Software or hardware problem - you decide...

[trevoravitch]

I have a problem that has been occurring for the past couple of weeks and I'm not sure if it’s a hardware, or a software problem. Maybe you can advise?

On boot up my system carries out the Power On Self Test, then loads the XP Home OS. A period of time then elapses, from a few minutes to an hour or so, then the PC shuts down instantly, with no warning in the middle of whatever I am doing. The Power light on the tower is still left on.

If I then press the reset, or the power switch, nothing happens. The only way I can switch the PC on again is by switching the socket off for a few minutes, then back on again. Occasionally, the system will load up, but more often it will stop after a few SECONDS.

The only way I found around this was on boot up, then immediately go into the BIOS and load the default settings, then save them and let the system boot up as normal. This way, however, only gives me a couple of hours before the PC shuts off as described above.

On switching on I get, on occasions, the message "System failure due to CPU overclocking" is announced by the POST system, even though the CPU has not been overclocked and is on the BIOS default setting. On occasions the POST message is “System failed memory test, computer now booting from Operating System”.

When the PC is working I also get the problem that when I play music on MusicMatch Jukebox (free with Logitec bundle) and at the same time, use the CD drive, on closing the drawer and the system identifying the CD, the Musicmatch falters and stops playing until the CD has been recognised ().
Programs also stop until the CD has been identified.

My hardware is as follows;

Asus A7N8X Deluxe motherboard with nvidia sound
3 x 512mb DDR sticks
Nvidia 32mb Prophet 2 graphics card (Naff, I know, but my ATI Sapphire 128mb went kaput and I can’t afford a decent replacement at the present time)
Creative Labs Soundblaster 2 Card (this was because the A7N8X’s sound was distorting after a few minutes using Musicmatch Jukebox, however, this appears to have been rectified as I do not have a problem with it now)
Digimate 17" LCD Monitor
Logitec cordless mouse
Logitec Keyboard
Generic Floppy drive
(Lexmark scanner/printer and an Epson 760 printer attached)

Primary IDE:
Master: Seagate 40gb hard Drive (with original Windows XP OS)
Slave: Maxtor 80gb hard drive

Secondary IDE:
Master: Maxtor 80gb Hard drive
Slave: Generic DVD rewriter

All of this is housed in a LianLi tower unit with a 500 watt PSU. There are 2fans on the front of the tower one on the top and one on the PSU. I have had no significant changes to the hardware since last Christmas (2005).

Have you any idea what is causing these infuriating shutdowns and the lack of performance of the PC in general?

Thanks Folks

Trev

[scouse]

It could be either, but to first find out if it is a software issue or even a nasty virus, you should first do a good clean up.

switch sys restore off.
make sure you have all the latest deffs for you AV.
Run a full virus scan.
Also run a good reg cleaner.
Aswell as running spybot and Adaware.
make sure you have the latest drivers for your graphic card.
Also take your scanner/printer/camera so on out.

After all of that switch your Pc off and on again and see how it is, (if you are allowed to get that far that is.

If all works out well after that. You need to add your scanner back on its own see how the computer behaves and carry on until you have everything installed again, on the way maybe you will find it was a scanner or printer being the problem.

Now if all else fails above you now need to work on the hardware. If you do not mind going into your case,take out 2 sticks of your memory leave 1 in and run your comp see how it is, as this may yet be down to a faulty stick of memory. Go through each stick always just trying 1 stick at a time.

Now if it is not your memory you need to take out your sound card and run the comp see how it is.

If you have a spare old graphic card you should test the graphic card.If you do not have a spare graphics card to test then leave your graphics card out and use the GeForce2 MX graphics integrated chip on the motherboard, go into the bios to turn it on.

I guess it is a matter of a progression of testing each item until you hopefully find the problem. if after testing everything you possibly can and you still have problems you could try a fresh reinstall of the os. If that does not do it then it may well be a motherboard problem or power supply problem.

Good luck bud.

Sorry for any bad typos.

[trevoravitch]

Thanks for the reply, Scouse. Looks like I've got a busy weekend in store...
Let you know how I get on.

[SKULLZ1987]

i had a similar problem with an old pc of mine. found out it was just overheating. i installed a new fan, a new psu with dual fans, and a new cpu heatsink & fan.

[scouse]

SKULLZ1987 is correct, i forgot to mention over-heating thanx for the heads up SKULLZ1987

[onespeedreed]

Sounds like it needs a good cleaning (over heating) or the power supply could be failing.