Let me start by saying that this is no problem that can be resolved by "googling". I've tried thousands of sites and all of them either provide no solution or users end up solving problems with sticking a fan next to the case. Now, let me state the problem I have:
My computer one day just shutted down while iddling. I found this very strange so I decided to check the connections but everything seemed to be fine. The next day it started to shut down more often, so I started messing around with stuff to figure out what was wrong. At first, I thought it was overheating (being the most common problem with computers randomly shutting down). However, it turned out to be unsuccessful. My cpu was running at 60celcius which is a little high, so I put on some thermal paste and got it down to 50celcius. Thinking that p4 get hot very easy, I thought the cpu shutdown temperature would be somewhere around 65 (putting in an extreme case). There is no option to set this "shutdown temperature" in the BIOS. But obviously, this wasn't the problem since my computer has been running at that temperature for more than a year and I got it down to 50-55 and it was still randomly shutting down while either booting/iddling. The problem persisted and continued to be more often. Sometimes it will just shut down loading windows, others time it will shut down during BIOS check, other times it will load windows but in 5minutes shut down out of nowhere. Now, here are the things I noticed:
1) All BIOS settings have been running default values, CPU has never been overclocked or modified.
2) No recent hardware changes.
3) Never had problems of overheating, burning anything, or high temperatures.
4) I noticed that my AGP slot had the security clip backed up. Thinking that this was the problem, I plugged the security clip thinking that the video card was making a false contact with the AGP slot. Computer worked for 10minutes then shutted down again.
5) I unplugged everything, leaving only the cpu/ram/hard drive connected. Computer continued to shut down.
6) I thought it might be a RAM issue, so I unplugged the ram stick (Corsair ValueSelect 512ddr pc3200). However, the computer would still shut down, so the RAM is not an issue.
7) I had the cpu connected only with the 2 powersupply cords plugged into the motherboard. I even unplugged the case's chords (reset button, power button, etc.). Computer would run fine sometimes, but othertimes it will just shutdown after 5sec of turning on. What's funny is I never heard the beeping you get with other motherboards when there is no RAM plugged in.
8) I also tried plugging the CPU to another outlet and it will still do the same.
So I am down to 3 conclusions.
a) The motherboard is malfunctioning.
b) The PowerSupply is dying.
c) The CPU is having some kind of problems and randomly shutting down.
Now, this is no overheating issue. Like I said, after shutdown occurs CPU temperature is 55c according to BIOS. It is not an OS/hard drive problem since it would still shut down with hard drive unplugged. I am pretty sure it has nothing to do with BIOS settings since they have been the same for over a year.
Any information would be greatly appreciated. I am trying to get another powersupply to test and see if the issue here is the power supply. If that fails, I am out of ideas and will be forced to take the whole computer to a high-end repair center, which I do not want to do. Sorry for the long post, but hopefully this will provide with all information needed.
CPU: Intel P4 2.40ghz 133mhz 2mg L2 Cache socket 478
RAM: Corsair ValueSelect 512ddr pc3200
Mobo: Asus P4P800SE intel chipset, socket 478
Video: ATI Radeon 9600SE 256ddr w/ video out
My computer one day just shutted down while iddling. I found this very strange so I decided to check the connections but everything seemed to be fine. The next day it started to shut down more often, so I started messing around with stuff to figure out what was wrong. At first, I thought it was overheating (being the most common problem with computers randomly shutting down). However, it turned out to be unsuccessful. My cpu was running at 60celcius which is a little high, so I put on some thermal paste and got it down to 50celcius. Thinking that p4 get hot very easy, I thought the cpu shutdown temperature would be somewhere around 65 (putting in an extreme case). There is no option to set this "shutdown temperature" in the BIOS. But obviously, this wasn't the problem since my computer has been running at that temperature for more than a year and I got it down to 50-55 and it was still randomly shutting down while either booting/iddling. The problem persisted and continued to be more often. Sometimes it will just shut down loading windows, others time it will shut down during BIOS check, other times it will load windows but in 5minutes shut down out of nowhere. Now, here are the things I noticed:
1) All BIOS settings have been running default values, CPU has never been overclocked or modified.
2) No recent hardware changes.
3) Never had problems of overheating, burning anything, or high temperatures.
4) I noticed that my AGP slot had the security clip backed up. Thinking that this was the problem, I plugged the security clip thinking that the video card was making a false contact with the AGP slot. Computer worked for 10minutes then shutted down again.
5) I unplugged everything, leaving only the cpu/ram/hard drive connected. Computer continued to shut down.
6) I thought it might be a RAM issue, so I unplugged the ram stick (Corsair ValueSelect 512ddr pc3200). However, the computer would still shut down, so the RAM is not an issue.
7) I had the cpu connected only with the 2 powersupply cords plugged into the motherboard. I even unplugged the case's chords (reset button, power button, etc.). Computer would run fine sometimes, but othertimes it will just shutdown after 5sec of turning on. What's funny is I never heard the beeping you get with other motherboards when there is no RAM plugged in.
8) I also tried plugging the CPU to another outlet and it will still do the same.
So I am down to 3 conclusions.
a) The motherboard is malfunctioning.
b) The PowerSupply is dying.
c) The CPU is having some kind of problems and randomly shutting down.
Now, this is no overheating issue. Like I said, after shutdown occurs CPU temperature is 55c according to BIOS. It is not an OS/hard drive problem since it would still shut down with hard drive unplugged. I am pretty sure it has nothing to do with BIOS settings since they have been the same for over a year.
Any information would be greatly appreciated. I am trying to get another powersupply to test and see if the issue here is the power supply. If that fails, I am out of ideas and will be forced to take the whole computer to a high-end repair center, which I do not want to do. Sorry for the long post, but hopefully this will provide with all information needed.
CPU: Intel P4 2.40ghz 133mhz 2mg L2 Cache socket 478
RAM: Corsair ValueSelect 512ddr pc3200
Mobo: Asus P4P800SE intel chipset, socket 478
Video: ATI Radeon 9600SE 256ddr w/ video out
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