Ok so my wifes parents neighbors have been having some issues with their pc. The issue is the PC will all of a sudden turn off. At random times doing random tasks. So they took it to a local PC repair place and the place told them first it was their AV software, then a printer driver (He has been using the same printer for 3 years without issue) and then they told him his windows 7 is bad.
Well they got annoyed and called me. I first checked the case to see if anything was over heating, I Checked for dust and clogged fans, The pc was fine and clean. Second I checked temps of the CPU (Phenom II 810) and the temps maxed out at 50*c so that wasn't the issue, I then checked the HDD and Ram and those all came out fine. I then checked windows event viewer and there are errors that say the PC shutdown improperly. No BSOD codes etc..
So my solution was they have a bad PSU. I told that to the client and he was sort of reluctant I don't think he believed me that the PSU is the culprit. Everything points to the PSU. So he ordered one and thats where I stand now, I have to go back and install it when it comes in the mail. He also mentioned they have had a few times where the power has surged and the electricity has went out when using the PC. So I think PSU.
That would have been my solution man. It really sounds like the PSU. I've had PSU's go back after electrical storms + power surges. I'd recommend that you have them buy a nice surge protector if they don't have one already. If the PSU doesn't work out I'd be pulling that mobo out to test or drop another CPU in if you've got it.
I would guess at the PSU as well. Good job in eliminating everything else BTW. Will bet that the neighbors will be very happy once the PSU is all installed and the computer works like a dream. Hopefully you assisted them in selecting a quality unit.
He is letting me take it home and troubleshoot. 2 things I am wondering is the computer going into a hybid sleep or hibernation mode. He says the computer shuts down when he isn't there. So he leaves it on and gets home and its off.. But IDK. The other thing is he is using a old what I consider crap power surge protector. Looks like its from the early 2000s. Could that have anything to do with it?
power surge protectors can be a problem. I recently trouble shoot a pc that would reboot at random. I was thinking PSU or electric circuits in the house. Guy bought a new power surge protector and problem gone, he connected to the old one again, problems are back again. so it might as well be a protector issue.
Check power options to see how hibernation is set up, old people are crazy. He probably doesn't know the difference between "starting windows" and "resuming windows", the 2 screens look almost identical. Other than that test the motherboard and every connection, seems like that's the only thing left to check. It could still be an issue with windows, you've mostly been troubleshooting hardware.
How can I tell if its a mobo issue? I ran Prime 95 blend at his house for about a hour and all was fine. I guess I will have to look at the board. I am annoyed the PSU didn't fix the issue.
So I have been running the PC since last night and it hasn't shut down once. I have it connected to my UPS with a line conditioner. I also ran MWB and it found 13 objects and it removed them.
Before all of this I took off the HSF and the Thermal paste was dried like chalk. I cleaned all that off and applied some new stuff and it dropped temps 13*.
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