# Computer Shuts down roughly every 1-2 hours



## aarono (Jul 22, 2004)

Board: Asus A7n8x
CPU: AMD Athlon 2600+


Hello there, here is my current situation. Roughly two weeks ago my computer would shut down after about an hour or two of being on. I let this go on for a week or two just to see if it wasn't some freak accident. I finally got the sense to go buy some thermal paste and apply a new coat to the CPU.

After putting the heatsink back on, etc. it boots up to tell me that my CPU has been changed, so I go into BIOS and fix the settings so that my CPU is operating at it's normal clock speed not the 1.2ghz it was set too after applying the cream.

Believing this would do the trick I was very disappointed to find my computer shutting off once again about an hour an a half into it's next session.

I called ASUS, they were unhelpful basically giving me the RMA then telling me that this replacement board for an older one that went to hell is no longer under warrenty.

Is this the board or CPU causing this?


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## Guest (Nov 28, 2007)

It has come to my attention that you might have a heat or voltage issue with your computer. We can not assume that it is one of these so we will go ahead and check. I would like you to download and install the program *Speedfan*. When you are done installing Speedfan open and look for 3 columns. One should have temperatures, the other should have voltages, and the last one should contain your fan speeds. When you have found this information please post to me in a column such as this: (Example)



> Temperatures
> 
> Temp1: 30 C
> Temp2: 60 C
> ...


If you are running on a *Dell Laptop* please follow these steps then post your temperatures, voltages, and fan speeds:


Open *Speedfan*
Click *Configure* on the *Main Screen*
Go to the *Options* Tab
*Check* the: "Enable DELL Support (use this function only on DELL notebooks)" check box
Click *Ok* then *Close* Speedfan
*Start* Speedfan once again

Then post your *temperatures*, *voltages*, and *fan speeds*.


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## aarono (Jul 22, 2004)

Temperatures:

Temp1: 30c
Temp2: 20c
Harddrives: 35-38


Voltage:
+5V: +5V
+3.3v: +3.3V

Fan Speeds:

Fan1: 7337 (hehe) RPM
Fan2: 5553 RPM
Fan3: 0 RPM (I can't find a fan that isn't spinning)

Note: I forgot to mention that after starting up following a crash the computers life isn't relatively short (15 Minutes). If I leave the computer to sit for an hour or two it goes back up to it's regular 2 hour span.


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## Guest (Nov 29, 2007)

It has come to my attention that you might have something physically wrong with your RAM. To check this we will use a program called, *Memtest86+*. Choose the choice I have put down in the picture below and download it to your desktop.










Once you have downloaded it to your desktop, extract the file from the Zip folder and place the ISO file on your desktop. I would then like you to burn the ISO onto a CD-R, DVD-R, CD+R, or DVD+R using programs such as Nero, or a burning studio software. If you do not have such a program, then you can download and install the free program *Active ISO Burner*. You can then burn the ISO to the disk with this new program or your old program.

After you have burnt it to a disk you will have to set your BIOS to make you boot up from the CD Drive first. Restart your computer and at the first loading screen keep tapping either the F1, F2, F4, F6, F8, F10, F11, F12, or Delete keys to access the BIOS. If you can not get into the BIOS refer back to system documentation for further help with accessing it. When successfully accessed the BIOS look for something that says Boot Device Priority, or Boot Sequence. Set your CD Drive as first using the arrow keys or + and - keys.

After setting it to first insert your disk and restart the system. Start the test and let it run as it will take approximately one day. If you have more then one stick of RAM then please follow the below instructions:



> *If You Have More than One Stick of RAM*
> 
> If you have more than one stick of RAM, then remove all of the sticks except for one and do the test on them individually. This test will be 1 day per stick of RAM so if you have 2 sticks of RAM then the tests will take about two days. Change each stick when each stick test is finished with the other ones that have to be tested. You can remove a RAM stick by pressing down on the 2 clenches at its sides. Here is an example picture:


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## aarono (Jul 22, 2004)

*Computer has officially died*

A few days ago my computer would not even boot up. For a brief second I can see and hear rear fan start but stops immediately and computer remains dead. Any idea what went on here?

To fix the original problem I increased fan speed and turned down CPU speed (NOTE: this was done in the past by a computer fix shop, they couldn't figure out how to fix the problem without turning down CPU speed, apparently somehow it got reset to original speed and that's what caused the frequent crashes). Everything was fine for about two weeks (no crashes, etc.) then one morning my computer is just dead.

I think it's my powersupply again, as I have replaced this about 6 times. But something must be causing the frequent burn outs. Which I'm sure is a dead motherboard. Any other solutions?


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## Guest (Dec 17, 2007)

Check the capacitors on your motherboard, to see if any are leaking or bulging. This is what a bad capacitor would look like:










Try it with another PSU, and CPU. Did you try Memtest yet?


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## Tumbleweed36 (May 14, 2005)

You didn't list one of the most important voltages, the +12. Please list that from your sessions with speedfan. Also, what kind of power supply are you buying for this rig since you have had that many failures.


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## aarono (Jul 22, 2004)

Computer is dead, cannot give you stats as they are on my dead computer.

I will check the motherboard out today. Also I do not have extra powersupplies sitting around so I cannot just swap one out, I'd have to go buy a new one.

I buy quality powersupplies, Rosewill, etc. I have to buy about two a year.


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## HawMan (May 12, 2006)

Rosewell are actually poor quality PSUs ( And Cheap - You get what you pay for ). Antec, Seasonic, PC Power & Cooling, along with the OCZ GameXstream are all brilliant makes of PSUs.

The 12v+ Should be listed on the sticker on the side of the power supply.

:wave:


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## 2pistolpacker (Dec 3, 2007)

Antec makes some very good PS's for under $50, Newegg had one last week for $29 after rebate. If you've ever had a cheap PS take out your whole system, you'll never buy another. Mike


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