Computer Shuts down, overheating?

[Skymountcs]

So I'll leave out some details.. But I took up the nightmare of fixing a very cheap desktop from 2001. It's called a Systemax Tiger and it's been one problem after another that I've been fixing.

What I was called for was the man saying his USB ports would not work, which I fixed by replacing the PSU with a good one. The computer also would shut off from time to time which I thought would have been fixed with a new PSU. But the system would then shut off about 1 - 2 minutes after powering on..

I applied new thermal compound and made sure I did everything I could to keep the CPU cooled. To my dismay though I now have that PC on my bench again today.

Sorry for the long description, but my question is: Should my next step be to try a replacement CPU? I am aware that this computer is garbage but it's for a stubborn elderly man, who believes PC's are fixed with power tools and magic.

Any advice? I just want this thing to not shut off so I can never look at it again.


OH and me plugging in my monitor cable while the PC was off caused it to power on at one point... Yeah mind blown.

 

[anglian]

I would;

Check PSU is right wattage
Reseat & Check memory
Check CPU fan
Boot from Hirens boot cd or similar, see if it shuts down then.
Test HDD
Install app to check cpu temperature
Flash Bios
Throw it away

 

[Skymountcs]

Thanks I appreciate the input, the last option is my favorite! But I'll definitely re-check everything.

 

[ac1]

Try and boot up the computer and go straight to the Bios . Leave the computer on for a while with the Bios on the screen, and see if it turns off. If so, it might still point to overheating. Have you considered the motherboard to be faulty

 

[johnrobert]

Have a close look at the caps
This is nearly always a hardware problem

 

[ComputerRepairTech]

What I was called for was the man saying his USB ports would not work, which I fixed by replacing the PSU with a good one.

Never under estimate the damage a bad PSU has done.

 

[Skymountcs]

Thanks for the help guys. I'm not sure where I went wrong but it turned out that the OS was corrupted somewhere in the repair process. A simple system restore solved the problem.

 

[CNS]

I came across this last night. Computer would stay on for 1 hr and other times would last up to 6 hours and turn off, Win XP SP3, AMD Quad Core(sorry dont have the model #)

This customer had taken it to various shops and customer purchased a new PSU, cleaned out all dust bunnies, was told it was a Virus, etc. When i took a look at it, the CPU Fan was extremely dusty and i decided to remove it. The Thermal Paste didn't stick and was all dried, cleaned it all out, put some more on and Voilaa! finito!!!

In your case, if you have done everything you did already.....u may be looking at MOBO.

 

[RegEdit]

Should my next step be to try a replacement CPU?

For future reference, a CPU going bad is very uncommon. Techs in this forum with shops will tell you that they see maybe one or two bad CPU's a year.

 

[SprinterTech-WI]

For future reference, a CPU going bad is very uncommon. Techs in this forum with shops will tell you that they see maybe one or two bad CPU's a year.

if even that..... lots of bad DV series mobo's though..... I think I'm up to 15 in the last 45 days..... gotta love HP crap!

 

[trinetcr]

if even that..... lots of bad DV series mobo's though..... I think I'm up to 15 in the last 45 days..... gotta love HP crap!

Amazing little creations aren't they!

 

[uprighttech]

if even that..... lots of bad DV series mobo's though..... I think I'm up to 15 in the last 45 days..... gotta love HP crap!

These laptops drive me crazy! Had another one today. No video and Caps and Scroll Lock blinking an error code.

 

[KompuKare]

if even that..... lots of bad DV series mobo's though..... I think I'm up to 15 in the last 45 days..... gotta love HP crap!

Were all of them Nvidia? Dangerous combination poorly made and vented HP DVs plus Nvidia chips with the wrong solder and substrate.

What I can't understand though is how come Nvidia are once again boasting how many design wins they have with Kepler and laptops. Do OEMs not learn anything? Or is it that most of the cost of fixing bad Nvidia chips (or not) was borne by the customers?

 

[mobomojo]

Were all of them Nvidia? Dangerous combination poorly made and vented HP DVs plus Nvidia chips with the wrong solder and substrate.

What I can't understand though is how come Nvidia are once again boasting how many design wins they have with Kepler and laptops. Do OEMs not learn anything? Or is it that most of the cost of fixing bad Nvidia chips (or not) was borne by the customers?

Got one of these in last week. It was tossed in a closet in 09 with "issues" (which turned out to be a bad hard drive) and given to my client couple of weeks ago. Redid the heat sink with A7 and copper shim, brought temps way down. Maybe this one will miss the problems it's kin have had.