Computer crashes, and won't restart until the next day

[zzyzzx]

My PC crashes, and when it does, it's completely dead. It will not restart for several hours. If I wait only a few hours it restarts, but only stays on for a few minutes. If I leave it off overnight, then it restarts and works just fine, for the most part.

It crashed once when I plugged in a USB stick.
It craashed once when I bumped the cart that this in on.

Any ideas?

The power supply is the only thing that comes to mind. My reasoning being that this problem might be somehow heat related. I can't think of anything else other than a heat related problem that would cause my PC to not reatart for some time like I described above.
This is in a PC that I built, and I did use a name brand power supply that I'm sure is way too big for my rather minimal needs, but I'm still open to the possibility if that being it. I do not happen to have a spare PS that I can swap in for testing purposes. If it matters, lately I have been using a USB external hard drive sometimes, which draws all of it's power needs from my PC's USB, adn one fo the times when it crashed was when I had my USB HD in and I plugged in my USB mempry stick.

Otherwise the last change I made to the PC was when I installed my wireless card, which is this one:
http://www.engeniustech.com/datacom/products/details.aspx?id=223

[minidv2dvd]

what kind of crash? blue screen with error message, complete lockup, or immediate power off black screen?

[Soopafresh]

Sure sounds like a power supply issue.

[creakndale]

Or maybe the CPU's heatsink is full of dust or the heatsink fan isn't spinning as it should.

creakndale

[Snakebyte1]

Verify that the fan on the PS is turning. If your CPU has a fan verify its turning, if its a passive make sure its properly seated and clean.

However, this can also be a symptom of a failing component on your motherboard.

[zzyzzx]

what kind of crash? blue screen with error message, complete lockup, or immediate power off black screen?

Immediate power off black screen.

[Snakebyte1]

Looking like its a Power Supply issue

[zzyzzx]

I'm going to open up the case and make sure all the fans are working and try doing everything with the case cover off (I still use desktop style cases) and get my power supply specs and post them here.

[redwudz]

It craashed once when I bumped the cart that this in on.

I find that interesting. When you have the cover off and the PC unplugged, I would reseat all your cables, cards, RAM and power connectors. It's possible you have a marginal connection in there and that's causing the problem. It sounds more intermittent than thermal.

If it's thermally caused, easy to check by loading down the CPU by encoding. I would also check the capacitors around the CPU for bulges as they sometimes fail and cause odd problems.

Next would be a PS substitute.

[Number Six]

It could be a short in the power switch - the 1 that connects to the motherboard.

[redwudz]

It could be a short in the power switch - the 1 that connects to the motherboard.

Possible, but the front panel switch just tells the motherboard to send a signal to the PS to turn off or on. Usually that will cause a orderly shutdown, not a instant power off. The switch is buffered and at logic level from the MB.

One easy way to test it is to temporarily substitute the reset switch terminals on the MB front panel connector for the power on connector. They are both momentary switches.

[gadgetguy]

Are you plugged into a plug strip? That could also be a problem...

[Nelson37]

When it does run, how long does it run for? Five hours, five minutes?

How many times has it crashed, in what time period? Are they getting more frequent?

How long has this been going on for?

Clarify bumping "the cart that this is in on". Do you mean the entire case was jostled, or something specifically attached to the mobo?

The bumping issue and the USB-related crash would seem to indicate some component failure, as would the long cool-down time required.

Check some internal temperatures either with software or digital probe (finger). Try increasing airflow with a fan pointed into the side, with the panel removed.

[INFRATOM]

As mentioned above something like video card or something is loose. Reseat all cards and tighten screws, check all the cables. If you are handy with computer parts, open computer disconnect power pull everything out except CPU and ram make sure RAM clips are on then use air blower clean computer, then reassemble everything.
Caution: short yourself for static charge, Have motherboard manual handy.

[Nelson37]

The immediate power-off says this is power-related. The apparent lack of lock-ups or freezes argues against a heat-related issue, though the long cool-down time points back at this. Very odd.

Lots of things to start with, basically start to Isolate by removing or disconnecting everything poaaible, including data cables frm the mobo, let it boot to BIOS and just sit there, you should be able to monitor temps also. After power-up, I would disconnect the power switch leads from the mobo to eliminate the mechanical switch and wires.

I would tend to look for some sort of dead short but the whole cool-down scenario strongly says "heat-related component failure".

If using a power strip, eliminate it or use a different one. APC are the best.

Is the motherboard still under Warranty?

Has it ever locked up without the case being touched IN ANY WAY, including not being breathed on hard? During the cool-down times, both long and short, is the PC or anything attached to it moved or disconnected? Any difference between the long and short intervals?

Is there anything that is ALWAYS present when it fails, or anything that is NEVER present when it fails?

[zzyzzx]

Yes, I'm using a power stip, but I really don't think that's the problem (and I don't see how it could be, please explain.

[zzyzzx]

When it does run, how long does it run for? Five hours, five minutes?

Usually for several hours.

How many times has it crashed, in what time period? How long has this been going on for?

5-6 times over the last 2 weeks.

Are they getting more frequent?

Not really. By that I mean that so far as I can tell, I can't leave it on for a set time and say for sure that it will crash.

Clarify bumping "the cart that this is in on". Do you mean the entire case was jostled, or something specifically attached to the mobo?

The PC is on a computer desk. The type where you can pull out a drawer for the keyboard. When I pushed the kayboard all the way back on once, when it hit the back, the PC crashed!

[zzyzzx]

Is there anything that is ALWAYS present when it fails, or anything that is NEVER present when it fails?

Actually I do think so, specifically my new WD "Passport external HD that I got for Christmas.

And now that I've actually checked, ny power supply is a 350W unit. Specifically a TTGI, TT-350SS. It' seems to be a good unit, complete with ball bearing fans (which do work) and it is a quiet unit. I should add a case fan (don't have one currently) and make sure that my psower supply fan is on it's highest setting (it's adjustable). Now that I think about it more, I'm guessing that 350W isn't enough. When I built this PC, I didn't have 2 internal hard drives and a high powered WIFI card. Adding the external dard drive probably puts if over it's limit. I can probably disable one fo the internal har drives or out it in a power saving mode since I hardly ever use it. That and I should probably disable my WIFI card when I'm not using it.

[gadgetguy]

I've had a few cases where the computer works great in my lab, but as soon as I put it back to it's normal location it doesn't work (various symptoms). Each time it traced back to the power strip, usually the cheap surge suppressor type, but not always. This might not be your problem, but it's an easy test to try it on another strip and rule it out. Some of the symptoms I've observed:
The computer boots up, passes POST, starts windows, and as soon as the main Windows screen appears it shuts down (and sometimes tries to reboot).
The computer boots up, passes post, and gets stuck on the windows boot screen.
The computer boots up, everything appears normal, until you move the mouse, then crashes.

[zzyzzx]

No comments on the 350W power supply being too small yet?

You people are slipping!

[Nelson37]

First concept is never, EVER, say "that couldn't be it". You do not say this until you have taken specific, positive action to rule out the device in question.

20 years experience tells me you bet your ass the power strip could be the culprit, it could be the power cable, it could be the wall outlet, it could be a copier/ printer/ washing machine on the same circuit. I do not state these things because I believe they are theoretically possible, I state them because I have SEEN it happen, and determined absolutely, positively, beyond question that one of these factors was indeed causing the problem.

You worry about WHY and HOW later, sometimes you never do find these out exactly. It is WHAT that you need to determine, once you ISOLATE and IDENTIFY the problem, then you can remove, replace, re-install, or eliminate it.

Saying "that's not supposed to do that" has no bearing whatsoever on whether it actually will do it or not.

It will take about 10 seconds to change the power plug. Symptoms observed in the past could be a match for yours, including the cool-down time.

Best way to test the power supply is replace it. Outside of that, disconnect one internal drive and the external and test for an extended time. Take the longest running time obtained over the last 2 weeks and double it.

350W is not definitely too small, though borderline.. Wifi cards use little power. The cool-down specifics are unusual. The "bump" effects are unusual.

When the bump-crashes happened, how long had it been on for? What is the SHORTEST time it has ran for, after a long cool-down?

I'd replace the power supply without a second thought, but then I always have an extra one, usually two or three because I replace so many, and they are relatively inexpensive.

[RabidDog]

SOunds like your power supply is too weedy..disabling all those gadgets is too risky...just get a bigger beefier power supply.. I have exactly the same problem on a comp with (i think 300w Supply) once I plug in a WD passport drive it just shuts down. Otherwise brilliant (2 hard drives +2 opticals + 1gb ram). I would recommend the targa 2100kw as that should be adequate for both your comp and two of your neighbours. Wi-fi is known to be a bit of power drainer...

[TooLFooL]

first, test the power supply. next time your pc shuts off, unplug the atx plug from the motherboard and jumper pins 14 & 13. this should cause the power supply to immediately turn on. if it does not, you have a faulty power supply.

if your power supply does indeed work, try the good ol' "tap-test" where you basically touch, tap and wiggle every component until you find your short or loose connection. and if the failure is occurring on the SAME USB port, i'd check that out real well. it's sounds to me like you have an issue where heat expansion is creating either a short or an open circuit situation.

[mynameistaken]

Did you ever get to the bottom of this problem and find out the exact cause?

I currently have a similar problem and found this topic after searching google for help.

My computer crashes randomly, it'll either just completely die, or it'll feeze up. When I switch on, it doesn't boot up, it just gives me a blue screen that says along the bottom to press esc or F1 etc but I can't press anything as the keyboard and mouse don't work. If I leave the computer for a while (this could be a few hours or a full day) it will eventually start ok. There is no pattern, it could then work ok for a few hours or a few days before the same thing happens again. I have tried system restore and checked for viruses etc.

When it won't start and just gives the blue HP screen, the fans all are working ok. It is a Hewlet Packard computer pavillon Media Center PC m700 and it is Windows XP. Computer is exactly 4 year old.

I have read the advice here but I don;t know much about computers, sorry, I cannot reseat memory because I cannot get to it, it is hidden behind other stuff. I don't know what various components are exactly.

Can anybody help?