Solve : Off and On Problems?

1.	Solve : Off and On Problems?
Answer» Hello all! Three weeks ago I was playing a game of Solitaire when my computer went click and I said to myself "My computer just shut down! But how can that be, I still have graphics! And my mouse can move the cursor! Very strange!" I kept on playing and then it happened again. Click, whir down, whir up. Then again and again until Windows shut down and gave me a stop error. The first thing I did was to backup my most recent work and then I researched the stop error. The next day I was told that what I was hearing was my harddrive stopping and starting so I researched that. Thanks to the advice I have found in old threads I have spent three weeks running Malwarebytes, SAS, Kaspersky's Rescue disk, HJT ( then I learned how to read a HJT log), the manufacturer's diagnostic on my harddrive, Memtest (both of these passed), removing peripherals and programs (although I never did find a way to disable caching or shadowing), and researching the various stop errors I have gotten in the process. During this process it has had periods of running just fine and then all of a sudden it starts misbehaving again. It has done the Click, whir down, whir up (or not even back up again) in normal, safe and even with prewindows disks like Recovery Console. The click sound is EXACTLY the last sound you hear when your computer shuts off so I think it is the computer stopping and starting not the harddrive. This has lead me to believe that the Windows errors are the result of a hardware issue. If my logic is incorrect someone wiser than I should set me straight on this. Since my harddrive and memory both passed I started thinking about the Power Supply Unit. Then I started thinking about one year ago when I GOT this computer. When I first got it I set it up, checked it out and turned it off. Awhile later I passed the room and it was on again. I figured that I must have hit restart so I shut it down again, paying close attention to what I was doing, but after an hour or so it came back on again. I researched it but never found an answer so I just got in the habit of shutting off the power bar. When you restore power it turns on, does a self test and turns off again (according to the IBM SITE this is correct procedure) and I must turn it back on to use it. Then yesterday a new development. I got it going and it seemed to be fine but when I shut it down, turned off the monitor and stood up, it turned on again! There is no burning smell which I read is a major indicator of PSU trouble. I just don't know what to do next. Any thoughts? Sure sounds like PSU to me. I know very little about Power Supply Units. I was given a computer sans a harddrive that I can steal the PSU from. Are they universal or are there compatibility issues. I don't know how to swap a PSU but I suppose I can learn. I just don't want to fry anything, including me!Quote from: techgranny on January 30, 2011, 02:52:21 PM I know very little about Power Supply Units. I was given a computer sans a harddrive that I can steal the PSU from. Are they universal or are there compatibility issues. I don't know how to swap a PSU but I suppose I can learn. I just don't want to fry anything, including me! There some variations, most are ATX of some sort. Need to know more about both computers in order to advise further.Is there a way to find out what we need to know without booting? Obviously it is a wee bit difficult to boot the one without a harddrive and I am not sure if or when the other will be kind enough to let me do anything. Do not do the swap if one of the computers is a Dell. Neither one is a Dell but now you have me wondering why it would matter. I am a very curious person! My computer is an IBM/Lenovo ThinkCentre MTM 8189-R1U 2.8 GHz CPU 40 GB HDD 512 MB RAM ( which I am hoping to double ) I am running XP SP3, 1 CD/DVD ROM, Floppy Drive, WebCam, download & charge a digital camera from USB and a standard keyboard and mouse. The label on the PSU I want to put in, which comes from a custom built computer, says it has 250W DC Output. The one I am replacing says it will not exceed 230W DC Output. If that is enough output, the connectors fit and it will fit in the case, am I good to go? Quote from: techgranny on January 31, 2011, 10:13:39 PM Neither one is a Dell but now you have me wondering why it would matter. I am a very curious person! Because there was a period when Dell were making desktop machines with motherboards and PSUs with standard connectors which were wired in a non-standard way. That is, they looked just like everybody elses parts but Dell motherboards or PSUs could not be mixed with normal standard ones. The combination would not work, but not only that, on applying power, usually the motherboard would be ruined permanently and very often the PSU too. I understand that Dell have switched over to using industry standard wiring these days, but with older equipment it is worth making sure before proceeding. I’m glad I asked! If I swap this PSU successfully I probably would think I know everything I needed to know about the subject and wouldn’t bother asking for future projects. Is Dell the only one who got creative or are there other dangers that you know of lurking around the corner? Also, since the PSU I want to use is in a custom build is it possible that it may be Dell? Quote from: techgranny on February 01, 2011, 01:26:58 PM I’m glad I asked! If I swap this PSU successfully I probably would think I know everything I needed to know about the subject and wouldn’t bother asking for future projects. Is Dell the only one who got creative or are there other dangers that you know of lurking around the corner? Also, since the PSU I want to use is in a custom build is it possible that it may be Dell? As far as I know It was only Dell that used non standard PSU / motherboard pin arrangements. Dell assemble computers bearing their own brand, they do not supply parts to system builders so I would not expect a PSU in a custom build to be a Dell, and also a Google search reveals that the nonstandard arrangements were from 1998 to 2002 approximately. Whew! Finally done shoveling snow! Sorry if I left anyone hanging. Now back to the computer…… Thanks for the help everyone, and especially ST for expanding my knowledge. I guess I’m as ready as I’ll ever be! Wish me luck! I am writing this for anyone who runs a search on .....Computer powers on by itself .... or Computer shuts down. After three months of TRYING to find my problem, SUCCESS! I learned a lot about Power Supplies but it wasn't that either. It turned out to be the PATA ribbon connector cable. A three dollar part! The bad news is that in trying to figure it out my computer shut down unexpectedly so many times that the harddrive was damaged. It still works but diagnostic tests find unrepairable errors and warn of imminent failure. Oh well, I wanted more space anyway! I got a REALLY good price on a 500GB internal harddrive and slaved it to my 40GB. I work on a computer that has been forecasting immanent failure for three years now so I am leaving my OS and programs on the 40GB until it actually dies but my documents will be safely backed up. Once again thanks for the education and guidance. I hope my experience can help someone else.

Answer»

Hello all!

Three weeks ago I was playing a game of Solitaire when my computer went click and I said to myself "My computer just shut down! But how can that be, I still have graphics! And my mouse can move the cursor! Very strange!" I kept on playing and then it happened again. Click, whir down, whir up. Then again and again until Windows shut down and gave me a stop error.
The first thing I did was to backup my most recent work and then I researched the stop error. The next day I was told that what I was hearing was my harddrive stopping and starting so I researched that. Thanks to the advice I have found in old threads I have spent three weeks running Malwarebytes, SAS, Kaspersky's Rescue disk, HJT ( then I learned how to read a HJT log), the manufacturer's diagnostic on my harddrive, Memtest (both of these passed), removing peripherals and programs (although I never did find a way to disable caching or shadowing), and researching the various stop errors I have gotten in the process. During this process it has had periods of running just fine and then all of a sudden it starts misbehaving again.
It has done the Click, whir down, whir up (or not even back up again) in normal, safe and even with prewindows disks like Recovery Console. The click sound is EXACTLY the last sound you hear when your computer shuts off so I think it is the computer stopping and starting not the harddrive. This has lead me to believe that the Windows errors are the result of a hardware issue. If my logic is incorrect someone wiser than I should set me straight on this.
Since my harddrive and memory both passed I started thinking about the Power Supply Unit. Then I started thinking about one year ago when I GOT this computer.
When I first got it I set it up, checked it out and turned it off. Awhile later I passed the room and it was on again. I figured that I must have hit restart so I shut it down again, paying close attention to what I was doing, but after an hour or so it came back on again. I researched it but never found an answer so I just got in the habit of shutting off the power bar. When you restore power it turns on, does a self test and turns off again (according to the IBM SITE this is correct procedure) and I must turn it back on to use it.
Then yesterday a new development. I got it going and it seemed to be fine but when I shut it down, turned off the monitor and stood up, it turned on again!
There is no burning smell which I read is a major indicator of PSU trouble.
I just don't know what to do next. Any thoughts?
Sure sounds like PSU to me.
I know very little about Power Supply Units. I was given a computer sans a harddrive that I can steal the PSU from. Are they universal or are there compatibility issues. I don't know how to swap a PSU but I suppose I can learn. I just don't want to fry anything, including me!Quote from: techgranny on January 30, 2011, 02:52:21 PM

I know very little about Power Supply Units. I was given a computer sans a harddrive that I can steal the PSU from. Are they universal or are there compatibility issues. I don't know how to swap a PSU but I suppose I can learn. I just don't want to fry anything, including me!

There some variations, most are ATX of some sort. Need to know more about both computers in order to advise further.Is there a way to find out what we need to know without booting?
Obviously it is a wee bit difficult to boot the one without a harddrive and I am not sure if or when the other will be kind enough to let me do anything. Do not do the swap if one of the computers is a Dell.
Neither one is a Dell but now you have me wondering why it would matter. I am a very curious person!

My computer is an IBM/Lenovo ThinkCentre MTM 8189-R1U
2.8 GHz CPU 40 GB HDD 512 MB RAM ( which I am hoping to double )
I am running XP SP3, 1 CD/DVD ROM, Floppy Drive, WebCam, download & charge a digital camera from USB and a standard keyboard and mouse.

The label on the PSU I want to put in, which comes from a custom built computer, says it has 250W DC Output. The one I am replacing says it will not exceed 230W DC Output.

If that is enough output, the connectors fit and it will fit in the case, am I good to go?
Quote from: techgranny on January 31, 2011, 10:13:39 PM

Neither one is a Dell but now you have me wondering why it would matter. I am a very curious person!

Because there was a period when Dell were making desktop machines with motherboards and PSUs with standard connectors which were wired in a non-standard way. That is, they looked just like everybody elses parts but Dell motherboards or PSUs could not be mixed with normal standard ones. The combination would not work, but not only that, on applying power, usually the motherboard would be ruined permanently and very often the PSU too. I understand that Dell have switched over to using industry standard wiring these days, but with older equipment it is worth making sure before proceeding.

I’m glad I asked! If I swap this PSU successfully I probably would think I know everything I needed to know about the subject and wouldn’t bother asking for future projects. Is Dell the only one who got creative or are there other dangers that you know of lurking around the corner? Also, since the PSU I want to use is in a custom build is it possible that it may be Dell? Quote from: techgranny on February 01, 2011, 01:26:58 PM

I’m glad I asked! If I swap this PSU successfully I probably would think I know everything I needed to know about the subject and wouldn’t bother asking for future projects. Is Dell the only one who got creative or are there other dangers that you know of lurking around the corner? Also, since the PSU I want to use is in a custom build is it possible that it may be Dell?

As far as I know It was only Dell that used non standard PSU / motherboard pin arrangements. Dell assemble computers bearing their own brand, they do not supply parts to system builders so I would not expect a PSU in a custom build to be a Dell, and also a Google search reveals that the nonstandard arrangements were from 1998 to 2002 approximately.
Whew! Finally done shoveling snow! Sorry if I left anyone hanging. Now back to the computer……
Thanks for the help everyone, and especially ST for expanding my knowledge. I guess I’m as ready as I’ll ever be! Wish me luck!
I am writing this for anyone who runs a search on .....Computer powers on by itself .... or Computer shuts down.
After three months of TRYING to find my problem, SUCCESS! I learned a lot about Power Supplies but it wasn't that either. It turned out to be the PATA ribbon connector cable. A three dollar part!
The bad news is that in trying to figure it out my computer shut down unexpectedly so many times that the harddrive was damaged. It still works but diagnostic tests find unrepairable errors and warn of imminent failure. Oh well, I wanted more space anyway! I got a REALLY good price on a 500GB internal harddrive and slaved it to my 40GB. I work on a computer that has been forecasting immanent failure for three years now so I am leaving my OS and programs on the 40GB until it actually dies but my documents will be safely backed up.
Once again thanks for the education and guidance. I hope my experience can help someone else.

Solve : Off and On Problems?

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