[SOLVED] PC turning off and on at random

[prendergast]

Hello, I hope you're all doing well.

I was not exactly sure where to post this question as I have no idea where the specific problem is, so I hope this is sufficient.
I’ve been dealing with a tricky PC problem for the last month or so. Essentially, my computer turns off and on at random times. Sometimes it will not start at all, or it will start for several seconds, turn off, some time will pass, and then it will try to turn on again. I do not need to have pressed the power button at all, and there does not seem to be any pattern to it that I can see. I have tried a number of different fixes for it, which I will list below, and sometimes it seems as if I have solved it. However, the problem inevitably returns. I’ve had this PC for about a year or so with the only problems being occasional overheating. A lot of this sort of thing is fairly new to me, and any ideas would be very welcome.

Here are my computer specs (please let me know if you require further details):

Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Dell Inc OptiPlex 990
Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2600 CPU @3.40GHz (8 CPUs), ¬3.4GHz
8192MB RAM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050

Here is what I have tried so far:

• Switching out the PSU with another from an older computer. I had initially assumed that the PSU was the problem, as my computer is SFF and had come with a small 250v power supply, but I had been using a graphics card that required 300v at a minimum. The alternate PSU puts out 450v I think, but it IS quite old so maybe a new PSU might be the solution?
• Different power cables, power boards, and wall sockets.
• Virus scans with windows defender, spybot search and destroy, malwarebytes, bitdefender (please let me know if there are any others that you would recommend.)
• Updating all drivers.
• Sfc /scannow and chkdsk
• Defragmenting
• Cleaning dust from the inside of the case/fans etc. The PC had initially been used at a mine site in Australia, so there was a small amount of red dust/sand throughout the case. Obviously this might be the source of the problem, if it’s gotten into somewhere important. I’m not really sure how to check for that though.
• Reseating all components within the PC itself.
• Running it without the cd drive, graphics card, and hard drive, each individually and then together.
• Switching the RAM out for others and back again. These other RAM sticks were also from my older PC, so there could be problems there.
• I am concerned that it could be a problem with the power button and/or the cable from the power button to the motherboard, but there does not seem to be any way to remove it easily.
• My only other idea is that it could be something to do with the motherboard itself, in which case I suppose the only solution would be to replace it?

Thanks for your time.

 

[white.a.drew]

Hello, I hope you're all doing well.

I was not exactly sure where to post this question as I have no idea where the specific problem is, so I hope this is sufficient.
I’ve been dealing with a tricky PC problem for the last month or so. Essentially, my computer turns off and on at random times. Sometimes it will not start at all, or it will start for several seconds, turn off, some time will pass, and then it will try to turn on again. I do not need to have pressed the power button at all, and there does not seem to be any pattern to it that I can see. I have tried a number of different fixes for it, which I will list below, and sometimes it seems as if I have solved it. However, the problem inevitably returns. I’ve had this PC for about a year or so with the only problems being occasional overheating. A lot of this sort of thing is fairly new to me, and any ideas would be very welcome.

Here are my computer specs (please let me know if you require further details):

Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Dell Inc OptiPlex 990
Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2600 CPU @3.40GHz (8 CPUs), ¬3.4GHz
8192MB RAM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050

Here is what I have tried so far:

• Switching out the PSU with another from an older computer. I had initially assumed that the PSU was the problem, as my computer is SFF and had come with a small 250v power supply, but I had been using a graphics card that required 300v at a minimum. The alternate PSU puts out 450v I think, but it IS quite old so maybe a new PSU might be the solution?
• Different power cables, power boards, and wall sockets.
• Virus scans with windows defender, spybot search and destroy, malwarebytes, bitdefender (please let me know if there are any others that you would recommend.)
• Updating all drivers.
• Sfc /scannow and chkdsk
• Defragmenting
• Cleaning dust from the inside of the case/fans etc. The PC had initially been used at a mine site in Australia, so there was a small amount of red dust/sand throughout the case. Obviously this might be the source of the problem, if it’s gotten into somewhere important. I’m not really sure how to check for that though.
• Reseating all components within the PC itself.
• Running it without the cd drive, graphics card, and hard drive, each individually and then together.
• Switching the RAM out for others and back again. These other RAM sticks were also from my older PC, so there could be problems there.
• I am concerned that it could be a problem with the power button and/or the cable from the power button to the motherboard, but there does not seem to be any way to remove it easily.
• My only other idea is that it could be something to do with the motherboard itself, in which case I suppose the only solution would be to replace it?

Thanks for your time.

Have you tried to replace the thermal paste to the cpu?

 

[prendergast]

Have you tried to replace the thermal paste to the cpu?

Thanks for replying so quicky.
I have not tried that. I wouldn't even know where to begin, though I'm sure I could find a guide. So, you think it might be a overheating problem? Is there a way to check the current condition of the thermal paste? I've got this Core Temp program, and the temperatures are often quite high, particularly when playing games with high-end graphics.

 

[white.a.drew]

Thanks for replying so quicky.
I have not tried that. I wouldn't even know where to begin, though I'm sure I could find a guide. So, you think it might be a overheating problem? Is there a way to check the current condition of the thermal paste? I've got this Core Temp program, and the temperatures are often quite high, particularly when playing games with high-end graphics.

Yes it's probably temps if there high and there are several guides to doing it, and no once you remove the cpu fan "you have" to replace the thermal paste

 

[prendergast]

Yes it's probably temps if there high and there are several guides to doing it, and no once you remove the cpu fan "you have" to replace the thermal paste

Alright, well. I'll have to go purchase a tube of the stuff from somewhere. Thanks for your suggestion; I'll get onto it as soon as I can.
In the mean time, if anyone else has any other thoughts, I'd love to hear them.

 

[white.a.drew]

Alright, well. I'll have to go purchase a tube of the stuff from somewhere. Thanks for your suggestion; I'll get onto it as soon as I can.
In the mean time, if anyone else has any other thoughts, I'd love to hear them.

best thermal paste in my eyes
applying thermal paste to cpu

 

[prendergast]

best thermal paste in my eyes
applying thermal paste to cpu

So, I've done this, but the problem seems to be persisting. It was a good idea, and the thermal paste certainly needed replacing. I'm worried that the only problem left is that there is something wrong with the motherboard.

 

[white.a.drew]

So, I've done this, but the problem seems to be persisting. It was a good idea, and the thermal paste certainly needed replacing. I'm worried that the only problem left is that there is something wrong with the motherboard.

please note yes this could be a mobo problem but before you come to this conclusion, do you have "any" other option/way to test the cpu/mobo. I;m not going to just saying yes to this because if isn't the case it could be you over heated the cpu one to many times, in turning perma frying it "over heating it to the point it is over heating constantly no matter what..... Or it could be your psu failing