Help! Sudden Computer Death!

Your symptoms are more consistent with static electric shock
damage some months ago. A slow death from overstress by
static electricity.

Until voltage readings are taken with a 3.5 digit
multimeter, then no idea of that power supply quality.
Furthermore, if supply did not come with a long list of
numerical specifications, then it is likely not a high quality
supply. High quality supplies list at about $80 retail. A few
minutes with procedure listed in "Computer doesnt start at
all" at http://tinyurl.com/2t69q would provide more
important facts.

Of course, if this is a Windows NT based OS, then the system
keeps failure information in system (event) logs. What do
those logs say?

X-ray Doc wrote:

> My ultimate gaming computer suddenly died last night. I
> built it several months ago and it has worked flawlessly,
> except for about three spontaneous reboots while gaming
> and one VPU recovery screen from my Radeon 9800 A-I-W
> Pro. (I think the VPU episode might have been related to
> the Catalyst 3.9 drivers and the game Call of Duty. This
> is suppose to be fixed in the 3.10 drivers.) Anyway,
> here are the bloody details. My USB wireless Joystick
> stops working properly two days ago. I assumed it was
> the joystick. Then yesterday, while trying to play
> Battlefield 1942, my Microsoft USB Explorer mouse started
> mapping keys incorrectly. (In game, I'd press the left
> mouse button to map a control and it would be listed as
> Joystick 17.) Shortly after this, the computer starts
> to reboot spontaneously and then it emits a loud, fast
> continuous beep. It no longer boots, or at least there
> is no video signal at all. Here are my thoughts. Please
> help if you can. My Gigabyte manual says that short
> continuous beeps may indicate a power problem. I doubt
> this because it is a high quality 550 watt PSU and all my
> fans and drive lights work. The AWARD BIOS site said
> that short continuous beeps may represent a CPU problem.
> The fast beeps only occured during the computer's actual
> death. It is silent now. I'm wondering if the CPU has
> been overheating, causing the reboots, and is now fried.
> Or did my video card somehow just die? Or did the USB
> problems indicate a motherboard failure? Please help.
> My life, (or at least part of it) is on that computer!
> Thanks.

I have Windows XP. I paid $294.00 for what I thought was
a top of the line PSU, the PC Power and Cooling Turbo-
cool 510 Deluxe ATX. It has power conditioning and
Maxximum PC magazine always uses their power supplies in
their ultimate computers. I was very careful avoiding
static electricity when I built the computer. I didn't
wear a ground strap, but I grounded myself on the power
supply before touching any components. When you suspect
this damage, are you referring to the motherboard being
damaged, or what component in particular?

>-----Original Message-----
> Your symptoms are more consistent with static electric

shock

>damage some months ago. A slow death from overstress by
>static electricity.
>
> Until voltage readings are taken with a 3.5 digit
>multimeter, then no idea of that power supply quality.
>Furthermore, if supply did not come with a long list of
>numerical specifications, then it is likely not a high

quality

>supply. High quality supplies list at about $80 retail.

A few

>minutes with procedure listed in "Computer doesnt start

at

>all" at http://tinyurl.com/2t69q would provide more
>important facts.
>
> Of course, if this is a Windows NT based OS, then the

system

>keeps failure information in system (event) logs. What

do

>those logs say?
>
>X-ray Doc wrote:

>> My ultimate gaming computer suddenly died last night.

I

>> built it several months ago and it has worked

flawlessly,

>> except for about three spontaneous reboots while gaming
>> and one VPU recovery screen from my Radeon 9800 A-I-W
>> Pro. (I think the VPU episode might have been related

to

>> the Catalyst 3.9 drivers and the game Call of Duty.

This

>> is suppose to be fixed in the 3.10 drivers.) Anyway,
>> here are the bloody details. My USB wireless Joystick
>> stops working properly two days ago. I assumed it was
>> the joystick. Then yesterday, while trying to play
>> Battlefield 1942, my Microsoft USB Explorer mouse

started

>> mapping keys incorrectly. (In game, I'd press the left
>> mouse button to map a control and it would be listed as
>> Joystick 17.) Shortly after this, the computer starts
>> to reboot spontaneously and then it emits a loud, fast
>> continuous beep. It no longer boots, or at least there
>> is no video signal at all. Here are my thoughts.

Please

>> help if you can. My Gigabyte manual says that short
>> continuous beeps may indicate a power problem. I doubt
>> this because it is a high quality 550 watt PSU and all

my

>> fans and drive lights work. The AWARD BIOS site said
>> that short continuous beeps may represent a CPU

problem.

>> The fast beeps only occured during the computer's

actual

>> death. It is silent now. I'm wondering if the CPU has
>> been overheating, causing the reboots, and is now

fried.

>> Or did my video card somehow just die? Or did the USB
>> problems indicate a motherboard failure? Please help.
>> My life, (or at least part of it) is on that computer!
>> Thanks.

>.
>

Do as I didn't do. Was doing the same thing (grounding
human skin to chassis) recently. But then moved a shoe as I
went to change something. Did not 'static wrist strap' ground
myself to the case (not earth ground - the case). The
resulting static shock, I believe, entered via network cable.
Rather surprised me that it transversed NIC isolation
transformer with enough force to immediately damage input to
National CP83223 line transceiver. But then the shock so
massive that I even felt it. Static electric is that
destructive.

In another location, they did not bother installed a
humidifier. They have static electricity constantly. But
since damage is not immediately apparent, bean counter
mentality cannot associate cost reduction with cost of
humidifier. In this case, the USB port on a digital camera
failed. Virtually every USB camera connection to that
computer results in a static shock.

It's difficult to correlate static damage with a particular
event. But if a human ever shock equipment - even once - then
the many more 'less detected' static electric discharges may
be causing electronic failure later.

BTW, how to test that a computer system is properly
constructed? With the system buttoned up and on a glass table
(wood and other tables are too conductive), static shock every
corner of chassis, keyboard, etc. Static shocks so strong as
to be felt should not even cause an Operating System crash.
Any software crash due to static electric? Start with how
motherboard ground connects to chassis ground. Only one
conductive standoff for a single point ground. Static
electricity is also a good tool for testing system
construction.

anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com wrote:

> I have Windows XP. I paid $294.00 for what I thought was
> a top of the line PSU, the PC Power and Cooling Turbo-
> cool 510 Deluxe ATX. It has power conditioning and
> Maxximum PC magazine always uses their power supplies in
> their ultimate computers. I was very careful avoiding
> static electricity when I built the computer. I didn't
> wear a ground strap, but I grounded myself on the power
> supply before touching any components. When you suspect
> this damage, are you referring to the motherboard being
> damaged, or what component in particular?

> >-----Original Message-----
> > Your symptoms are more consistent with static electric

> shock

> >damage some months ago. A slow death from overstress by
> >static electricity.
> >
> > Until voltage readings are taken with a 3.5 digit
> >multimeter, then no idea of that power supply quality.
> >Furthermore, if supply did not come with a long list of
> >numerical specifications, then it is likely not a high

> quality

> >supply. High quality supplies list at about $80 retail.

> A few

> >minutes with procedure listed in "Computer doesnt start

> at

> >all" at http://tinyurl.com/2t69q would provide more
> >important facts.
> >
> > Of course, if this is a Windows NT based OS, then the

> system

> >keeps failure information in system (event) logs. What

> do

> >those logs say?
> >
> >X-ray Doc wrote:

> >> My ultimate gaming computer suddenly died last night.

> I

> >> built it several months ago and it has worked

> flawlessly,

> >> except for about three spontaneous reboots while gaming
> >> and one VPU recovery screen from my Radeon 9800 A-I-W
> >> Pro. (I think the VPU episode might have been related

> to

> >> the Catalyst 3.9 drivers and the game Call of Duty.

> This

> >> is suppose to be fixed in the 3.10 drivers.) Anyway,
> >> here are the bloody details. My USB wireless Joystick
> >> stops working properly two days ago. I assumed it was
> >> the joystick. Then yesterday, while trying to play
> >> Battlefield 1942, my Microsoft USB Explorer mouse

> started

> >> mapping keys incorrectly. (In game, I'd press the left
> >> mouse button to map a control and it would be listed as
> >> Joystick 17.) Shortly after this, the computer starts
> >> to reboot spontaneously and then it emits a loud, fast
> >> continuous beep. It no longer boots, or at least there
> >> is no video signal at all. Here are my thoughts.

> Please

> >> help if you can. My Gigabyte manual says that short
> >> continuous beeps may indicate a power problem. I doubt
> >> this because it is a high quality 550 watt PSU and all

> my

> >> fans and drive lights work. The AWARD BIOS site said
> >> that short continuous beeps may represent a CPU

> problem.

> >> The fast beeps only occured during the computer's

> actual

> >> death. It is silent now. I'm wondering if the CPU has
> >> been overheating, causing the reboots, and is now

> fried.

> >> Or did my video card somehow just die? Or did the USB
> >> problems indicate a motherboard failure? Please help.
> >> My life, (or at least part of it) is on that computer!
> >> Thanks.

> >.
> >

I used a voltmeter and checked the 3.3V, 5V and 12V
connections to the motherboard. I did this while the
motherboard was connected so there should have been load
on the power supply. All of the voltages are within
spec. I did not check every power cable coming out of
the power supply, but I doubt the power supply is the
problem. I'm thinking either motherboard or CPU.
Unfortunately, I don't have spare components of either of
these to try a swap.

>-----Original Message-----
> Do as I didn't do. Was doing the same thing (grounding
>human skin to chassis) recently. But then moved a shoe

as I

>went to change something. Did not 'static wrist strap'

ground

>myself to the case (not earth ground - the case). The
>resulting static shock, I believe, entered via network

cable.

>Rather surprised me that it transversed NIC isolation
>transformer with enough force to immediately damage

input to

>National CP83223 line transceiver. But then the shock so
>massive that I even felt it. Static electric is that
>destructive.
>
> In another location, they did not bother installed a
>humidifier. They have static electricity constantly.

But

>since damage is not immediately apparent, bean counter
>mentality cannot associate cost reduction with cost of
>humidifier. In this case, the USB port on a digital

camera

>failed. Virtually every USB camera connection to that
>computer results in a static shock.
>
> It's difficult to correlate static damage with a

particular

>event. But if a human ever shock equipment - even once -

then

>the many more 'less detected' static electric discharges

may

>be causing electronic failure later.
>
> BTW, how to test that a computer system is properly
>constructed? With the system buttoned up and on a glass

table

>(wood and other tables are too conductive), static shock

every

>corner of chassis, keyboard, etc. Static shocks so

strong as

>to be felt should not even cause an Operating System

crash.

>Any software crash due to static electric? Start with

how

>motherboard ground connects to chassis ground. Only one
>conductive standoff for a single point ground. Static
>electricity is also a good tool for testing system
>construction.
>
>anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com wrote:

>> I have Windows XP. I paid $294.00 for what I thought

was

>> a top of the line PSU, the PC Power and Cooling Turbo-
>> cool 510 Deluxe ATX. It has power conditioning and
>> Maxximum PC magazine always uses their power supplies

in

>> their ultimate computers. I was very careful avoiding
>> static electricity when I built the computer. I didn't
>> wear a ground strap, but I grounded myself on the power
>> supply before touching any components. When you

suspect

>> this damage, are you referring to the motherboard being
>> damaged, or what component in particular?

>> >-----Original Message-----
>> > Your symptoms are more consistent with static

electric

>> shock

>> >damage some months ago. A slow death from overstress

by

>> >static electricity.
>> >
>> > Until voltage readings are taken with a 3.5 digit
>> >multimeter, then no idea of that power supply quality.
>> >Furthermore, if supply did not come with a long list

of

>> >numerical specifications, then it is likely not a high

>> quality

>> >supply. High quality supplies list at about $80

retail.

>> A few

>> >minutes with procedure listed in "Computer doesnt

start

>> at

>> >all" at http://tinyurl.com/2t69q would provide more
>> >important facts.
>> >
>> > Of course, if this is a Windows NT based OS, then

the

>> system

>> >keeps failure information in system (event) logs.

What

>> do

>> >those logs say?
>> >
>> >X-ray Doc wrote:
>> >> My ultimate gaming computer suddenly died last

night.

>> I

>> >> built it several months ago and it has worked

>> flawlessly,

>> >> except for about three spontaneous reboots while

gaming

>> >> and one VPU recovery screen from my Radeon 9800 A-I-

W

>> >> Pro. (I think the VPU episode might have been

related

>> to

>> >> the Catalyst 3.9 drivers and the game Call of Duty.

>> This

>> >> is suppose to be fixed in the 3.10 drivers.)

Anyway,

>> >> here are the bloody details. My USB wireless

Joystick

>> >> stops working properly two days ago. I assumed it

was

>> >> the joystick. Then yesterday, while trying to play
>> >> Battlefield 1942, my Microsoft USB Explorer mouse

>> started

>> >> mapping keys incorrectly. (In game, I'd press the

left

>> >> mouse button to map a control and it would be

listed as

>> >> Joystick 17.) Shortly after this, the computer

starts

>> >> to reboot spontaneously and then it emits a loud,

fast

>> >> continuous beep. It no longer boots, or at least

there

>> >> is no video signal at all. Here are my thoughts.

>> Please

>> >> help if you can. My Gigabyte manual says that short
>> >> continuous beeps may indicate a power problem. I

doubt

>> >> this because it is a high quality 550 watt PSU and

all

>> my

>> >> fans and drive lights work. The AWARD BIOS site

said

>> >> that short continuous beeps may represent a CPU

>> problem.

>> >> The fast beeps only occured during the computer's

>> actual

>> >> death. It is silent now. I'm wondering if the CPU

has

>> >> been overheating, causing the reboots, and is now

>> fried.

>> >> Or did my video card somehow just die? Or did the

USB

>> >> problems indicate a motherboard failure? Please

help.

>> >> My life, (or at least part of it) is on that

computer!

>> >> Thanks.
>> >.
>> >

>.
>

Those voltage reading eliminate power supply as reason for
reboots. Now move on to other reasons. Don't recall whether
you said this was an NT or 9x based OS. If 9x based, then
virtually everything in the machine is suspect. If NT based,
then reason for reboot would be limited to video card, sound
card, memory, CPU, and associated software drivers.

Also if NT based, then the system keeps a system log of
events. What do they say?

Responsible computer manufacturers provide, for free, a
complete set of diagnostics. What did they say? Heat is also
a tool to find problems. For example, while running a memory
diagnostic, then heat memory chips with hairdryer on high.
This is normal operating temperature to memory. Any memory
that fails diagnostic while heated is defective.

Same heat test can be applied to video controller while
running video diagnostics.

Just some ideas on how to find a hardware based reason for
shutdown. But your shutdowns may be software created. Best
we can do is trace problem to software by first eliminating
hardware as reason for failure.


anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com wrote:

> I used a voltmeter and checked the 3.3V, 5V and 12V
> connections to the motherboard. I did this while the
> motherboard was connected so there should have been load
> on the power supply. All of the voltages are within
> spec. I did not check every power cable coming out of
> the power supply, but I doubt the power supply is the
> problem. I'm thinking either motherboard or CPU.
> Unfortunately, I don't have spare components of either of
> these to try a swap.