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## Gdn8Melbourne (Oct 28, 2011)

*HELP: PC shutdown - CPU overheats or UPS?*

Last night my computer suddenly shut down itself - no crash, no text, nothing - like a pure power off.... There were huge tasks going on like I was achieving a huge file in 7z, playing games and browsing in chrome. But I have done heavier image cpu-rendering in 3d applications in past. No history of overheating. My UPS's battery is down. I guessed a sudden fall in power voltage or something made the UPS shut it down... But the next moment as I turned the pc on - the UPS showed no sign of inability. I clearly don't know whay it got shut down. I use Ubuntu and Ubuntu shuts down itself like a pure power off - the chance in very very rare.




p.s.: How to clean inside the computer cabinet? I don't know how to open the parts...like the fan on top of the cpu or that round metal ring that sits on the processor chip...


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## Gdn8Melbourne (Oct 28, 2011)

*Re: Sudden PC shutdown*

So seems the UPS is the culprit...
I remember I plugged the wires pretty tight...and the memory should be alright... a year ago memtest86 found fault in one of two memory sticks and I replaced it with a new one few months ago. So until then I always checked with memtest to see the other one is functioning alright or not.
Rest is CPU or UPS. I read I can't use a vacuum cleaner to suck or blow off the dusts in pc-cabinet.And also I don't know how to open it part by part to brush off the dusts... 

At night when all other electrical things are off, I've noticed voltage up-downs in my UPS..maybe it adjusts with the higher rate of current then... I don't know. I'm just guessing. So as you said the UPS might cause problem as it has a duff battery now. It makes more sense. I'm changing it in few days. It was a pure shut down - no crash, no warning nothing.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: HELP: PC shutdown - CPU overheats or UPS?*

Your specs under "My System" are pretty sketchy but I see a iball PSU and that is a good suspect.
Model Number on the label affixed to the PSU?
Are you using Onboard Graphics or a dedicated GPU?
Clean the inside of the PC with compressed (canned) air.
Use a non-metallic object to prevent fans from spinning when sing compressed air.
Do NOT open the PSU!


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## Done_Fishin (Oct 10, 2006)

*Re: Sudden PC shutdown*

The UPS is POSSIBLY the culprit .. only time will tell .. you could try just booting into BIOS (so that you don't load the operating system or have possibility of a power down should there be open files from your hard disk) and play with your mains leads, first to the UPS and then the lead to your PC. You could even (in the situation detailed above) pull the power lead from the UPS and see if it will keep the power on until you immediately plug the power lead back in. If the PC closes you know that you have no backup power at all from your battery and it's probably battery related. 
Only time will tell whether you have something else to look for should the problem re-appear after the battery has been replaced.


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## Gdn8Melbourne (Oct 28, 2011)

*Re: HELP: PC shutdown - CPU overheats or UPS?*

Yeah I'm advised before to remove the iball PSU but I couldn't for a tight budget. But I almost got sure about the UPS..last night, it made sound and blinked twice and my pc got shut down.
And I don't have additional GPU..


Btw, what happens if the fan spins? Last month I was cleaning the inside with a soft painting brush and there were some little cobwebs inside the narrowest corners, so I had to carefully pick them out with a biology box's thin tweezers.
In the cleaning process, the fan on the processor moved a little, didn't spin fully ofcourse. Moved like 6 o' clock position to 6:05 or 6:10.
I am wondering if that's a problem?

And is there any guide how to open the parts? I saw two years ago, a mechanic who was changing my LAN card, cleaned the inside by opening part by part... opened even the metal fan like thing covering the processor chip... and put it back in easily...


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## Gdn8Melbourne (Oct 28, 2011)

*Re: Sudden PC shutdown*

It happened yesterday night again...twice... The UPS is definitely the culprit. First time, the power went off..and the UPS shutdown itself and the pc right away with a long beep. And the next time at midnight..at the time of that power surge which you talked about...happened and it shutdown my pc..I got to understand by the weird sound it was making right that time...
Buying a new one tomorrow 600V



And I need to clean the cabinet inside also, so that it doesn't overheat in any case..but I cant open every part - that's a problem... and there are some real dusts on that metallic fan like thing that covers the processor chip...


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: HELP: PC shutdown - CPU overheats or UPS?*

Compressed air is all that is required to clean the inside as well as components.
As long as you continue to use the low quality PSU you're problems will most likely continue, get worse, damage other components.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

*Re: HELP: PC shutdown - CPU overheats or UPS?*

This what you mean How to Clean the Inside of a Computer: 11 Steps (with Pictures)


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

*Re: Sudden PC shutdown*

Threads merged please do not make multiple threads on the same issue


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## Done_Fishin (Oct 10, 2006)

*Re: Sudden PC shutdown*

Most likely all you need to do is change the batteries of the UPS .. if it had any other major problem it would not be working right now .. the batteries or battery have lost ability to give out current required when the UPS flips over to "back up" mode .. why buy a new UPS when it would be cheaper to replace the batteries ??


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## Gdn8Melbourne (Oct 28, 2011)

*Re: Sudden PC shutdown*



Done_Fishin said:


> Most likely all you need to do is change the batteries of the UPS .. if it had any other major problem it would not be working right now .. the batteries or battery have lost ability to give out current required when the UPS flips over to "back up" mode .. why buy a new UPS when it would be cheaper to replace the batteries ??


Yes right. i took it too the repairing shop today.a dn they checked the batteryw as totally dead...it was only 5-6V, so they changed the new battery... 
I opted for battery change because the UPS is fine quality, and one equivalent will be cost double fot he battery..though there are lower prices.. So i changed the battery and got 1year warranty on the batteries.... now working fine. lets see.

@Tyree: yeah I cant change the PSU right now, but cleaning the cabinet


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