Computer semi-randomly shutting off

[Torque Monkey]

Having some trouble with my computer and can't seem to figure out the problem, and would appreciate any and all help available Long time lurker, just haven't had a reason to do more than lurk until now. Anyway, onto the problem...

>> Short read

For the past couple of days, my computer's been shutting off at semi-random intervals. More often once it's shut down recently(sounds like heat), but is fine for 8-10 hours, then crashes once I get on(this is in World of Warcraft, by the way).

It started on Wednesday when it shut off, and I checked the Motherboard for the lights to be on(thought PSU might have died) when I see the Zalman(had it 7-8 months and haven't cleaned it) is really dusty. Clean it, pop out the CMOS battery to clear the BIOS, restarts fine.

For the next couple of days, it keeps doing it. Tonight, I update the drivers, change the CPU fan speed, open the case panel, and still no go, it shuts off every 30 minutes or so.

If anyone knows what it could possibly be, i'd really appreciate any and all help.

>> Long read

Basically, it's shutting down at seemingly random intervals. It started on Wednesday night, playing WoW. I was in a raid dungeon(Molten Core, for any fellow nerds), and it shuts off. I freak out since that had never happened before, and get on my older computer, asking around to see if anyone knew what might be the problem.

I got a sleugh of answers, and one was that my PSU probably died. So I take off the panel, nope, light's still on. Then I notice the HSF(I have a Zalman) is really, really dusty. I spend a good 5 minutes cleaning that off(I wasn't exagurating when I said really dusty - i've had it for 7 or 8 months and haven't cleaned it). Get that done, pop the battery out for a couple of minutes, put it back in and it's fine.

I get through that night just fine. No problems at all. So I go to sleep, and the next morning my Brother wakes up and turns it on. He turns it on around 8:30 and plays until 6:30. 10 hours straight, no problems, he was on WoW the whole time. He gets off, I log on, and as soon as I log in, crash. So I pop out the battery, let it sit, nothing. Friend suggests to remove the HSF to make sure it's completely cooled, so I leave it set for about 15 minutes. No go still. Another Friend suggests to try the jumper, and that works fine.

So I think, hey, maybe the fan speed got knocked down when I had to reset the BIOS or something. So I check, and I don't see an option in the BIOS. So I turn it back off, let it sit for about 20 minutes, and get to playing again. It's fine the rest of the night. Turn it on friday, Brother plays all day again, and it's fine. I eventually get on about 4, and play until 8:30 when it crashes again. I reset the jumper, let it sit for 5 minutes or so, and turn it back on. Get back in game, play for about 20 minutes, and crash again.

Now, this leads me to believe it's heat. Friend of mine suggested that since it's only happened in WoW, and they just released a content patch before, it may be drivers. Earlier tonight, I get on at 6, don't change drivers or anything, just log on, and it's fine until 8. Then, shut off. I turn it back on, plug in my fan controller and turn it to max, as well as update my drivers(I had old Omega ones from November or something). 30 minutes later, crash again. I get back on, Friend suggests that I get a temp tray monitor. I install it, restart, it says 28C.

28C for an AMD64 S939 3200+ even with a Zalman seems really, really low. However, I restart again, and it stays that. So anyway, I play for another hour, and it's fine. It goes to 85F(I changed it to F to get a more accurate idea of temp changes), and crashola. Load it back up, play for another 45, crash again.

Basically, it doesn't seem like heat to me. Atleast not the CPU. I know the CPU temp probably isn't right(82F seems really low, but maybe that's accurate), but it just doesn't seem like it. So anyway, i'm brainstorming, and i've decided i'm just going to order another PSU. Anyway, raids are over, I let my Brother on, he's on about 4 minutes, crash. It had been off for 10-15 minutes, and it crashed that early? So anyway, it sits for a couple, I turn it *back* on, and leave it sit at Desktop. It's been 45 minutes, and it's still fine.

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Specs are...

2x 512 Mushkin PC3200 RAM
ASUS A8V Deluxe Rev2 Motherboard
AMD64 S939 3200+ CPU
XFX GeForce6800
CoolMax CX-400B 400W PSU

I ordered that PSU on accident(Newegg wishlist got rolled back, I didn't notice, never got around to returning it), so i'm probably going to order a new one anyway.

But yeah, if anyone has any suggestions, i'd love to hear them. I'm kindof clueless about what the problem might be now besides the PSU, and i'm going to order something from Newegg and overnight it tomorrow.

Thanks for any and all help, really do appreciate it.

PS: I've had it on for an hour at Desktop, and it's been fine. Not sure what that could mean.

PPS: I was thinking it could also possibly be that the auto shut off thing is bugged. From what i've seen using the CPU temp taskbar watcher thing, it shuts off when it goes over 85F(which may or may not be accurate), but is fine until then. Could just be a coincidence, though.

PPPS: Sorry for being so incredibly long winded. I didn't want to give a lack of information, but it seems I went overboard there...

 

[Torque Monkey]

Update: It ran fine for 5 hours without loading World of Warcraft last night, and it would appear the task bar temperature gauge is off. According to my BIOS, it's 34C, and in the ~minute I was in my BIOS, it went up to 36C.

I was looking for an auto shut-off option, but didn't find one.

Still open to any and all suggestions - going to go ahead and order a PSU in a little bit probably.

edit: According to my BIOS, my CPU is now 41C. That seems kindof warm for a 3200+, not OCed, just running desktop applications/Counter-Strike with a Zalman, doesn't it?

 

[Lord Nassirbannipal]

Start/My Computer(right click)/Properties/Advanced/Startup and Recovery/Settings, uncheck Automatic Restart and write down the error message that you get upon crashing.

You may also want to try uninstalling and then reinstalling WoW.

Some of the files may have been corrupted when Windows was forcibly shut down.

 

[Torque Monkey]

Start/My Computer(right click)/Properties/Advanced/Startup and Recovery/Settings, uncheck Automatic Restart and write down the error message that you get upon crashing.

You may also want to try uninstalling and then reinstalling WoW.

Some of the files may have been corrupted when Windows was forcibly shut down.

I'll go ahead and try re-installing WoW in a little bit. The thing, though is it just completely shuts off, so I don't know what, if any that option would do.

Unless it pertains to shutting off, too, which it may. In that case, i'll give it a shot. Thanks for the reply

 

[Lord Nassirbannipal]

You should also run memtest and make sure that your RAM isn't acting up.

 

[Torque Monkey]

You should also run memtest and make sure that your RAM isn't acting up.

Ran MemTest for an hour and some last night and nothing showed up. Also ran Prime95 for about an hour and nothing showed up there.

CPU is around 40C. I wish I could get an accurate display of my CPU temp while playing to see when it does shut off.

I'm starting to think it's probably just the PSU though. I was on for 15 minutes and it shut off, but now i've been on for an hour and nothing happens. It seems to do it at only certain spots of certain zones in WoW...

 

[Torque Monkey]

Re-installed WoW and nothing.

However, last night, I remembered something. A while back in EQ, someone in my old guild had a very similar problem. Whenever there was too much going on on their screen, their computer would just shut off. It normally happened every 10-15 minutes of being at a raid on EQ, but they'd be fine soloing, etc.

Now, that's exactly what's happening to me, basically. Whenever a lot of stuff is going on, it shuts off.

For him, what happened was his power got zapped and his computer got turned off while in the BIOS, and he had to reset them. After that, it started happening. He changed his CPU and RAM voltage and it worked fine.

I wonder if that might be worth trying for me? I've never messed around with voltages and not sure what's what, but would it be worth looking into?

I went ahead and ordered a new PSU(Antec TruPower 430W one - quite a few friends have it and really like it), and it should be here tomorrow. Hopefully that's the problem, but if anyone has an idea of weither it might or might not be the voltage, i'd really appreciate it.