Computer shuts off after running for 20 min. PLEASE HELP!

[EE2005]

My buddy and I built an Athlon 1800+ system with a Gigabyte GA-7VRXP motherboard. Everything was going fine, but when we were installing Windows XP, the display disappeared as if there was no signal from the PC. The fans were still running and the LEDs on the front of the case were still lit. We decided to let the thing sit for a while and try it again a little later. So we booted up again, just fine, but again after 20 min. the thing quit on us again, and it kept doing this everytime we rebooted.

We think it may be something to do with the processor and the HSF, or maybe the power supply. We aren't exactly sure what to do next and any help would be much appreciated!

 

[Allanv]

boot into the bios and goto the heath section and watch the temp rise leave it there for 20 mins or so untill the screen dies again and take a note of the temp..

other than that it could be the PSU

 

[Mday]

what powersupply do you have?

and what other devices do you have installed?

 

[EE2005]

The PSU we're using is the one that came with the Antec case, I'm pretty sure it's a 300 Watter. The other components we have in the system are: GeForce2 MX400 video card, 256MB stick of Kingston PC2700 RAM, WD 40 GB HD, 40X Antec CD-RW, and an old 32X CD-ROM.
I'll tell him to try watching the temp in bios. Thanks for the idea.

 

[copyfixer]

My thoughts are heat also. I wonder if your video card is overheating. You might try removing the case and running the computer open with a small deskfan blowing into the board areas, then monitor the heat in bios. If it seems to work, you know it's heat related and maybe you need to add a case fan, if you have the room.

 

[EE2005]

What we did was take out all the components except for the processor, ram, and video card. We left the case open and had a deskfan blowing onto the motherboard (the processor mostly I think). We booted to Bios and monitored the temp. The CPU and ambient temps were fine and stayed the same (we did that big fan blowing right on it), but after about 20 minutes the display died again. We didn't think about the video card overheating and that could be the problem. My friend also seems to think that it could be the Bios because he thinks that is what is shutting it down (we don't have a case fan plugged into the motherboard itself and he thinks that the bios could be detecting that and shutting the system down). Would this motherboard cause that to happen (it's a gigabyte, see above model number).

Thanks for any help!

 

[Swampster]

I would rather doubt that it is a BIOS issue, but you can check on your theory by going into its PC Health page (or whatever it calls it where your temps and voltages are displayed). See what it is set to monitor and what it is set to do about it.

If it wanted a case fan, then it would object right away. Now, the CPU fan is another matter altogether. Watch it and see if it stops just before it does. Here again, this is doubtful as you report that the fans are still going and this type of malfunction should shut down all power to the motherboard to avoid frying the CPU.

Your best bet is another video card, even if you just borrowed some old thing from somewhere for a test. It is fine until it heats up, and at a certain point something is going open.

 

[copyfixer]

Agree w/ swampster as to your next step.

 

[EE2005]

We seem to have gotten it working. What we did, and I don't know why this would work or what it even does, is set the video card to 1X instead of 4X. We were running out of ideas and that was another thing we wanted to try, and it looks like it worked. My friend thought that maybe that would keep the video card from heating up if that was indeed the problem. Do you think that setting the video card to 1X has solved the problem, or is the system going to crash again after a few weeks usage?

 

[Swampster]

OK, now we're making good progress!

Go to the web site for your motherboard and make sure you have the latest drivers for it. Specifically, I would suspect that your AGP mini-port driver (or whatever your MB manufacturer calls it) is incorrect or corrupted. Once that is installed, then go to the site for your video card and get and install the latest driver.

With this, you should be able to go back to 4x on the AGP, and if not, then get an RMA for a new one.

 

[EE2005]

Alright, we'll try that. Thanks for all the help. If we can't get back up to 4x, I'll repost.
Thanks again!