Hi,

I have the following home built pc for more than 1 yr without problem and recently it started having problem about 2 months ago, until it became very severe during this time I didn't change or add any hardwares to the configuration:

Configuration:
AMD Athlon 64 3200+
Motherboard MSI K8N NEO-Platinum (MS-7030)
Memory PC2700 DDR 512 MB
HD HITACHI 180 GB IDE
Power supply 400 Watt
PNY GE FORCE 5500 AGP 8X 128 MB
Windows XP Professional

The computer was fine until 2 months ago when I detect the first symptom and here is what happened:
- pc force to shut down all my application and then close Windows properly. It happens once, then twice a week. Then I notice that my computer turn by itself in the middle of the night etc.
- After 3 - 4 weeks doing that it get worse, it started to give me only few minutes on windows and then force to shut down on me.
- After 6 weeks it won't let me pass booting windows xp and it reboot constantly, and even when I check the bios setting.
- Enough said I thought it was hardware problem. so I swapped new memory module, and problem still persist.
- disconnect all modem, HD connection and problem still persist. reset mobo jumper and it's the same thing.
- finally send the MB back to MSI...and they replace it with a brand new one.
- Got my MB back today and hook everything up....and what in the world the problem is still there...it keeps rebooting and the farthest it let me pass was few second on Bios or it was on for maybe 1 second and then click and the on again and now it doesn't start right away but wait maybe like 2 second then start.
- Ok, I thought it was a faulty PSU, today I went and bought a fortron 400W thought that could solve it ...but problem still there...reboot constantly.
- Now I disconnect everything incl HD, modem, USB, and only leave the Graphic card on and CD rom (swap with my old one still doing the same thing so I know the CD rom is not the problem), the problem still there.
- Frustrated, I went and bought a new PCI DIAMOND Stealth S85 128 MB and the problem still there..?????
- The only thing that I havent' swap is the AMD CPU...now could this be the problem? btw I move the orig 512 MB memory around and reseated the card etc and still the same problem.
- I never run games on this computer...only MS Office for business and I leave it on mostly almost 10 - 15 hr daily. LCD monitor never flicker or anything to indicate problem with videocard. Everytime it reboot never gives any error message, most of the times it reboot almost instantly so you never see any pic on the monitor but only see the light goes from orange to green then back to orange on the monitor, and all the fan start spinning and then off and then back on again.

The only thing I could think off is that MSI screwed up and send me a faulty replacement motherboard or that my CPU is toasted.....off course I can probably borrow an AMD Athlon CPU to test.... or maybe the Fortron 400 Watt OEM I bought today was defective, but can someone please help me? Thank you for all your help.

Mike Suhendro

very detailed.. i like it

few more troubleshooting..

you havent mentioned if you swapped the video card (or maybe i missed it )

download everest home and/or speedfan, post us the temperatures and voltages reported in the sensors area. clean dust out, and check that you have thermal greasse applied to the cpu-hsf.

check that the motherboard is not shorting to the case?

download memtest onto a bootable cd/floppy and test your ram 1 stick at a time

if you need to test your cpu, then you'd have to bring it to a shop to do in..

try and do a chkdsk /f and defrag on your hdd.. check in windows/minidumps folder if there is any recent minidumps..

N3051M thanks for the advise, but my pc is non operational...I'm typing all this message through my laptop. Here is the problem and what I did:

PROBLEM:
- In DOS the pc keep restarting and I never get passed seeing the windows xp boot, manytimes it just reboot after seeing the first writing and sometimes it just keep on rebooting after 1 second you press on the power.
- When it gave me enough time to go to BIOS, when I'm in BIOS for a couple of second then the computer reboot again (all this is done with all accessories and HD disconnected from the mobo, except graphic card, cd rom, memory, cpu and psu)

WHAT I DID:
- Swap memory with brand new memory, change slot - PC still rebooting
- Swap CD ROM with my DVD burner - PC still rebooting
- Swap PSU with a brand new Fortron 400 Watt - PC still rebooting
- Swap Graphic Card with New Diamond Stealth PCI - PC still rebooting
- Reseat CPU and replace with new MOBO MSI K8N NEO - Platinum (at least that's what MSI tech support told me when I sent my MOBO for replacement) - PC still rebooting
- Disconnect HD, MODEM, and everything else except CD ROM, Graphic Card (the new DIAMOND STEALTH), CPU, MEMORY, and PSU - PC still rebooting
- Computer was not overheating since it was never turn on after the problem, no matter how long I let it cool - PC still rebooting

Please let me know what I should do, the thing is I can never keep the computer long enough to run any test, like chkdsk etc. The most probably only 5 - 8 second top then it restart by itself instantly or few second delay. To stop this I have to switch off the power button on the back of the power supply. Any advise is greatly appreciated. Thank you very very much.

Mike S

well all i can suggest to you is to borrow a different machine that is similar specs to yours and test the cpu, mobo, ram etc individualy.. its a pain to go through, but at least you will know at the end what it is...

i suspect its either cpu damage, power hooked wrong, or not completely (check if the mobo needs the extra power or some similar), or some jumper/cable is in the wrong way...

yes I will do all that and let you know the result. Thanks

Mike

I have same problem. today I'll try to replace PSU lets see what happens

http://www.techspot.com/vb/all/windows/t-51242-troubleshooting-BIOS-failures.html

Exact thing happend to me, started turning off random but then it got shorter and shorter periods between the turning off. you may need a new motherboard im affraid, check your capacitors too see if any of them have blown, also check too see if your fans are functional. If capacitors have blown get yourself a new mobo. They are the things on your motherboard which look like tiny batteries if you dont already know.

Dude I fixed my problem just like that by putting in 550W

Guys, my pc is back from 2nd repair, the first one they couldn't find a problem. the 2nd I took it back, I waited for 5 min and the pc shutted down by itself at the repair place. So the technician told me to leave the pc again. The following day he called me and told me that he couldn't find a problem and everything was ok. He did run a cpu test and he didn't find any problem with it. So I took it home and sure it was after 5 -10 min it restarted itself. Today the 3rd day I moved to a different outlet in the apt and it was ok for 5 min then it shut down. So I waited for 10 min and turned it on and it was on for 30 min and so far hasn't restarted, what should I do now?

UPDATE OF THE PROBLEM:

- PC restart by itself, windows force shut down, log off and shut down, if you're working on excel, it'll give you option to save or cancel your file as if you're closing the file, then after all application close, the windows will shut down. Ofter restart by itself and sometimes don't.
- When in worse condition it can restart many times on BIOS, or as soon as you hit that power button. THe pc will restart even when it's been turned off for days, so it's not overheating issue.

Thing's I've done so far:
- Motherboard supposedly is a new replacement from MSI
- Swap memory and reseated but still same problem
- swap video card and still same problem
- put new power supply (420 watt) still same problem, right now I have 400 watt generic.
- unplug all ide cable except the cd rom and still the same problem. It restart on DOS or BIOS.
- swap cd rom and keyboard and still same problem

I feel that it maybe the CPU fan...although it spins but may not gave the right signal, and the mobo thought that's not working, now is this possible?

Other than that it maybe the mobo that MSI sent me it's a defective one as well. or can it be the Dell LCD monitor that causes it? or last one the pSU I bought was defective as well. or something in the case that's short circuiting the cpu (how can you tell?)

Guys i'm at my wits end and don't know what else I should do. The computer can restart even when you're not doing anything or when just opening file on excel, or checking your emails or inside BIOS. I know I can take it back to a different technician but please advise. Please help. any advise is greatly appreciated. thanks

ok, what brand is your PSU? Is the 420W a generic one?

You should always buy quality PSU´s, like Antec, Fortron, OCZ, etc.

Also, it COULD be a overheating problem. A cpu can burn itself if it has no proper cooling in less than 1 minute or even seconds :hotbounce.

"UPDATE OF THE PROBLEM:

- PC restart by itself, windows force shut down, log off and shut down, if you're working on excel, it'll give you option to save or cancel your file as if you're closing the file, then after all application close, the windows will shut down. Ofter restart by itself and sometimes don't."

That sounds like a virus. Some viruses restart your computer, or turn it off. Have you connected your computer to the Web without a good antivirus and firewall? Also, check out for spyware.

But, you said the problem also happens in BIOS, so it could be a hardware problem.

Check that new 420W PSU, and check the label attached to it, and tell us how many Amps it has on the 12V rail. Some quality PSU´s have two 12V rails. Your PSU should have at least 25 Amps on the rail o rails.
Good luck!

Quite a long post! :haha:

did you read the sticky?