Restart random interval

[tim333]

I built a new system a month ago with this mobo, and a corsair 750w PSU. About two weeks ago, I was running the computer and we had a brown out. The computer started doing this weird thing, where it starts up, goes through the normal boot sequence, then shuts down at a random time. I could be during the BIOS splash, during windows boot, or a few minutes after I get into the OS, it just shutsdown, and then restarts a few seconds later. It repeats this until I flip the PSU switch. Then randomly a few days later, the computer was working fine, booted up normal, no problems for another week. At this point I bought an APC to protect the computer. Now after returning from a small vacation, the computer has started doing the restart thing again. I'm starting to think it may be a physical contact issue, because earlier today I got into the OS for 5 min, before shutting the door on my computer, to which it immediately shutdown. Any Ideas?

[CMetaphor]

Your computer shut down after closing the door? I suppose that could be a contact issue, but if your problems started occuring after a brownout its possible that the PSU has been damaged. Do you have another one your can trying running the system with? It will answer your questions very quickly if you can.

[tim333]

Unfortunately I don't have another PSU. I am considering going out to buy another one, but I want to make sure that its not just the motherboard. Three things though: 1. I had this problem before, and it did fix itself for a week or so, before my trip. It ran fine, and I could move the PC without incident, I don't think I've even opened the case since then, so nothing should have changed. The computer restarted and ran perfect.....so I would assume this is fixable too, as of right now 150$ US for a new PSU is kinda out of my price range. 2. Evidently we had a black out during my trip, but I had the computer plugged into my APC battery backup. The switch on the PSU was off, but the APC was on. 3. Finally, The night of the brown out, I shut down my computer, and then turned the PSU switch off. Then went to sleep for 10 hours. This and my trip are the only two cases I can think of where the power switch on the PSU has been off more than a few minutes.

[tim333]

On the corsair forums they talk about a paperclip test of the PSU, would that confirm that it is working ok?

EDIT: I just got in and played crysis for a bit, then it did the shutdown again. I am pretty sure this means something inside is shorting out. Any idea what could do this?

[odis172]

Ok, so when idling in windows, will it shut down? Or is it only when you stress it (crysis) or bump it? My suspicion is also that the psu is damaged.

[KaptCrunch]

Tim333

try remove the front panel reset switch connection to see if still acts up

getting a UPS with line filtering/conditioning was good you didn't waste your cash, i've had brownouts here an lost to many HDD due to data corruption

[CMetaphor]

Originally Posted by odis172

Ok, so when idling in windows, will it shut down? Or is it only when you stress it (crysis) or bump it? My suspicion is also that the psu is damaged.

+1. Is it being caused by stress or at random only?

[tim333]

It is completely random. Yesterday it stayed up for 6-8 hours and shutdown perfectly normal, I played crysis and Sins of a Solar empire for a while with no problems. Then I restarted twice again last night before it worked. And this morning it has cycled about 5-6 times before it got going. It appears that after about 10 minutes in vista it won't do it anymore until it is shutdown, but thats just a guess.

Next time it does this I think im gonna go re-seat all my components and test my PSU.

Also looking through the mobo manual I don't see a front panel reset switch, but I'll keep looking.

Thank you all.

[CMetaphor]

Perhaps if you can't buy a power supply to test your system you could borrow one from a friend? Or buy one from a store that has a good return policy lol... good luck!

[martin_metal_88]

Try to see if you have a after market cooler if the backplate or screw are not in contact with any weld of the mobo. I just had the same issue this week-end with a client TT Bigtyphoon back plate. Aslo try to look at temp ofthe mobo and CPU and see if the mobo is compatible with the CPU ( some time some bios update needed ) I don't think it' your PSU because they are not PSU failure ( in normal time ). For me it's looking more like a Condenser failure over time or manufacturing default.

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