Solve : Computer shuts down during re-formatting hard drive?

1.	Solve : Computer shuts down during re-formatting hard drive?
Answer» I am working on an Aopen COMPUTER. 5 years old, s651 motherboard socket 478 Pentium 4. Seagate Baracuda 40gb HD. It started with the dvd rom drives not working. I was going to reinstall drivers but the computer kept freezing. Nothing was opening I couldnt run any virus scans etc.. I decided to just reformat the hard drive and do a clean install of windows xp. So I get 89% through the format process and the computer shuts down. re tried this a couple times and the same thing. thinking it was a PSU problem I tried one I knew was good and the same thing happened. Now the computer wont even start when I push the power button. It acts like its about to start up then dies. If Iet it set for awhile then try it will start up but if I try to install windows again the same thing happens it shuts down. Any suggestions? check ur motherboard and see if u have any blown capacitors..... something like this but with a crusty substance on top. if u do have some, u have a bad motherboard. http://media.photobucket.com/image/capacitor bad/andrewsb62/samsung lcd bad capacitors/DSC_4554.jpg?o=7" target="_blank">http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/tt331/andrewsb62/samsung%20lcd%20bad%20capacitors/DSC_4554.jpg" border="0">[/URL] JUST CLICK ON THE IMAGE.. Just a suggestion, but it seems like it could be an overheating problem. Make sure your CPU fan is running when you turn the computer on. Also take the heat sink off and make sure there is enough thermal compound on it. Make sure the fan in your power supply is coming on too. Quote from: giardmi09 on March 16, 2010, 10:15:28 PM Also take the heat sink off and make sure there is enough thermal compound on it. suggest not doing that, thermal might be ok but if he takes it off he might rub some off by accident and than he might me out of luck then.Whenever a heatsink is removed for any reason it should be cleaned off and have new thermal compound re-applied... InstructionsThat was what I meant. I guess you shouldn't take it off if you don't have any thermal compound. If you can get your hands on some then I would take the heat sink off and re apply the compound. Just follow the instructions in the link that patio posted.Had the same problem with my old Acer laptop. Since windows automaticaly speeds up your fan and underclocks (lowers) your CPU speed in case of too much heat (temperature limit depends on the CPU brand/frequency/etc... usually 50-70'C) and shuts down your computer completely in case of getting past the critical limit (~97'C in my case!) it was nearly IMPOSSIBLE to reinstall windows since there is no software to adjust the fan/CPU to a stable temperature (unless you can adjust this in your BIOS) you won't even get pass the format process.. the way I did it was outdoors in winter so it kept it just hot enough to stay on and finish the installation;) Quote from: Diodon on March 17, 2010, 09:10:39 AM Had the same problem with my old Acer laptop. Since windows automaticaly speeds up your fan and underclocks (lowers) your CPU speed in case of too much heat (temperature limit depends on the CPU brand/frequency/etc... usually 50-70'C) and shuts down your computer completely in case of getting past the critical limit (~97'C in my case!) it was nearly impossible to reinstall windows since there is no software to adjust the fan/CPU to a stable temperature (unless you can adjust this in your BIOS) you won't even get pass the format process.. the way I did it was outdoors in winter so it kept it just hot enough to stay on and finish the installation;) The OP's computer is not a laptop. The socket 478 Pentium 4 does not have the ability to lower CPU speed. Almost everything you have stated is not applicable to this case, except probable overheating of the CPU.Upon closer inspection of the capicitors on the Motherboard I noticed one of them has the thin metal cover LOOSE and close to comming off. Could this be the problem?Could be. Just make sure its not overheating. Upon boot go into the BIOS and check temps to make sure they aren't on a steady rise. Quote from: Dwayne Austin on March 17, 2010, 10:47:36 AM Upon closer inspection of the capicitors on the Motherboard I noticed one of them has the thin metal cover loose and close to comming off. Could this be the problem? Absolutely is the problem. Looks something like this? http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=195 I could repair it, don't know about you.

Answer»

I am working on an Aopen COMPUTER. 5 years old, s651 motherboard socket 478 Pentium 4. Seagate Baracuda 40gb HD.

It started with the dvd rom drives not working. I was going to reinstall drivers but the computer kept freezing. Nothing was opening I couldnt run any virus scans etc.. I decided to just reformat the hard drive and do a clean install of windows xp. So I get 89% through the format process and the computer shuts down. re tried this a couple times and the same thing. thinking it was a PSU problem I tried one I knew was good and the same thing happened. Now the computer wont even start when I push the power button. It acts like its about to start up then dies. If Iet it set for awhile then try it will start up but if I try to install windows again the same thing happens it shuts down. Any suggestions?

check ur motherboard and see if u have any blown capacitors..... something like this but with a crusty substance on top. if u do have some, u have a bad motherboard.

http://media.photobucket.com/image/capacitor bad/andrewsb62/samsung lcd bad capacitors/DSC_4554.jpg?o=7" target="_blank">http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/tt331/andrewsb62/samsung%20lcd%20bad%20capacitors/DSC_4554.jpg" border="0">[/URL]

JUST CLICK ON THE IMAGE..
Just a suggestion, but it seems like it could be an overheating problem. Make sure your CPU fan is running when you turn the computer on. Also take the heat sink off and make sure there is enough thermal compound on it. Make sure the fan in your power supply is coming on too.
Quote from: giardmi09 on March 16, 2010, 10:15:28 PM

Also take the heat sink off and make sure there is enough thermal compound on it.

suggest not doing that, thermal might be ok but if he takes it off he might rub some off by accident and than he might me out of luck then.Whenever a heatsink is removed for any reason it should be cleaned off and have new thermal compound re-applied...

InstructionsThat was what I meant. I guess you shouldn't take it off if you don't have any thermal compound. If you can get your hands on some then I would take the heat sink off and re apply the compound. Just follow the instructions in the link that patio posted.Had the same problem with my old Acer laptop. Since windows automaticaly speeds up your fan and underclocks (lowers) your CPU speed in case of too much heat (temperature limit depends on the CPU brand/frequency/etc... usually 50-70'C) and shuts down your computer completely in case of getting past the critical limit (~97'C in my case!) it was nearly IMPOSSIBLE to reinstall windows since there is no software to adjust the fan/CPU to a stable temperature (unless you can adjust this in your BIOS) you won't even get pass the format process.. the way I did it was outdoors in winter so it kept it just hot enough to stay on and finish the installation;) Quote from: Diodon on March 17, 2010, 09:10:39 AM

Had the same problem with my old Acer laptop. Since windows automaticaly speeds up your fan and underclocks (lowers) your CPU speed in case of too much heat (temperature limit depends on the CPU brand/frequency/etc... usually 50-70'C) and shuts down your computer completely in case of getting past the critical limit (~97'C in my case!) it was nearly impossible to reinstall windows since there is no software to adjust the fan/CPU to a stable temperature (unless you can adjust this in your BIOS) you won't even get pass the format process.. the way I did it was outdoors in winter so it kept it just hot enough to stay on and finish the installation;)

The OP's computer is not a laptop. The socket 478 Pentium 4 does not have the ability to lower CPU speed. Almost everything you have stated is not applicable to this case, except probable overheating of the CPU.Upon closer inspection of the capicitors on the Motherboard I noticed one of them has the thin metal cover LOOSE and close to comming off. Could this be the problem?Could be. Just make sure its not overheating. Upon boot go into the BIOS and check temps to make sure they aren't on a steady rise. Quote from: Dwayne Austin on March 17, 2010, 10:47:36 AM

Upon closer inspection of the capicitors on the Motherboard I noticed one of them has the thin metal cover loose and close to comming off. Could this be the problem?

Absolutely is the problem. Looks something like this?

http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=195
I could repair it, don't know about you.

Solve : Computer shuts down during re-formatting hard drive?

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