Computer randomly powering off

Frost17

Baseband Member
Messages
50
Hello All,

I built my computer last year. Don't remember the exact specs but something to the effect of:

ASUS MOBO
Athlon X2 Processor
4 GB RAM
500 GB HDD
500 Watt Power Supply
ATI Graphics Card with Heat Pipe Technology
Enclosed in a case that is well ventilated with 6 Case Fans

I originally thought this was a heating issue, but it is strange how it occurs. Mainly happens while playing Starcraft 2. Computer will just shutdown after about an hour to two hours of playing. I've noticed this also sometimes happening if I leave the computer on and come back several hours later.

The strange part is that if it happens, I try to power it back on and it won't work. But if I unplug the cord to the power supply and plug it back in, all of a sudden it works. Bad power supply, or is there another issue going on here?
 
I'm not sure but when I had a dodgy power supply it would just restart or shut down. The CPU could be overheating. Look in the BIOS, there may be a auto shut down if your CPU reaches a certain temp. Just monitor your CPU temps for a few hours. But I would say PSU.
 
Going by personal experience i'd say it's the PSU.

If you have another PSU pop it in and give it a try.
 
Definitely sounds like a bad power supply. Generally speaking, if you build a PC and you can't name the power supply by official name, it probably wasn't a quality part. Also, if you can hold it comfortably in one hand, it's probably not a good power supply. The best power supplies will be h e a v y. Not break your hand heavy, but they should have some heft to them. Do you know if yours was a brand name PSU, or did you in fact pay only $20 or $30 for "500 watts" ?
 
Eh, what can I say, I built the computer over a year ago and have pretty much been using it just for internet and such. I'll take a look when I get home but I don't believe I cheaped out on the power supply. I actually want to venture to say it is a Cooler Master.

I don't think I have an extra PSU laying around anywhere but if I do i'll give it a shot. I guess if I have to I'll buy another one. Can anyone think if there may be any other issues here before I go out buying stuff and swapping out parts?
 
It's hard to use a computer for light tasks for a while because sometimes major issues can creep into an otherwise stable system, I've had it happen to me too. I didn't mean to sound snippy about the PSU, just wanted to make sure you were aware of what it was. So many people build great systems but put a $30 power supply in it. That's like filling your car up with mineral oil and then expecting it to perform like it has 91 octane in it. :(
 
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