15 Computers are shutting down? Any ideas?

[rleonard]

We have approx 15 Dell GX270 cpus running MS XP Pro; MS Office 2000; elo touch monitors. They are shutting down while in use.

We've attempted all sorts of resolutions and we've run out of ideas. We've attempted the following:
--Power Saving Settings = Off
--MS Updates
--Backed out MS Updates
--Video driver updates
--Swapped PSUs w/New PSU
--Put CPU on UPS power
--Had bldg. power monitored
--Replaced Motherboard
--Changing RAM (moving from slot to slot); Actually worked for a time!
--Researched elo's website for similar troubles (...led to intel video driver update suggestion)
--Cleaned units (free of dust or blockage)

Any other ideas?

We have approx. 100 of these GX270 which run fine... of course these 15 run in one of our most critical areas! Any help would be extremely appreciated!

 

[micker377]

Are these 15 on a dedicated server? Do any of them shut down when dis-connected from said server?

 

[Nelviticus]

In Windows XP there's an option to shut the machine down whenever system errors occur. You can turn this option off.

I'm at a Windows 2000 machine at the moment so I can't tell you exactly where to find it but if you right-click 'My Computer' (or go to 'Control Panel' then 'System') you should find it on the 'Advanced' tab under 'Startup and Recovery'. That's where it is in Win2000, anyway.

If you turn the option off you will get an error message instead of a shutdown, which should help you trace the problem.

However, it sounds like you have a batch of faulty RAM. There's a small application called Memtest86 which you can find at

http://www.memtest86.com

- you want the one labelled 'Pre-Compiled Memtest86 v3.0 installable from Windows and DOS'. It creates a floppy that you boot the machine with and will then run some exhaustive tests on the memory. You leave it running for a long time - overnight is best - and it tells you of any errors it finds. You shouldn't normally have any errors.

If you find errors, rather than trying to find out which particular RAM sticks are dodgy it's probably easier to just throw out the whole lot and replace it with decent quality new memory.

Nelviticus

 

[paparazi]

rleonard
Possibly heat related?
Maybe you have a set shutdown temp of say 60C in the bios and these particular machines and the conditions in which they are kept, are occasionally hitting this setting.
Just make sure that all your machines recieve a twicw yearly blow out with compressed air aand look into the possibility of fitting an extra case can in each of the offending machines (if this proves to be the cause)
Martin


We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.

 

[westredd]

Could be one of the reasons given above, but also check for virus´s.

 

[tt7601]

with the details given above, with now thermal error on the next start up, it isn't heat related. and where it worked temporarily from slot to slot changes, it is your memory. if the systems are still under warrenty call up dell and let them know what you have. Just tell them that you have swapped the memory into the different slots and it worked for a little while after that and that you have new motherboards in these computers, with that information, they will probably have you run a diagnostics test on the memory which can be found by pressing f12 at the dell logo screen on boot up and then runnging the custom test on system memory. also have you tried just on stick of memory?

 

[Frank4d]

We have approx 15 Dell GX270 cpus running MS XP Pro; MS Office 2000; elo touch monitors. They are shutting down while in use.

Are they shutting down (you have to press the power switch to restart them)? Or re-booting?

If they are re-booting, then I agree you may have bad memory. Another possibility is marginal power supplies. GX270s come with either 210W or 250W power supplies (depending whether it is a desktop or mini tower). If you replace a 250W PSU with another that is 250W, and 250W is not enough... you'll still have problems.

If you have to press the power switch to restart them, then I would look into a Windows or driver issue.

 

[spongmonkey]

Hi, i know exactly what is causing this. Take the cover off and check all the capacitors on the mainboard, are there any that aren't perfectly flat? you'll find some are either bulging or have split and are leaking. This is the cause.

Dell have accepted this as a known fault, we have had countless mainboards replaced. This also affects the GX270s and to a lesser extent the GX280s. Apparently it's an industry wide problem with a large batch of faulty capacitors.

 

[spongmonkey]

Hi, i know exactly what is causing this. Take the cover off and check all the capacitors on the mainboard, are there any that aren't perfectly flat? you'll find some are either bulging or have split and are leaking, especially around the CPU and RAM. This is the cause.

Dell have accepted this as a known fault, we have had countless mainboards replaced. This also affects the GX270s and to a lesser extent the GX280s. Apparently it's an industry wide problem with a large batch of faulty capacitors.

 

[mainegeek]

rleonard,
What other factors do these 15 share?

Maybe an isolated power issue to this area in which they recieve power?


Are they on a shelf that does not allow for adaquate cooling? This would support paparazi's theory.

Have you tried running only one at a time and measured the length of runtime before it fails.

Is the power being interupted or does the PC go through a shutdown sequence?

Are these networked and what topograhy?

Are you running any "Home Grown" programs?

Have you contacted Dell Support?

I don't think I would suspect bad capasitors. My experience with bad caps is such that they don't power on, takes many attempts to get them to power on and usually causes random
look-ups once powered on.

I would suspect either a heat issue causing a controlled shutdown carried out by hardware monitoring utility.

or......a large power flux effecting fan rotation causing a controlled shutdown carried out by hardware monitoring utility.

You stated the use of UPS. What is the wattage rating and are you connecting several PC's to one UPS?

Are these 15 in a noisey area in which you are unable to hear the power switching (beeping) from the UPS if/when it occurs?

 

[BadFrog]

Hi, i know exactly what is causing this. Take the cover off and check all the capacitors on the mainboard, are there any that aren't perfectly flat? you'll find some are either bulging or have split and are leaking. This is the cause.

Dell have accepted this as a known fault, we have had countless mainboards replaced. This also affects the GX270s and to a lesser extent the GX280s. Apparently it's an industry wide problem with a large batch of faulty capacitors.

Yep thats it! Here is a thread I had created earlier to this problem.

http://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=1137393&page=1

I have yet to see it happen on any 280's though. Hopefully I havn't just spoken too soon.

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Albert Einstein