Random power offs

Claes1981

Solid State Member
Messages
8
Location
Sweden
Hello,

Any one having any idea that might help me troubleshoot my home built computer?
It has started to suddenly shut down a couple of times the last week, as if the power is suddenly switched off. However, the lights (a red light behind the expansion slots, a yellow BIOS led, and power-on/reset switches) are still on on the motherboard, but nothing happens when I try to start the computer again by pressing the regular power on button (on the case front). To start the computer again, I must first switch the power supply unit's power switch, off, and then on again, and then press the regular power on button of the computer.
The ASUS AI Suite software shows CPU temp of about 54 degrees Celsius, and motherboard temp of I think about 20 - 30 degrees Celsius. The BIOS (version 3404) settings are "Optimized Defaults"(, except for the CPU fan speed monitor, which is off). I have also tried the previous BIOS version, but same result with that.

Is it possible from these symptoms to tell if it might be the power supply or the video card or something else that is broken?
The power supply unit is a Chieftec GPS-350EB-101A, that I have used for about 5 years, 24 hours per day, all year, and it is plugged into the wall directly. The power supply unit sometimes makes quite a bit of noise when the CPU is under heavy load, but not when the CPU is idle. The video card (ASUS EAX550HM512/TD/128M/A) is of the same age (and I have not installed any driver for it on this computer) , but I have not played a lot of games with it.
I have mostly used the computer to analyze chess (=heavy load on the CPU), also when it has suddenly shut down the last week, but it has never been any problem running it for chess analysis before the last week. Now it typically shuts down after 1 to maybe 12 hours of chess analyses, and with the prime95 "Blend"-test, it shut down after only about 3 minutes.

Best regards,

Claes

Motherboard: ASUS Rampage IV Formula (6 months of usage)
CPU: Intel Core i7 3930k (Box) (6 months of usage)
CPU cooler: Noctua NH-D14 SE2011 (6 months of usage)
RAM: G.skill Ares Low Profile - DDR3 1866MHz - 2 x 4GB (6 months of usage)
Video card: ASUS EAX550HM512/TD/128M/A (5 years of usage)
Power supply: Chieftec GPS-350EB-101A (5 years of usage)
Display: Benq TFT 24" G2420HD
BIOS version: 3404
Operating system: Windows 8 64bit
 
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Based upon your information, I would lean towards a power supply issue.

Do you have another one that you could put in short term to confirm?

I would also disconnect and reconnect all of your internal and external psu connections.

Are the shut downs random or do they only occur during heavy cpu load?
 
Thanks Hefemeister for your opinion,

It seems like it only happens under heavy CPU load, so far it has not shut down when it does not analyze chess.
I will try reconnecting the power supply unit's connections, but unfortunately I do not have any other power supply unit to try.

Best regards,

Claes
 
Thanks,

I attach a screenshot of the temperatures under chess analysis.

Is there any software that could tell if the fans are working correctly? As far as I can see they are rotating, not much dust, and the ASUS software reports white (=ok I assume) numbers for the fan number 1 speed. The second CPU fan sometimes reports a yellow color (about 600 rpm), but the fans are pretty big, and I do not think that they should rotate very fast.

Best regards,

Claes
 

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speedfan can monitor you fan speeds.

SpeedFan - CNET Download.com

While I am not super familiar with the operating norms for that cpu, It does seem to be running a bit hot for 50% cpu usage.

For example, mine under 100% (running prime 95) load is at 62C with an idle temp of 40C

Regardless, it still seems to be a psu problem in my opinion.
 
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Thanks for your thoughts,

Actually, I think the 50% value is because of a hyper-threading feature of the CPU. The author of the chess program do not recommend running it in hyper-treading mode, so I have turned it off in the program, but it still uses all six cores. I can try the Prime 95 program though, and see if it cause any different temperatures.

However, I am considering trying a new power supply unit, as you suggest, but also because of the noise my current one tends to make nowadays, and I think I will try a different brand this time, as you bigdog33 suggest too.

Best regards,

Claes
 
Good Idea.
Power supplies do degrade with time, so a 350w psu that's 5 yrs old probably used it's life. Don't know much about the quality of the ChiefTech brand name.
 
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Yha thhat psu isn't enough for that system. It probably doesn't actually put out 350W.

I'd say get a 550W give or take so you can put a newer video card in when you get to upgrading it.
 
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