I have been getting weird problems such as I reformatted my computer and the computer got right past the Windows boot screen and BAM!.. The computer shuts off. The next time it gets to the desktop and BAM.. It shuts off. I recently tried installing Windows 7 Ultimate, and it was loading system files and BAM, out of nowhere, it shuts off.

I believe it is a bad power supply, because the power light on the computer turns off, the lights on the keyboard go off, and the monitor sits at a blank screen. I just don't know why it only shuts off randomly?.. And not under gaming?

I had this once and it was just a badly seated heatsink, and the pc was shutting down to protect itself.

So remove and re-seat everything b4 blaming the powersupply.

Will do!

I also have another PSU at home, so I'll swap it out if anything, before I go and buy a nice one.

Also, the PSU fan makes a whining noise at start-up. It has to be it.

Hi sh4d0w, I posted the following in Oct '08 - you may get some useful info from it:
http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?s=&...st&p=117769

The following may also be useful:
Video on cleaning your PC

I tried everything in your post. Nothing. It only happens when it's under a lot of load. Like I'm trying to install Windows 7 and it randomly shuts off, but all the fans still spin?! Like the video cuts out, and the LED's on keyboard go off, the power light on the tower goes off, but all the fans still spin.

WTF?

Did swapping the power-supply fix the issue.

Nope. The new power supply didn't help. I then went and talked to a tech at the Tiger Direct outlet we have out here, and he said it's more than likely the hard drive. I bought a hard drive and guess what, it's still happening.

I also did a memory test for over 24 hour and my RAM hasn't come up with any errors. I'm baffled as to what else it could be?!

my daughter's pc just started doing that recently, too. i replaced the cmos battery since the mobo and box is over 7 yrs old. not a problem since. and just think, all it cost was $3 and change...


Tact is the knack of making a point without making an enemy.
- Isaac Newton

The CMOS battery is not likely to cause the issue (but its cheap if you want to give it a go), as this only holds BIOS settings/config.
If the battery is flat it defaults the BIOS, the machine should work ok on default settings, it shouldn't cause random/high use shutdowns.

Seeing its not likely a power supply fault either try some of these :

1. Check the event log : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308427 for any errors around the time it crashes and google them and post the results.

2. Enable the BSOD screen if its disabled. next time it crashed it might give a BSOD error you can search:
(right-click the My Computer icon on your desktop, select Properties, and click on Advanced System Settings. In the System Properties window
that appears, select the Advanced tab, click Settings under Startup and Recovery, and uncheck the box that says 'Automatically Restart.' The
same steps also apply to XP.)

3. Try running in safe mode: http://www.computerhope.com/issues/chsafe.htm

4. Does your motherboard have on-board video, if yes unplug your video card and set the BIOS to the on-board video.

5. Also when you said you got another hard drive, did you unplug you original and install windows to the new drive.

what brand is the PSU? what's the WATTS on it? what Video Card you have installed? did you make sure EVERYTHING is connected and seated properly? where did you download this copy of Windows 7? MS Site only list Build 7100.

Hey xxxxsh4d0wxxxx did you fix the problem, or should we now assume its really died and now you can't get on the forum