Random Power Failure on P6DBE

[bex0rs]

Supermicro P6DBE dual processor BX board running Windows 2000 Advanced Server. The past 2 days it has been shutting off randomly, sometimes staying up for 5 minutes, other times for up to 2 hours. What could be causing this? I've checked the power supply and power connections, and everything appears to be working properly. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

~bex0rs

(note: I accidentally posted this in General Hardware first.)

 

[mastertech01]

Could be overheat problem and board is shutting down when it gets to the shutdown temp. Or power supply is too weak to handle dual operation..does the board have the extra power connectors on it for the late model power supply? I have an OR840 and it has a standard ATX power connector, 6 Pin Aux power connector, and 4 pin AGP power connector for AGP 50 cards. You should be using at least 300-400 watts. Check the seating of the coolers on both processors.

 

[bex0rs]

Thanks for the response. I probabaly should have given more info. The board is only running a single P2-400, along with 1 NIC, 1 HD, and a generic AGP card. It's in a full tower case (can't remember which) with a Sparkle 300W PS. The setup had been running very stable for the past year, which is why the recent shutdowns are confusing. There aren't any "options" enabled in the BIOS (or software) to shutdown the computer. Also, I checked all the fans / connections inside the case, and there were no problems. Last night I also installed a new UPS, and there haven't been any crashes thus far. I'm hoping that fixed the problem.

~bex0rs

 

[mastertech01]

Good to hear its going fine now.. Perhaps some power fluxuations have been going on with the energy problems of late and the UPS has stabilized that..

 

[MrCookie]

Isn't it possible for a dying CMOS battery to cause the system to shutdown? Or does it just start losing time...

 

[bex0rs]

I don't think a dying CMOS battery would have caused it. I may be wrong, but isn't the CMOS battery only in use when there is no power to the motherboard? In any case, I think the problem had to do with getting "clean power." Installing the UPS seems to have stablized the system.

~bex0rs