Computer won't stay on- keeps shutting down

Update-
Cleaned mystery gook off CPU.

Still shuts down/restarts.

So now it's down to:
Motherboard
CPU

Maybe SSD? Maybe RAM? Did scans on both of those and came back clean. Already swapped RAM and tried different slots. Made no difference.
 
craigdt said:
Update-
Cleaned mystery gook off CPU.

Still shuts down/restarts.

So now it's down to:
Motherboard
CPU

Maybe SSD? Maybe RAM? Did scans on both of those and came back clean. Already swapped RAM and tried different slots. Made no difference.
Click to expand...

If you've already tried single DIMM and swapped those around with no effect, the next most likely culprit is motherboard. RAM is the usual culprit, it's the most sensitive component. But if you've eliminated it, time to move on.

CPU is possible, but those are usually all or nothing - they work or they don't.

SSD unlikely, since you said it was crashing before you even got to BIOS at times. Can always start it and get to BIOS without any hard drives in the system at all, and even boot from USB (Linux Live or Win Install)... but this isn't very likely.

Make sure your benching the system - get it out of the case. I've seen stupid things like power switches crapping out, loose screws underneath the motherboard, I/O shields that get bent up and short crap out. Pull the Mobo and set it out in the box it came in or something and run it that way for this testing.

If you've already ran through all the possibilities with the RAM, I'd go Mobo next. The last system I had to T/S that had this problem, it took me weeks of pulling my hair out and replacing every... single... component. The problem is always the very last thing you try, in this case, it ended up being a Corsair H100 AIO heatsink. I don't know how or why, but swapping that out fixed it on that particular machine.
 
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That "stuff" on those 2 circular pads on the CPU is rectangular and matches with the socket rectangular supports in the center of each side.
So those circular pads are not touching any socket pins and serve no electrical purpose and will not be the cause of the shutdowns.

The PSU is either being told to shut down by the MB due to a fault condition or the PSU is detecting an over voltage or over current situation and shutting down.
Do you have to unplug the PSU from the wall or turn the PSU switch off and back on in order to boot again, or are you able to press the normal power button to boot up again?

Feel the MB VRMs and heatsinks. Are any getting hot?
 
Brian_B said:
If you've already tried single DIMM and swapped those around with no effect, the next most likely culprit is motherboard. RAM is the usual culprit, it's the most sensitive component. But if you've eliminated it, time to move on.

CPU is possible, but those are usually all or nothing - they work or they don't.

SSD unlikely, since you said it was crashing before you even got to BIOS at times. Can always start it and get to BIOS without any hard drives in the system at all, and even boot from USB (Linux Live or Win Install)... but this isn't very likely.

Make sure your benching the system - get it out of the case. I've seen stupid things like power switches crapping out, loose screws underneath the motherboard, I/O shields that get bent up and short crap out. Pull the Mobo and set it out in the box it came in or something and run it that way for this testing.

If you've already ran through all the possibilities with the RAM, I'd go Mobo next. The last system I had to T/S that had this problem, it took me weeks of pulling my hair out and replacing every... single... component. The problem is always the very last thing you try, in this case, it ended up being a Corsair H100 AIO heatsink. I don't know how or why, but swapping that out fixed it on that particular machine.
Click to expand...


Yes, the system is out if the case, sitting in the motherboard box.

I jumped it by shorting the.. pins?

What do I do regarding the motherboard?

Can I warranty it?
 
Azrak said:
That "stuff" on those 2 circular pads on the CPU is rectangular and matches with the socket rectangular supports in the center of each side.
So those circular pads are not touching any socket pins and serve no electrical purpose and will not be the cause of the shutdowns.

The PSU is either being told to shut down by the MB due to a fault condition or the PSU is detecting an over voltage or over current situation and shutting down.
Do you have to unplug the PSU from the wall or turn the PSU switch off and back on in order to boot again, or are you able to press the normal power button to boot up again?

Feel the MB VRMs and heatsinks. Are any getting hot?
Click to expand...

I do not have to unplug the power supply to get it to boot again.

I've tried 2 different power supplies and multiple outlets in my house.

Nothing seems to be getting hot on the motherboard.
 
When you short the power switch pins. are you holding them shorted? Doing that will turn off the system again after a few seconds (you're basically holding the power button down)

Otherwise, if the only thing you have hooked up is the PSU, motherboard and CPU (with heatsink and fan); and you've not got the motherboard sitting on any sort of metallic surface (like a shiny graphic covered box, or an anti-static bag); then you're left with a faulty board (most likely) or CPU(least likely). If there is a warranty left on the board, set up an RMA. If not, you'll have get another board.
 
ryan_975 said:
When you short the power switch pins. are you holding them shorted? Doing that will turn off the system again after a few seconds (you're basically holding the power button down)

Otherwise, if the only thing you have hooked up is the PSU, motherboard and CPU (with heatsink and fan); and you've not got the motherboard sitting on any sort of metallic surface (like a shiny graphic covered box, or an anti-static bag); then you're left with a faulty board (most likely) or CPU(least likely). If there is a warranty left on the board, set up an RMA. If not, you'll have get another board.
Click to expand...

Not holding them shorted.

I went ahead and filed an RMA with Asus.

How does the process work?
Will I get a refurb?
 
craigdt said:
Not holding them shorted.

I went ahead and filed an RMA with Asus.

How does the process work?
Will I get a refurb?
Click to expand...

They'll ask you to send them the motherboard back on your dime. If you're lucky, they'll send you a refurb a couple of weeks after they received it from you. If not, they'll bend a couple dozen pins and blame you for the damage, invalidate your warranty, and demand that you pay them shipping costs to return your stuff.

Good Luck.
 
Asus? F........

Yeah... you'll pay to ship it out. They will bitch that something isn't original (missing zif scoket cover, not original box, insufficient packaging, whatever). 3-4 weeks later they will say it works fine, and charge you to send back your motherboard with a "Diagnostics Slip" that says nothing is wrong.

Of course it will still be broke.

I generally like Asus products.
The Asus RMA process is pretty bad.
 
Set bios to default. Flash again with latest bios. Set default, try again. Make sure you have the latest chipset drivers from mfg site, not the ones on the mobo support page.
 
Son of a.....

Is that really how it will go?

I really don't want to wait that long.

Fml.
 
craigdt said:
We were watching a movie on Plex and my computer, restarted after about 3 minutes.

Powered off, started to reboot then shut down and rebooted all the way.

Weird.

Restarted the movie.

Watched for a couple minutes then repeated the same process.

Triggered on and off about half a dozen times within 20 seconds.

So I unplugged it.

Never had any issues before.

Where should I start first?

Power supply is Seasonic Focus Gold 850 watt.
Click to expand...
Interesting, I have a Seasonic Focus+ Gold 850w in my Intel system and it will reboot now when using SLI. Single card still seems to be OK. EVGA 2x 1080 TI SC Black. Doubling up the cables seemed to work for awhile but now is back to the same behavior. Not as bad as you indicated, at least not yet. Wondering if these power supplies are damaging a component? Have not tried a different power supply yet but will probably be my next step.

As a second thought, people with Seasonic PS and 2080 Ti's also seemed to have a higher failure rate - not sure if that is true or just Seasonic is very popular. "Edit, maybe that was with Corsair PS - not sure".
 
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Wife wants the machine back together so we can get the Plex server back online.

Thinking about seeing the RMA through, but ordering the Asus ROS Strix Z-390-E just to get it here.

Asus already burned me once... is there a better option at the similar price range?
 
craigdt said:
Wife wants the machine back together so we can get the Plex server back online.

Thinking about seeing the RMA through, but ordering the Asus ROS Strix Z-390-E just to get it here.

Asus already burned me once... is there a better option at the similar price range?
Click to expand...
I've just found having multiple machines, anyone of them can be a backup, makes life way more easier until the issue is fixed. Only problem is procrastination on getting to it :D. Necessity has a quality of it's own in getting something done, made or accomplished.
 
Got the new motherboard in.
Everything works just fine.

Great!

4 days later still haven't heard from Asus RMA.

Also,
I plopped my old 960 Evo boot drive from the old motherboard in the new one and it boot right up.

Do I really need to reinstall Windows/everything else?
 
craigdt said:
Got the new motherboard in.
Everything works just fine.

Great!

4 days later still haven't heard from Asus RMA.

Also,
I plopped my old 960 Evo boot drive from the old motherboard in the new one and it boot right up.

Do I really need to reinstall Windows/everything else?
Click to expand...

Good to hear! If everything is working as expected, I wouldn't bother. Especially since your using the same chipset, socket etc.
 
Take a mess of pictures of the cpu socket pins before you sent it back to Asus. Last one I RMA'd, I sent some of those pictures with the mobo so they couldn't claim it had bent pins. Also make sure the socket cover is installed or they won't even look at the board,
Another trick I like to do is request cross shipping. They won't do this if they have no stock & it requires a credit card hold, but at least you know your getting a different board.
 
noko said:
Interesting, I have a Seasonic Focus+ Gold 850w in my Intel system and it will reboot now when using SLI. Single card still seems to be OK. EVGA 2x 1080 TI SC Black. Doubling up the cables seemed to work for awhile but now is back to the same behavior. Not as bad as you indicated, at least not yet. Wondering if these power supplies are damaging a component? Have not tried a different power supply yet but will probably be my next step.

As a second thought, people with Seasonic PS and 2080 Ti's also seemed to have a higher failure rate - not sure if that is true or just Seasonic is very popular. "Edit, maybe that was with Corsair PS - not sure".
Click to expand...


I am on my second failed SS FP 850W Gold with my sig rig and SS is giving me the run around claiming that their PSU cannot be at fault when another brand unit will work fine for days on end. There is something fishy with the OCP setup on these units. I am fairly certain the PSU may have damaged one of my VEGAs.
 
I think the OCP in some of the newer Seasonic PSU models is too sensitive, or the switching frequencies used for power generation interacts with the VRMs on certain MBs to trigger false OCP protection under high load. I had to switch from the 850W (I tried two of them before giving up) to the 1000W model to stop the constant shutdowns in my rig while under load.
 
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