HP desktop that shuts off without warning

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around an HP desktop computer that unexpectedly shuts off after running for a few hours. Participants explore potential causes, including overheating and power supply issues, and suggest various troubleshooting steps and utilities to diagnose the problem.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that the shutdown may be due to inadequate ventilation and overheating, asking for utilities to monitor CPU temperature.
  • Another participant recommends using a specific free utility, checking fans, cleaning dust, and possibly reseating the CPU heatsink with new thermal paste.
  • There is a question about whether the shutdown is complete or if the system reboots, with one participant indicating that a complete shutdown occurs.
  • Some participants propose running CPU-intensive tasks to test for shutdowns and checking BIOS for temperature readings.
  • Concerns are raised about the power supply unit (PSU) potentially causing resets or being affected by overheating.
  • Participants discuss the limitations of the BIOS in measuring CPU temperature, with some stating that older HP systems may not support this feature.
  • There are suggestions for software alternatives to check CPU temperature, but doubts are expressed regarding their effectiveness on older systems.
  • One participant concludes that an upgrade may be necessary due to the age of the computer, while others discuss the implications of such an upgrade.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that overheating could be a cause of the shutdowns, but there is no consensus on the exact cause or solution. Multiple competing views on troubleshooting steps and the need for upgrades remain unresolved.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note the limitations of the BIOS in measuring temperatures, and there are unresolved questions about the specific conditions leading to the shutdowns.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for individuals experiencing similar issues with older desktop computers, particularly those interested in troubleshooting hardware problems related to overheating and power supply failures.

FulhamFan3
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I have a HP desktop that shuts off without warning after running for a few hours. I believe it's because the computer is not in a well ventilated area and heats up. Are there any free utilities to see how hot my CPU gets?
 
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open the system up and check the fans are all running ,blow out the dust especially around the cpu heatsink and in the power supply..If the system is fairly old its a good idea to pull off the cpu heatsink and reseat it with some new thermal paste.
 
It's from 2000 so you're probably right. Thanks for the tips
 
Is it a complete shutdown or does it reboot? If it is rebooting then it could be a memory issue.
 
dduardo said:
Is it a complete shutdown or does it reboot? If it is rebooting then it could be a memory issue.

It doesn't reboot. It just turns off instantly without warning. After which I can't turn it back on for 30 minutes. Based on this I've come to the conclusion that it needed to cool off before I could turn it back on. Whether it's the CPU that's overheating or the power supply I don't know.
 
Yes, sounds like it could be a cooling problem, but not necessarily a cooling problem. You might need to try running a game like Doom3 or something else CPU intensive to see if it shutsdown immediately after initiating.
 
This is my suggestion:

1) Open the case and pull out all unnecessary cards. Everything but video.
2) Turn on the machine and observe if any of the fans are not working.
3) If all the fans are working, let the machine run some CPU intensive task. Then reboot and enter the bios to check what the temperature is of the machine.
4)If the temperature is larger than 60 Degrees C, I would take off the heat sink and see if there is a good coat of thermal paste. Also clean out the fins of the heat sink to allow maximum heat transfer
5)If the temperature is fine, then I would look into trying out a different power supply.
 
If it let you restart immediately, then chances are it's a PSU reset... check the fan on your power supply and make sure it is working.

There is a chance that the reset is being caused by an overcurrent... this could be heat-related as well since temperature will affect the current sensors to some extent.

Follow dduardo's recommendations.
 
dduardo said:
This is my suggestion:

3) If all the fans are working, let the machine run some CPU intensive task. Then reboot and enter the bios to check what the temperature is of the machine.

My BIOS doesn't have temperature.
 
  • #10
If you think its overheating, open up the case and make sure nothing is blocking the air flow. Air inside a computer should move from front to back. Does the case have any fans or room for any?
 
  • #11
It should be under "PC Health Status" or something similar in the bios configuration. It depends on the bios manufacturer. How old is your computer? Most moderm systems can read cpu core temperature.
 
  • #12
Most HP/IBM/Dell (if any? ) etc don't measure the CPU temperature
 
  • #13
It's an HP from 2000 and I updated the BIOS to a 2001 version. I'll check again when I get home but I highly doubt it's there.
 
  • #14
Grotesque Puppet said:
Most HP/IBM/Dell (if any? ) etc don't measure the CPU temperature

This is certainly not the case.
 
  • #15
I've scoured every part of my BIOS possible and I see nothing about temperature. I know what you're talking about though because i have experience with other computers with a BIOS that has that.
 
  • #16
So my conclusion would be that your computer doesn't have the proper equipment to measure the core temperature of the processor. Time for an upgrade! I would definitely say 5 years is a good number.
 
  • #17
In this case an upgrade would mean nearly a whole computer and the original cause of failure would be gone...

Why can't I edit and fix my post up there? No edit button for me? :confused:
 
  • #18
After a certain time you can't edit your posts. This prevents people from changing the conversation midway in a thread.
 
  • #19
Bah... I guess that means I will have proofread more thoroughly in these forums in the future...
 
  • #20
dduardo said:
So my conclusion would be that your computer doesn't have the proper equipment to measure the core temperature of the processor. Time for an upgrade! I would definitely say 5 years is a good number.

When you say upgrade what do you mean? A new computer? A new motherboard?
 
  • #21
To check ur CPU temperature by software, try these :

http://www.passmark.com/products/temperature.htm

http://www.lavalys.com/ <---- Try Everest home edition
 
  • #22
A new everything, unless you can maybe salvage the cdroms and/or hard drives.

5 years is a long time. I usually upgrade every 4 years. It's competely up to you.

[edit]darkar, if you can't even see it in his bios, how is he going to see it in windows?
 
  • #23
dduardo said:
[edit]darkar, if you can't even see it in his bios, how is he going to see it in windows?


Oh yea, you are rite...
Sorry...
 

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