Dell shuting down, Thinking PSU isssue

[ninethreeeleven]

My father has a Dell Dimension 4500, starting last Friday it started shutting down randomly. No warning just powering off.

It would do this under hardly any stress, we were just typing in the security code for the wireless adapter, which is externally powered so thats not an issue. The only thing we added to the computer are a DVD burner to replace the old drive and a PCI 802.11g card to replace the adapter that I could not get to work.

I check all caps on the mobo and they look fine, I checked all power connections and they are fine.

I think its either overheating or a PSU issue, but it seeing how its not being stressed I cant see overheating as a true possibility.

[0mega]

how old is it?

[notalent420]

if you are going to upgrade the PSU, look at pc power & cooling, they make custom-fit dell compatible psu's. not sure if they updated them to the newest models, but the 4500 should be listed on their site somewhere.

link (http://www.pcpowerandcooling.com)

[pxc]

The 4500 uses a standard ATX 12v PSU. The only thing to watch for is a rear power switch. There is no cut out on the 4500 case for a PSU with a power switch on the back.

Try swapping an existing PSU so you don't need to spend anything while troubleshooting.

PC P&C special "Dell" PSUs are for older Dell systems, P3 and earlier. http://www.pcpowercooling.com/products/power_supplies/selector/dell.htm?show=S36D The rest of PC P&C "Dell" PSUs are just standard ATX PSUs, way overpriced in either case, IMO.

[Rich Tate]

The 4500 uses a standard ATX 12v PSU. The only thing to watch for is a rear power switch. There is no cut out on the 4500 case for a PSU with a power switch on the back.

Try swapping an existing PSU so you don't need to spend anything while troubleshooting.

PC P&C special "Dell" PSUs are for older Dell systems, P3 and earlier. http://www.pcpowercooling.com/products/power_supplies/selector/dell.htm?show=S36D The rest of PC P&C "Dell" PSUs are just standard ATX PSUs, way overpriced in either case, IMO.

I use a Dremel to cut the cases all the time. Dell wants 80 bucks for one of those sups that fit the hole. Two cuts and about 15 minutes, being tidy, problem solved.

Oh and caps do swell and go INSIDE of the power supply too. That can cause it to reboot if a cap doesn't have the charge it needs.




http://www.hardfolding.com/ftag1.php/mem/8584.png (http://www.hardfolding.com?go=38&id=8584)

[ninethreeeleven]

Well, I dont think its the PSU anymore. I got it into safe mode and I get the message "Windows is recovering from a fatal error..." or something close to that. I send it to Microsoft for "analysis" and get nothing.

I ran AVG but had to leave by the time it got done so I dont know what happened with that, but AVG must put some pressure on the CPU which would over power a broken PSU, but that is not the case.

Anyway, when I left I saw 117 infected files, so theres that. I think it is a codec problem. I remember Windows flashing that before it shut down. But I cant install the ACE Codec "mega pack" that someone downloaded so I might have to copy everything off of it and reinstall Windows... that is if I can find the OEM disk. :rolleyes: