problems w/ comp instantly turning off when I step at a certain point within 3 feet of the computer.

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simsalabim24

Senior member
Jan 5, 2005
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Was just wondering what could be causing this ocassional shutdown. It only happens when someone walks within 2 feet at a certain point near the computer. Is it static? I live in the mid-west and it is very cold and we turn the heat off during the day and turn it up to 70 at night through to the next morning at around 8am. It tends to get real dry and staticky.

I have a chaintech VNF-250 Mainboard, w/ a Athlon 64 2800+ cpu w/ stock heat-sink and fan.
Vteck nvidia Geforce 6800nu 128mgs vram stock cooling, 1 gig noname brand 2700ram, maxtor 7200 rpm hdd, samsung cdr, 2 80 mm fans on a lian liu aluminum mid tower atx case.

I have opened up the case and made sure everything is seated securly and it all seems fine.

Any ideas welcom. Thanks.
 
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jackschmittusa

Diamond Member
Apr 16, 2003
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Static electricity in your home won't jump 2'. Do you have another appliance at home that starts with a momentary contact switch (maybe an old vcr)? Try plugging it into the same outlet as the computer. If it goes off like the computer, something is wrong with the house wiring. After inspecting the rig (as you have already done), that would be my next step.
 
VirtualLarry

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,587
10,225
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Ghosts? Vibrations transmitted via the floorboards, perhaps there is something in the PC that is poorly-connected, and even a minute jostling can cause it to trigger and that is causing a short and/or power-off? Even worse, are any of the electrical cables run underneat the floor, or on the ceiling of the basement level underneath? Perhaps it is a house-wiring short, maybe the wires were stapled to a joist without an insulating staple, and it rusted through the insulation, and flexing the floorboards ever-so-slightly causes a problem?

Here's an idea - plug in a freestanding floor or table lamp, into the exact same outlet that the PC is in currently (in fact, for weight-distribution purposes, perhaps leave the PC where it is too), and then walk around in that same area, and see if the light flickers at all.

 
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simsalabim24

Senior member
Jan 5, 2005
444
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Well the saga continues. I took a heavy duty 3 prong extension cord and hooked it up to another outlet about 8 feet from my computer in another section of power, anyway basically it is still doing the same thing!! I live on the second floor of a condo, and am now wondering if it is not the computer hardware somehow. This never happened with my old configuration which consisted of a 2400+ Athlon Thourobred, Chaintech 4800TI GeForce 4, and a Soyo KT Lite Dragon 400.

I have called techsupport on all my new hardware (well 4 months) and no one will take responsibility other then the video card company, they are willing to either repair or send a new card to me. The Motherboard manufacturer blames the video card, but my thing is if it was the video card, then why dont I just lose picture, instead the whole computer crashes, whereby the thing restarts or if im in the desktop the cursor just freezes up and I have to manually restart. This is driving me so crazy. All I want is to play video games and chew bubble gum!
 
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FlyingPenguin

Golden Member
Nov 1, 2000
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Yes it could be the video card - could be any card. I just don't see any evidence pointing to the vid card specifically.

Have you pulled out and re-seated the memory? I've seen systems with memory with dirty contacts barely making contact and just lightly tapping the memory sticks would cause the system to crash.

See if you can replicate the problem by lightly tapping on the case with the palm of your hand. Also, while the computer is running, CAREFULLY tap the top of each card and memory stick with the PLASTIC handle of a screw driver (you don't want the metal end of the tool touching something and shorting out). I suspect you may find that when you tap something it crashes the computer.

It has to be something mechanical - a loose connection or intermittent short. Maybe your reset or power switch is shorting out when there's vibration.

Try pulling the reset and power switch wires off the mobo (you can start the computer by shorting the power switch header pins with a screw driver) and see if the problem still happens.

Worst case scenario is you have a hairline crack in the mobo and when the case vibrates or moves it flexes the mobo and causes the crack to open. No fix for that except to repace the mobo.

Otherwise the computer is possessed. Sell it on E-Bay :)

 
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montag451

Diamond Member
Dec 17, 2004
4,587
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Put up barriers and use an infra red kb/mouse from a few metres away with a 52inch screen so you can see whats happening.


Are there any cables running under your carpet? like near to, or under where the 'switch off' point is?
 
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simsalabim24

Senior member
Jan 5, 2005
444
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Okay I tried all the suggestion with the exception of pulling off the reset and power wires, because I do not know how to short the pins with the screw driver trick.

All I have in there is a video card, processor, and memory, I gave all of these a pretty good tap with the plastic end of a screw driver, and notta. I even tried lifting the whole case and letting it sorta fall from say 2 inches and nothing.

It has to be something in this new configuration because as I said before when I had the old mb, cpu, and video card this kind of thing just didnt happen!! I just wonder if it has anything to do with a temp setting in the bios, possible something that shuts the comp down if it gets to hot. Im not sure if it is getting too hot even but it is pretty cool in our house, around 70. Everything is in a Lian Li Aluminum Mid Tower with a fan in the back exhausting air and a fan on the side pulling air in, Both are 80mm fans. The cpu has stock cooling, and so does the video card. I wish I new how hot my case is and cpu. Is there some kind of program I can get?

Thanks for your help!
 
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helpmeout

Senior member
Sep 24, 2001
540
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Check Google for a little program called Mother Board Monitor 5. It will tell you the temps provided your computer has the necessary sensors. I think it's pretty accurate.
 
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FlyingPenguin

Golden Member
Nov 1, 2000
1,793
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Or boot into BIOS and check the system temps from there. Ideally the CPU should not be running hotter than 65 C.

Anyone have a high power transmitter in the house like a CB with a linear. If it's located close (like immediately below your room) it could cause your system to crash (as a prank, I used to crash computers at work with a high power walkie talkie).

Right click My Computer, Properties, Advanced, Settings button under "Startup and Recovery". Uncheck "Automatically Restart" under Ssytem Failure. This will prevent Windows from rebooting immediately after a serious error and you may see a more detailed error message on the screen the next time this happens which may help you diagnose the problem.

Could be you have power fluctuation problems and a touchy PSU. Might be worth investing in a UPS to see if it fixes the problem.
 
Fern

Fern

Elite Member
Sep 30, 2003
26,907
174
106
Originally posted by: simsalabim24
Is there some kind of program I can get?

Thanks for your help!
Click to expand...

As mentioned above, see if Motherboard Monitor 5 will set up on your system. (Its a free proggie, and the guy doing it recently "retired". If he got around to programing it for your mobo so it automatically sets up, fine. Otherwise it could be a bit of a pain cuz you would have to manually select the sensors).

If MBM5 will set up on your mobo, lok for a feature called "sys log". It's on the lower lefthand side of the main MBM5 screen.

Select to have the sys log feature write the info to a text.doc every second.

When your PC crashes/freezes/cuts off etc, reboot and go look at the text.doc. You can see what all your voltages and temps were at the second it crashed.

Fern
 
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farscape

Senior member
Jan 15, 2002
327
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0
Dollars to dohnuts you have a wiring prob in your house. There's a very good chance that the outlet 8 feet away from your comp could be on the same line/breaker as your comp.
Have the owner get the wiring checked out before something bad happens.:Q

GF owns condo? Check for a switch under the rug - she's trying to get your attn. :)tellin' you that you spend too much time on that thing.:brokenheart:
 
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fitzov

Platinum Member
Jan 3, 2004
2,477
0
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Is there power at the outlet or only the pc goes off? If PC only goes off, don't rule out static. Try grounding case.
 
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simsalabim24

Senior member
Jan 5, 2005
444
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How would I ground the case?

Nothing but the comp is hooked up to the outlet, so I will have to plug something else in and see if it cutts off to.

Thanks to all for your suggestions. The mb bios does give the temp for the cpu, should I just check it randomly after Ive played a game for a while. The last time I checked it was between 30-34 degrees celcius.

Thanks.
 
Fern

Fern

Elite Member
Sep 30, 2003
26,907
174
106
Do you have modern 3 prong outlets/ wiring? That how your case is grounded. You may have 3 prong outlets, but may not actually have the 3rd ground wire installed.

I've got an old house, so I must use an adapter. The adapters have a little prong extending from them (noticed 'em b4?), the "prong" thingy gets screwed in to the electrical outlet fixture to provide grounding.

Again, if MBM5 was on there and recording to alog every seconf, I think it likely you would see this voltage fluctuation just prior to shutdowns.

Oh almost forgot, might be interesting to put lamp on that outlet and walk by and see if it dims. Even if it didn't, I don't think that would neccessary be determinitive. A PC doesn't need much of a fluctutaion to crash
 
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simsalabim24

Senior member
Jan 5, 2005
444
0
0
Actually the condos were built in 1992. As far as I know the only plug that does not have a ground is the laundry room and its on a different circuit then the comps plug.

Ill try and dl that program the mb is fairly new I think. Its a chaintech VNF3-250.

So I called the MB manufacture to try to get an RMA from them they are not willing to do this till i download the latest bios first. Isnt that kind of backwards. Usually they do not recommend downloading the latest bios, because they have a tendancy to make problems worse. Also how the bleep am I suppose to flash the bios without a floppy drive. Worse still i live in the midwest where the only place that could see one is rip off CompUSA that charges $40 bones for one.
 
rise

rise

Diamond Member
Dec 13, 2004
9,116
46
91
use everest home edition. it will give you temps and volts etc.

btw, have you tried plugging the lamp in? i might have missed it.
 
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