Hi everyone, I visited a customer today who has a desktop computer stuck inside a computer table and the fans instead of behind where always on the side against the wood (hot place, lots of use) what damage could that have done? The thing is: Lots of times the computer does shut down directly without any error messages or restart in the same way or it would just freeze when booting at the windows 7s "starting" logo phase. I checked ram with windows memory diagnostic tool, ram is ok when CPU is under heavy load psu voltages drops do you people agree is the PSU to blame? specs: mother: doesn't matter asus m4 something processor: phenom x4 965 ram: 2gb ddr something must be 2 I guess by the processor's age psu: generic garbage (no brand) also noticeably small (never seen a PSU so small in size) I need help I don't have spare parts to test neither the money to buy them thanks
Generally speaking, heat is bad for electronics, period. Now, debris / dust accumulated during working periods can heat up different parts of the machine. Indeed over-heat could damage the PSU, so you can try a spare and see any difference.
I believe it's a hardware issue. I suggest that you consult our peers in the hardware section.Good luck.
thank you Aninvitedsoul I asked there just I asked over there, if this can be moved to hardware section would be great i asked computer stores they all tell me to bring it over it's a major issue
Move that machine out of those table and stand it on it! Open the machines case look about how much Dust you could already see without to remove any part!! If you see quite a bit of dust, take the machine to an place where you could use an Air-Blaster to bl;ow out all that dust, still do not remove any part upfront of that! As that machines uses an AMD CPU, special the Phenom's will shut down automatically if getting to hot. The next step should be to remove the CPU Fan, disassemble the Fan from the Heatsink and clean the Heatsink with some solution and water. Check the fan is working correctly by applying power of 12V to the Yellow (+) and Black (-) cables. Assemble the CPU Cooler back to normal! Have some Heatsink Compound Paste ready to apply to the top of the CPU after removed the old one. Place the CPU Cooler back on it's place and connect the power cable correctly. Check all Fan in the case working correctly, include the one inside the PSU. Now start the computer without to close the case and let them run with using the Hot-Key for to display the BIOS, in which you open the part which shows the CPU Temperature and keep an eye on it how hot it will go. I don't think that the PSU is the problem rather than overheating of the CPU! We cleaning every 3-4 month the CPU Coolers of the computers of our customers which whom we've an Service Contract and in our own Company as well. At my Home and my Company we mainly using AMD CPU's and I know about the overheating problems of them very well.
wow thanks for all the info, stress tested a little the processor temps don't go really far (64 C) and there's not much dust since previous tech support guy did some cleaning once in a while, still bugs me why he did not install a cooler on the back and just one in the left which was like choking against the table's wood.
Among all the things mentioned so far, I would also be looking for bulging or leaky capacitors on the motherboard.
I would check these also since ram's OK... 1) BIOS causing instability - update it. 2) Could simply be dealing with a thrashed/corrupt OS.. If their system is years old then clean reinstall... OR Pop in a spare HDD and clean install a fully updated Windows 7 from this source; Code: View attachment OS.txt Usb install will only take about 20-30minutes. Run stress tests and watch temps, voltages Look's like we've covered just about everything but replacing the PC, lol
It's a problem of the Phenom CPU, me think! If the Temperature for an 965 goes above 57°C it start's to first slow down. Now it's depend also how correct the Temp Sensor is still working! Many of those starting failing after some 2-3 year and mis-interpreting the temperature and showing lower than actual results! That those CPU you use is quite Power hungry is also fact: 125-145 Watts!!And just for the CPU!! We had those 965's and replaced all of them after 2-3 years because of overheating! Luckly, those CPU's hardly burning to dead, they just power down and maybe restarting directly if not switching off totally. That's depend on the MB and it's BIOS! For Heatsink Compound I suggest to use a so called Arctic Silver which isn't cheap but never dry's out and work at all time to 100%!
thanks for all the input guys once they bring it over I'll check CPU with core temp and also give it a good clean, I'm gonna check if the thermal grease dried out and reinstall windows from murphys' ISO (they want 7) The computer is not overclocked but was choking with warm air returning from the wood all around it. the heatpipes in the cooler were warm.