random shutdown during boot.
 

Hi all.


I have a homebrew computer that I have used to dualboot Ubuntu and Windows XP for about a year now. It began having random shut down problems in both OSes a couple months ago. I could boot up, do a little bit, but then it would just shut off, seemingly random. I reformatted the hard drive and was going to start from scratch again, but as soon as I boot the kernel for ubuntu or just after everything loads in the XP install, my computer just shuts off.

Here's my hardware:
MSI P4M900M2-L LGA 775 VIA P4M900 Micro ATX Intel
Intel 1.60GHz dual core processor
2GB crucial RAM
Asus video card, can't remember what kind (has the same random shutdown problem with onboard video)
LG CD/DVD drive
120GB Sata HDD


Can anyone help me diagnose and fix the problem?

thanks,
gary

If both fail during boot then it is unlikely to be a software problem. It sounds to me like you have a hardware problem. I suggest that you do some hardware testing:

first of all run memtest (you can make a bootable CD with this on) to check for RAM errors

secondly boot into your BIOS and go to the voltage settings page. The first thing to see is whether the voltages are significantly off standard, second does the PC stay on for half an hour on this page, thirdly look at the temperature page to see if anything is above about 30C.

A likely problem is your PSU if memtest says your RAM is fine. I had a PSU failure a few months ago that caused reboots during boot, and reboots even in the BIOS.

If it is actually shutting down and not hanging, I would look first and hardest at the power supply. This is hands down the most likely cause of the particular problem. Beyond the power supply, I would look at the motherboard, but I would not expect it to be at fault here.

Other problems would most likely cause the system to hang/freeze and possibly reboot. Shutdown is most probably the power supply.

A low probability cause of shutdowns is an intermittent short circuit someplace in the box. Look for stray screws, standoffs, or bits of wire that might be wandering around in the box. Also look for the metal standoff in a location that really should have a plastic standoff, or a fiber washer that is mashed/cracked/missing. Also clean out the dust bunnies.

[QUOTE=rjwilmsi;3386192]
secondly boot into your BIOS and go to the voltage settings page. The first thing to see is whether the voltages are significantly off standard, second does the PC stay on for half an hour on this page, thirdly look at the temperature page to see if anything is above about 30C.
/QUOTE]

voltage levels seemed to be normal, but after a few minutes on this page the machine shut off.

Four or five years ago I had a similar problem. I guessed that the problem was overheating and I installed another fan. The extra fan solved the problem.

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Steve Stites

I just saw in my BIOS that the CPU gets to about 108C before it shuts off. I'm thinking this is the problem, but all my fans seem to work. what else can I do?

Try running with the covers off. Perhaps set up an ordinary household fan to blow through the coverless case. If that solves the problem then you should install an additional fan. In my first post I meant that I added an additional fan to my home-grown computer. I didn't mean that I replaced a faulty fan.

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Steve Stites

Yikes! If that is true, then it is your problem. It shouldn't get that hot before shutdown, and you won't get it that hot very many times before it fails.