strange and worrying computer problem

[GeoffC]

just a case of checking all the bits of kit that are common to this PC and your previous one.

broadband modem & electricity supply .... anything else?

[zelda_pinwheel]

nothing important, i don't think. the whole heart is new (motherboard, proc, ram, any cards...), the hd is new because i switched to sata... the only thing i kept is the dvd player from the old computer but that shouldn't be a problem i don't think. i also have an external hard drive (western digital mybook 500mo) for backups which i had already but it's not very old, and i now use my previous internal harddrives as external backups as well but they are not connected all the time (and they weren't connected the last time i had the problem, for instance). and it's the same monitor as before as well (samsung syncmaster910T), and the same speakers (just some cheap nameless ones, alas).

[Over]

I've experienced some strange problems with modems. Some similar to the one you described. Something even weirder happened to me: the computer would spontaneously turn itself on. For some time I had to unplug the AC cable to stop it from returning from the dead. Until I found out it was the modem. Just had to unplug the ethernet cable to stop the problem.

Anyway, try to unplug the modem for some time, while you're working or whatever. See if the problem persists. It's a long shot, but...

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

well, i don't know what is considered "idle" temps, i was using the computer at the time although perhaps not intensively (i can't remember what i was doing precisely). i do a lot of photo editing (graphic design) so i could try to do some and that and see if it has an effect. also, the day it shutdown twice, it was really hot, and it does get hot in here. today of course it's freezing. that could have an effect.

It could very definitely have an effect - we've had servers shut down from getting too hot before now (and one completely die - but that was a rather elderly beastie). Are you able to position a fan in such a way that it can blow hot air away from the unit?

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by Over

I've experienced some strange problems with modems. Some similar to the one you described. Something even weirder happened to me: the computer would spontaneously turn itself on. For some time I had to unplug the AC cable to stop it from returning from the dead. Until I found out it was the modem. Just had to unplug the ethernet cable to stop the problem.

Anyway, try to unplug the modem for some time, while you're working or whatever. See if the problem persists. It's a long shot, but...

BUT that would mean we'd all be 'cut' off from the Queen !!!!!

[kazbates]

Originally Posted by ShortNCuddlyAm

It could very definitely have an effect - we've had servers shut down from getting too hot before now (and one completely die - but that was a rather elderly beastie). Are you able to position a fan in such a way that it can blow hot air away from the unit?

That's a great idea, Am. I have a small personal fan that I have to use in the kitchen when I'm grilling something on the down-draft grill (the down draft fan doesn't work very well on things that have been marinated and generate more smoke). I was setting off the fire alarm (and the dogs howling) quite regularly!

[ahammer]

you can also try taking off the side of the case for a while and see if that fixes your issue. if it does then you just need to buy some more 5$ fans to put inside of the case.

[GeoffC]

but a problem of ventilation should have surfaced before now ? and the same problem for this PC and the previous ?

[kazbates]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

but a problem of ventilation should have surfaced before now ? and the same problem for this PC and the previous ?

Good point! Unless she has the CPU in the same place. . .

[ahammer]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

it doesn't have huge amounts of space around it because i don't have huge amounts of space available, but the ventilation grilles are not blocked.

GeoffC this is what lead me to think It maybe a ventilation issue along with

also, the day it shutdown twice, it was really hot, and it does get hot in here. today of course it's freezing. that could have an effect

btw I have had a mobo in the past that rebooted insted of just shutdown when it over heated(not 100% sure why you would want this). what brand of mobo is it? if you know.

[zelda_pinwheel]

ahammer, here is some info about my system :

processeur    DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo E7300, 2400 MHz (9 x 267)
      motherboard     Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3R  (2 PCI, 3 PCI-E x1, 2 PCI-E x16, 4 DDR2 DIMM, Audio, Dual Gigabit LAN, IEEE-1394)
      Chipset mb                          Intel Eaglelake P45
      Mémoire système                                   [ TRIAL VERSION ]
      DIMM1: G Skill F2-6400CL4-1GBPK                   1 Go DDR2-800 DDR2 SDRAM  (5-5-5-15 @ 400 MHz)  (4-4-4-10 @ 266 MHz)
      DIMM2: G Skill F2-6400CL4-1GBPK                   [ TRIAL VERSION ]
      DIMM3: G Skill F2-6400CL4-1GBPK                   [ TRIAL VERSION ]
      Type de BIOS                                      Award Modular (07/08/08)
      
    Moniteur:
      Carte vidéo     ATI Radeon HD 4800 Series  (512 Mo)
      Carte vidéo     ATI Radeon HD 4800 Series  (512 Mo)
      Accélérateur 3D          ATI Radeon HD 4850 (RV770)
      Moniteur      Samsung SyncMaster 198T/910T/MagicSyncMaster CX901T (Digital)  [19" LCD]  (HSCY100023)

    Multimédia:
      Carte audio                                       ATI Radeon HDMI @ ATI RV770 - High Definition Audio Controller
      Carte audio                                       Realtek ALC889A @ Intel 82801JB ICH10 - High Definition Audio Controller

    Stockage:
      Contrôleur IDE                                    Contrôleur IDE standard double canal PCI
      Contrôleur IDE                                    Intel(R) ICH10 Family 2 port Serial ATA Storage Controller 2 - 3A26
      Contrôleur IDE                                    Intel(R) ICH10 Family 4 port Serial ATA Storage Controller 1 - 3A20
      Lecteur de disquettes                             Lecteur de disquettes
      Disque dur                                        SAMSUNG HD103UJ  (1000 Go, 7200 RPM, SATA-II)
      Disque dur                                        WD 5000AAJ External USB Device
      Lecteur optique                                   _NEC DVD_RW ND-4570A  (DVD+R9:8x, DVD-R9:6x, DVD+RW:16x/8x, DVD-RW:16x/8x, DVD-RAM:5x, DVD-ROM:16x, CD:48x/32x/48x DVD+RW/DVD-RW/DVD-RAM)
      État des disques durs SMART                       OK

[GeoffC]

two questions...

It is the PC that shuts down, and not the monitor ?

Any possibility it could be electrical interference from somewhere outside the flat.... ?

[kaas]

Originally Posted by mklynds

Monster Cable[/URL] is a brand I highly recommend.

I do not know anything about their UPs systems, but any company that sells "high performance HDMI cables" twisting neccesseties and tries to fool inexperienced consumers into paying ridiculous amounts of money isn't one that I would recommend...

good luck Zelda!

cheers,

kaas

p.s.: yes, I do now that hdmi 1.3 does support 1440p/ 1600p and theoreticaly those cables are more advanced than the regular ones, but I doubt you will easily find a hdtv with that resolution. For lengths of up to 5m you shouldn't notice a difference

[Idoine]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

idoine : you don't recommend avast anti-virus ? i installed that one because it was recommended to me by 2 different friends who both know much more than i do about this stuff and i've been quite happy with it so far... doesn't seem to get in my way, detects things if there is anything to detect, doesn't give false alerts, doesn't conflict with anything else... why is Nod32 (i've never heard of that one...) better ? teatimer... i think i shut that off for some reason but i'll activate it again (since you say so... ). unless it starts causing trouble, that is.

Avast Home/Familial (the free one !) is good, for a free one, and in french ! But it has its limits (this is an opinion of "experts" in antivirus ! ). Nod32 is considered one of the bests by the sames... It's not mine, I have KIS personally, for years now, and as I'm pretty satisfied I don't see the reason to change !
For Teatimer, I had a problem once (before I turn it on, and before I purchased KIS in lieu of KAV ! ), it was my mistake (I installed a patch for Windows Messenger before verifying its safeness ). Now, with both softwares, when I scan my computer, I'm happy with 0 spywares !

[6charlong]

I've come to this thread late. There are so many things that it could be. But your description reminded me of a PC we had in the office with the same symptoms and thought to share what that one was.

It tracked back to the fact that there was a refrigerator on the same circuit as the PC. When the big old motor in the 'frig kicked on it created a power sag. Integrated circuits hate power sags. Actually, motors in heaters, air conditioners, fans, etc., create 'line noise' and some power fluctuations.

With a UPS your PC actually draws power from the battery, while the UPS recharges from your power main. If the problem is coming from the power source and if you decide to get a UPS, it might be wise to find out what replacement batteries cost for the model you consider. If the problem is power, that battery will keep on getting hammered and have to be replaced.

Just another one of the possibilities.