Computer overpowers and turns off

[Yanno]

I formatted my computer a month ago, because it was completely eaten up by viruses and worms. So after i formatted, i got rid of all the partitions and made 1 big partition. Now after installing windows Xp again and all the drivers for sound card, graphic card, motherboard etc etc, i started using the computer as usual. But after installing a game it started giving me problems. I finished installing Fifa 2006, a big game, and the computer seemed to run fine. Then all of a sudden the whole computer turns off as if there was a power cut ( but there wasn't). So i immideatly tried to turn it back on, it would turn on the fans, and after 3 seconds it turned off again, i tried to turn it back on like that 5 or 6 times in a row, same routine fans turn on for three seconds and it turns off again. So i decided to wait for 10 minutes. This time it started up again, but alot slower than usual. I turned it off again and left it for about 4 hours. Turned it on again and it worked fine, again i opened fifa 2006 and again the same thing happens, it turns off. It even does that when i played a game (icy tower) that runs on old pentium II, 64 mb ram computers!!!
I did not overclock my computer if that is in anyway important. And this only started happening after formatting the computer and changing the partition.
Whats going on?? does it have to do with the single partition (i doubt that thought)? or could it be that something in my computer is overheating??? My computer is Pentium IV, 1gb of ram and 3.0 GHz.

 

[KingCody]

based on the symptoms you mentioned, and based on the fact that it only works after being off for hours (letting it cool down)... it sounds to me like it is overheating.

Most likely it is an overheating CPU that is actually shutting the computer down, but your whole system is probably running too hot. using compressed air, blow all the dust out of the CPU and northbridge heatsink fins.

Download MM5 or speedfan and report your temps

 

[Yanno]

Thanx i'll try that out thanx. Never thought of checking the temp. My drivers installation package has its own software that checks the temp. Thanx again. I'll let u know if it worked

 

[Yanno]

Ok, I've cleaned out the computer. There was a whole lot of dust. The fan was blocked, completely and i used a toothpick to get it out of the gaps. I guess its quiet clean now.
What is a safe computer temperature??? my computer has the following displays under temperature and i dont know what to make of them: CPU die: 54-60 (well its between 54 to 60) and RT2: 29. What do they mean by this???

 

[KingCody]

read this thread on safe system temps

60C is too hot for an idle PC (or low load)

remove the HSF, clean the CPU and HSF with 91% alcohol, let dry, apply thermal paste (recommend arctic silver 5), then carefully reseat the HSF

did you install the CPU yourself? if you did, then that will be easy for you...

if you did not, do you feel comfortable doing what is suggested above?

 

[Yanno]

I didn't install the CPU myself. My computer was put together buy a local place. I gave him the specifications I wanted and he put it together.
but i guess i can do what you said. But how does that help stopping my computer from overheating??? So the heatsink and fan is what you mean by HSF rite?

 

[KingCody]

So the heatsink and fan is what you mean by HSF rite?

Yes

But how does that help stopping my computer from overheating???

your CPU is overheating because the heat generated by the CPU is not being transferred to the HSF. removing, cleaning, and reseating the HSF should fix that problem and prevent the CPU from overheating.