PC keeps shutting off while powering up.

[srinivas1015]

This started happening since yesterday. I power up my PC and after 2 or 3 seconds, it's completely off. I have to try it 4 or 5 times before it finally goes past the boot screen.
What can be causing this?

[solarrdadd]

Originally Posted by srinivas1015

This started happening since yesterday. I power up my PC and after 2 or 3 seconds, it's completely off. I have to try it 4 or 5 times before it finally goes past the boot screen.
What can be causing this?

you never mentioned if it EVER actually gets to the windows login screen and/or is usable (gets to the desktop to actually do work) also, once in windows does it shut off or give any other problems?

it sounds like you have a virus of some type. how old is the pc and what type of antivirus do you have on it and is it (the virus definitions) up to date/current?

for hardware, if it was memory it would beep a certain pattern of beeps. also under hardware, the cpu &/or powersupply fans could be suspect.

best of luck with getting it resolved. keep us posted.

[srinivas1015]

Originally Posted by solarrdadd

you never mentioned if it EVER actually gets to the windows login screen and/or is usable (gets to the desktop to actually do work) also, once in windows does it shut off or give any other problems?

it sounds like you have a virus of some type. how old is the pc and what type of antivirus do you have on it and is it (the virus definitions) up to date/current?

for hardware, if it was memory it would beep a certain pattern of beeps. also under hardware, the cpu &/or powersupply fans could be suspect.

best of luck with getting it resolved. keep us posted.

Thanks for the quick reply.


When I start it, it shuts off before the 'beep'. Once it reaches the login screen, it doesn't turn off and there have been no problems once in Windows. Getting to the usual first beep is the issue.
The PC is only 4 years old and I formatted it just last week and I use it only for playing Blu-rays on my projector.
Do you think it's a dust problem or an issue with the SMPS?

[solarrdadd]

i noticed you said you reformatted it; was something wrong with it or did you just want to do some major cleaning/start over new?

it's probably not a powersupply or cpu fan issue if once it gets going, it stays going. i'd still open the case and check for dirt/dust and make sure the memory is seated properly as well as making sure all fans are turning. also, make sure all connections to hard drives are in tight and that all external cards are seated well.

if all of that pans out to the positive, then it's likely a software issue. since you said you had it four years and i'll gather they were problem free, it's likely to be an issue of the re-install. also go into the device manager and see if you find anything that has exceptions listed to it.

another thing is that when this starts to happen, you should try to go into safemode and see if you are able to do that. if you can boot into safemode with no problems, then it's something to do with windows and the startup sequence.

if it happens before you get the initial boot up sequence before seeing the windows logo then it might be a IRQ conflict with hardware that takes several re-boots to get resolved by the BIOS.

[solarrdadd]

Originally Posted by srinivas1015

Thanks for the quick reply.


When I start it, it shuts off before the 'beep'. Once it reaches the login screen, it doesn't turn off and there have been no problems once in Windows. Getting to the usual first beep is the issue.
The PC is only 4 years old and I formatted it just last week and I use it only for playing Blu-rays on my projector.
Do you think it's a dust problem or an issue with the SMPS?

sorry that i didn't read this correctly. i would try swapping cards to different slots on the motherboard. i think something might be fighting for resources. because you haven't gotten out of the boot sequence yet when this happens. so most of what's going on is the motherboard checking out itself and the hardware plugged into it before going to windows.

[fredreed]

This sounds like incompatible memory modules installed on your motherboard. Did you recently add more memory to your computer? Please email me ASAP to fredreed2000@gmail.com.

[R3P0]

Originally Posted by srinivas1015

This started happening since yesterday. I power up my PC and after 2 or 3 seconds, it's completely off. I have to try it 4 or 5 times before it finally goes past the boot screen.
What can be causing this?

Replace your power supply, sounds like it is dying, easy way to check is to open case and watch your fans as it is powering up are they all struggling, are any of the lights dim you may or may not have enough power to run the unit. IE you bought a new video card and the PSU does not have enough power to run it.

Also like others have said check memory and such, could also be your system board you may want to have it tested.

[srinivas1015]

Originally Posted by R3P0

Replace your power supply, sounds like it is dying.

It's only 4 years old . I'm gonna try cleaning the entire cabinet tomorrow..

[Villiam Hayes]

Originally Posted by fredreed

This sounds like incompatible memory modules installed on your motherboard. Did you recently add more memory to your computer? Please email me ASAP to fredreed2000@gmail.com.

My laptop has had the same problem this week,it recently needed a new wi-fi module and the guy who replaced it said that he also put more memory in it.
It was working fine for about a month since he done that but now I can't get to the log in page.

[srinivas1015]

Originally Posted by fredreed

This sounds like incompatible memory modules installed on your motherboard. Did you recently add more memory to your computer? Please email me ASAP to fredreed2000@gmail.com.

Haven't added any new hardware or even installed anything new.

[prerich]

Originally Posted by srinivas1015

Haven't added any new hardware or even installed anything new.

Check your processor fan and video card fan if you have one. This sounds like an over heating protection - since you never get to the windows boot screen. Also go into the bios and look at your cpu fan protection and see what the computer is supposed to do when it reaches a certain temp.

[srinivas1015]

Originally Posted by prerich

Check your processor fan and video card fan if you have one. This sounds like an over heating protection - since you never get to the windows boot screen. Also go into the bios and look at your cpu fan protection and see what the computer is supposed to do when it reaches a certain temp.

Does extremely cold temperature have any effect?

[R3P0]

Originally Posted by srinivas1015

It's only 4 years old . I'm gonna try cleaning the entire cabinet tomorrow..

Yeah 4 years for a power supply and fans is about right man. It is about time to replace them. Go have your Power Supply tested.

[prerich]

Originally Posted by srinivas1015

Does extremely cold temperature have any effect?

Well, I doubt if your PC is exposed to extreme cold....is it?

[Steel Panther]

On the back of your tower, there's a wattage switch where you plug in the power cable, make sure that's on the correct setting, and you didn't accidentally knock it when you cleaned it out.

I'd be more inclined to think it was RAM if the PC stayed on, but the fact it's farting out and dying leads me to the culprit being the Power Supply and just not having enough power. If it's a HP/Dell/Compaq or whatever, then it's even more likely as they use cheap, out dated parts which is why they can sell things at "a good deal".

[pentatonic]

Another suggestion that can easily be overlooked. Quick question? Once it does boot up and windows loads, did you happen to see the time it was showing? Reason I ask is, as you probably know the bios keeps it's memory from an onboard battery. When the battery goes, the bios get's all screwed up and will not boot, but sometimes when it has been powered on for a while the bios will take the power supply power which could explain why it would past post on occasion, and then will run fine. These batteries are cheap to replace and I've seen my fair share of similar problems caused by this. I'm not saying it's the culprit, but a $2 battery is worth trying out.

[Steel Panther]

Originally Posted by pentatonic

Another suggestion that can easily be overlooked. Quick question? Once it does boot up and windows loads, did you happen to see the time it was showing? Reason I ask is, as you probably know the bios keeps it's memory from an onboard battery. When the battery goes, the bios get's all screwed up and will not boot, but sometimes when it has been powered on for a while the bios will take the power supply power which could explain why it would past post on occasion, and then will run fine. These batteries are cheap to replace and I've seen my fair share of similar problems caused by this. I'm not saying it's the culprit, but a $2 battery is worth trying out.

This is also a very valid possibility.

[pentatonic]

Hey OP, any update?

[sk33tr]

Originally Posted by srinivas1015

It's only 4 years old . I'm gonna try cleaning the entire cabinet tomorrow..

Originally Posted by R3P0

Yeah 4 years for a power supply and fans is about right man. It is about time to replace them. Go have your Power Supply tested.

four years is old for any computer; practically ancient.

mine is not even 3 years old and it was a pretty good rig when i built it, now it's barely mid-range and probably needs everything upgraded.

[evoll]

I had this same issue and it was my psu that was the problem. It would go to start up and then just shut off.