NEW PC turns off randomly. Can be 20 seconds into boot or when on desktop

Does the PC restart or does it shutdown?

The first thing i would check is the PSU.

It just turns off. He has to turn it back on.

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Originally Posted by aidanjt

Preferably on a solid & dry wooden surface, a plastic surface or piece of cardboard will surface also, as long as it's free of conductive materials it'll be fine.

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I wouldn't use just any plastic, some types seem prone to static discharges.

WEll, hes been running it with 1 1gb stick in slot 2 and nothings gone wrong (touch wood) For some reason, the DVD drive has disappeared from windows explorer and device manager though :/

Are you sure it's not the RAM voltage then?

I've had that problem with all the PC6400 I've used.

I do find it strange that an "overclock" or extra voltage would cause a PC to just turn off as if you've suddenly pulled the IEC out the back. Generally you get instabilities, freezes or restarts, but not shutdowns.

BIOSes can have an audible beep when CPU temps go to high before shutting down. Although my guess is if it does shut down and instantly starts up again, then maybe it's not a CPU problem. Is there a speaker attached and working (you hear a beep when it finishes POST before booting the OS).

I'd put my money on a dodgy PSU or a dodgy power switch.

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Originally Posted by Oobie-

In regards to temperature. He says that when he touches the lowest part of the HSF, its warm - coretemp reports the temp at anything between 50 to 90 Degrees, and the BIOS reports it as 81 deg....

Somethings wrong, hes checking into it now.

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So the CPU is hot but the heatsink isn't? Sounds like the heat isn't getting from the CPU to the heatsink so it is a heatsink mounting problem.

70 degrees C is really uncomfortable to touch/hold, 81 degrees is damned hot.

he did use thermal compound didnt he? lol

yeah, it seems like the heat sink is not seated properly, you might want to check the thermal gel as well. But I think if the computer shuts down due to CPU heating, you would see the BSOD

Most current mobos have some failsafe temps in the BIOS. They should give warning beeps, but many modern cases don't have a speaker...

So overheating could indeed cause a shutdown with no warning on such a system.

I have seen similar probs with systems build by first-timers.
After looking and exchanging everything for known working hardware, I have found in 2 cases that they forgot to take the protective plastic cover off of the cpu socket....

Once someone actually left the plastic covering on the already pre-applied goop on an HSF.:surprised:

Belgarath

:clapping::D:laugh::lol:

well he reseated the CPU HSF and its down to 37~ deg!
Although the thermal paste had been compressed and appeared "manipulated" Its running nicely with the 1gb stick. I guess he'll do some more checks after christmas/uni coursework deadlines.

THanks for the help guys.