HELP!!!!!!!! Losing sleep over this...well, kinda. (Comp shuts off)

[MacNCheese]

I'm yanking my hair off for this...

Here's the specs first:

- MSI 6195 K7Pro Athlon ATX
- 300W Power SUpply
- 512 MB RAM (2 PC-100 128MB & 1 PC100 256 MB)...3 slots in motherboard all used; even took out one to see if that makes and difference and it doesn't).
- NVidia GEForce4 MX 420
- Don't know what else to list but I can write more when requested.
- 40 GB HD & another 15 GB

Here's the problem:

The computer (2-3 year old) sometimes just "shuts down". You can hear the fans are still going, the Power light is still on, but the monitor is off, and I have to hold the Power button for 5 secs to shut the computer and then restart it again. It shouldn't be the video card because it's new (less than 6 months old).

The funny thing is, when my computer room is frigid cold (aka, opening the window now (winter time)), the computer runs fine. I haven't tested it as to how long it will stay on (with the cold temp), before shutting down.

Can anyone help? Thanks in advance.

P/S: I don't think I'm overclocking the comp (BIOS set to default).

 

[Xemus]

Get a monitor program to see what your cards are running at, tempurature wise. I recommend Sandra

http://www.sisoftware.net

From the sounds of it, it may be your video card. What are you doing when it does go into blank mode? Games or multiple apps?
MCSE, A+

 

[paparazi]

Well you are half way there, you have established that the problem is heat related, most likely CPU or GPU (graphics)
Faster slot A Athlons did run notoriously hot, check the CPU fan is spinning properly and that the heatsink is not blocked full of dirt preventing efficient cooling.
Same goes for the graphics card heatsink and fan.
Martin Replying helps further our knowledge, without comment leaves us wondering.

 

[MacNCheese]

I'll check out Sandra but in terms of the vid card...I'm sure that's not it (then again, what do I know). I have a LED monitor??? on my motherboard...(4 lights; green means all good and red = bad). Well, when it blanks my screen, all 4 lights lit up red.

I'm either surfing or working on my apps (words, winamp, outlook, etc) when it suddenly shuts down.

I even have a fan (a desk fan) cooling the comp along with the frigid winter air coming into the computer room (via open window). Brrrrrrr

 

[franklin97355]

When it shuts down try doing a ctrl-alt-del then alt-S if there is drive activity then the computer is shutting down and it is not the problem. Check the monitor, it may be going bad.

 

[AFTech81]

I had a similar problem with my home PC. I would be in the middle of a game (usually) and the monitor would just "turn off" and the only way I could get it working again was to completely cut all power from the monitor and the actual box (I mean actually having to unplug them). At first I thought that it was the video card, so I went out and bought a new one, intalled it, and the same thing happened. Turned out that my monitor was on it's last leg. I kept troubleshooting the video card (now thinking it may have been an AGP slot problem) when my monitor actually fried (I mean sparks start flying from the back). Speaking from experience, I'd check the moniter first, rule it out and then move on to the more complicated stuff.


Kinda learned the K.I.S.S. (keep it simple, stupid) theory the hard way, but on the bright side I did get a better video card from the deal.

Brian
USAF
Network +, Win2k Pro

 

[Grenage]

Is it at all possible that your machine is going into hibernation mode ?

 

[dcwtechmech]

First goto power settings in control panel to see if the system is set to go into standby. Never power down your harddrive. and alow your monitor to be the only device controlled by your power settings. If this is not the problem then check your fans in the system to make sure they are all turning. If these dont help let me know I'll give you the next steps in finding the exact problem.. Let everything that have breath praise the Lord.

 

[MacNCheese]

I've tried everything but no go. It's like some mysterious bug. Thanks for the suggestion but I caved in and forked out $500 for a new Intel P4 CPU with a new motherboard.

So far so good but having speed issues with the new MB. I swear, nothing ever comes easy for me.

 

[pddxr]

I had the same mother board. I'm not sure what version yours is but mine was a version 1 and had many problems. Had problems with the power supply for starters... athlons are very picky.

I didn't see it brought up here but the simplest test would be to see the light on your keyboard togles when you hit numb locks. If it doesn't then it is more than loosing video.

Well I'm glad to see that you got off that board and got a new one. Sorry to hear though that you are having other problems.