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PC keeps shutting down randomly?

Boy do I have a wierd one here.

I have a PC that a local shop build a couple of years ago for my grandmother, and it keeps shutting down at random times, just like I held in the power button. Sometimes it stops seconds after start up, and other times hours after it has been active. The only other thing that I can add is that she used to smoke.

--It had a 350 watt power supply, so I replaced it with a 500 watt and it still kept rebooting.
-- I removed the side pannel, left it unplugged for a day,and then restarted it...yet it still kept rebooting.
--There did not appear to be anytyhing wrong with the CPU fan, but I replaced it anyway with another fan with a coper core, and I added silver thermal paste....no help.
--The motherboard has 2 DDR 400 dimms, so I put the RAM stick into dimm2 and still nothing.
--I replaced the ram with a new DDR 400 stick... still shuts down.
--I completely removed the hard drive and tried to boot up off of the CD... nothing.
Any ideas??

ASROCK P4i4SE Motherboard
Intel 1.8 Ghz processor
512mb Elixir 3200 DDR
500 Watt Power Tek power supply
1 DVD/cdr combo drive
1 floppy drive
1 rear case fan
1 top case fan
1 side case fan

TK
October 2008

Computers, Desktop PCs Pc Keeps Down

what i can install to my motherboard P4I4SE to let my computer get faster and better.

i mean what best video card i can install . and what the best processor i can install. ??
thank you

igor
December 2008

hi pleae help my pc keep shutting down it may run all night or day some times but then it will just go of and may or may not start a gain some times if i unplug the power supply and leave for a bit it seem to start ok but it will just shut down any time its on vist and ive got avg the free one on it and its up to date is it poss it may be the power supply many thanks from bof

bof
November 2008

Hi TK,

First of all, there is no point in changing parts until you have figured out what is wrong.
We do this by a process of elimination.

-Smoking does not affect your pc.
-If you can see the screen, the monitor is working.
-If you can see windows the power supply is working.
-Check all fans are working, if not replace.
If fans are working, pc + processor are kept cool.
Also check inside is clean and free from dust and fluff and also keep pc where air gets all around it and not underneath a closed desk.

Causes of pc shut down.
-Pc or cpu overheating (fans not working)
-Virus (run antivirus, keep firewall on, empty r/bin).
- Power supply blown. Won't startup again then.
Power supply is very dangerous, do not replace it yourself, get an IT tech to do it.

Is your anti virus up to date and running?
Is your windows firewall on?
Do you have more than one virus software running?, if so remove one completely.
Have you added something to your pc, inside or out that's in conflict with your pc.
Run antivirus and see if it finds viruses.

Hope this helps.

Anne
October 2008

CPU temp is 101 F

TK
October 2008

Hi, you say you tried to boot with a cd and it failed, do you mean the PC shutdown whilst trying or you couldn't boot with the CD disc. Also you have to be carefull with the thermal paste as it must only go on the main cpu chip itself, if it spreads to other chips nearby that won't help. You also need to perhaps enter your BIOS and monitor the CPU tempreture. More info jazzy@jazzyjeph.co.uk

jazzyjeph
October 2008