Computer shuts down if my CPU isn't at 100%?

Harry Jackson · Dec 7, 2014

Hi there, my computer seems to shut down if my CPU isn't at 100%, for example, i downloaded CPU 100% and my computer doesn't shut off but when it's not open my computer monitor goes into "No Signal" and i have to restart the computer via manually(by its button) and i have to continue to do this intill i open CPU 100% or intill i open something that makes my CPU Usage at 100%.

Thank you to everyone that helps.

synphul · Dec 7, 2014

It sounds like your computer is going into sleep or hibernation mode. It's a setting in power options in windows that helps save power and lets the pc do different things depending on what the power saving option is. At max savings, it will lower power to the hard drive allowing it to 'sleep', turn off the display and suspend the computer to a 'barely on' status. It "should" come back to life with a press of the keyboard or movement from the mouse but sometimes sleep states can cause issues and it doesn't function properly forcing a restart to get things working again.

The reason this program cpu 100% is preventing it is because it's not allowing the pc activity to stop so it's fooling windows into thinking it's still working. That would by my best guess of the situation.

Here is instructions on how to turn off hibernation for win7 (I'm sure there's a link for win8 there also, not sure what version you're using).

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/920730

See if that helps your situation.

* you may also have to check your bios settings, it's been awhile since I've been in my bios but if I recall there's sleep state functions there as well including a way to select what action will 'wake' the pc up from sleep. It could be that your 'wake' function is set to the power button rather than input devices (like mouse and keyboard)

Harry Jackson · Dec 7, 2014

synphul :

It sounds like your computer is going into sleep or hibernation mode. It's a setting in power options in windows that helps save power and lets the pc do different things depending on what the power saving option is. At max savings, it will lower power to the hard drive allowing it to 'sleep', turn off the display and suspend the computer to a 'barely on' status. It "should" come back to life with a press of the keyboard or movement from the mouse but sometimes sleep states can cause issues and it doesn't function properly forcing a restart to get things working again.

The reason this program cpu 100% is preventing it is because it's not allowing the pc activity to stop so it's fooling windows into thinking it's still working. That would by my best guess of the situation.

Here is instructions on how to turn off hibernation for win7 (I'm sure there's a link for win8 there also, not sure what version you're using).

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/920730

See if that helps your situation.

* you may also have to check your bios settings, it's been awhile since I've been in my bios but if I recall there's sleep state functions there as well including a way to select what action will 'wake' the pc up from sleep. It could be that your 'wake' function is set to the power button rather than input devices (like mouse and keyboard)

Thanks for the reply, sadly, that did not work, could something be failing in my PC?

Harry Jackson · Dec 11, 2014

Bump, any help?

synphul · Dec 11, 2014

I'm curious, is this a newer pc? What cpu? It may be a longshot, but if it's an upgraded haswell cpu and the power supply isn't haswell compatible it can cause this issue due to an extended c6/c7 sleep state in the bios that an incompatible power supply won't handle (extremely low voltages). Check your bios (if it's an intel/haswell cpu) and make sure that the c6 and c7 sleep/hibernation low power states are disabled.

Harry Jackson · Dec 12, 2014

synphul :

Oh no, it's nowhere near a new pc, Pentium 4 3.0 Ghz, its pretty old so thats why i was wondering if something was dying inside the pc, i have 2 far better pc's but i usually use the old one for smaller things,

synphul · Dec 14, 2014

I'm stumped, I've never heard of a pc shutting off just because the cpu was idle. If it was a failing power supply, I'd think it would do it more when the components required more power, not less. I asked about the age of it because some of the newer processors have extremely low power sleep states that once entered, older power supplies can't recover from (which is why new psu's say haswell compatible). But that's not it either, not with an older machine.

Only thing I can think of would be something glitchy with windows power management and sleep/hibernate settings. There have been a lot of issues over the years with problems involving those power saving modes, either causing crashes or pc's not waking up (which would require a reset/hard restart). Typically they're 'supposed' to go into sleep mode after x amount of time. Then after a longer period it drops further to 'hibernate' which is nearly a power off status. Mouse or keyboard input is supposed to wake it (I think there's a bios setting for this). It doesn't always work.

Since you said you're able to avoid the issue using a program that constantly runs your cpu, that's what makes me think it has to do with that. If the cpu is always 'busy' it thinks there's a user and it won't allow the machine to go into sleep/hibernate mode - and avoid the issues that brings.

Harry Jackson · Dec 15, 2014

synphul :

I'm stumped, I've never heard of a pc shutting off just because the cpu was idle. If it was a failing power supply, I'd think it would do it more when the components required more power, not less. I asked about the age of it because some of the newer processors have extremely low power sleep states that once entered, older power supplies can't recover from (which is why new psu's say haswell compatible). But that's not it either, not with an older machine.

Only thing I can think of would be something glitchy with windows power management and sleep/hibernate settings. There have been a lot of issues over the years with problems involving those power saving modes, either causing crashes or pc's not waking up (which would require a reset/hard restart). Typically they're 'supposed' to go into sleep mode after x amount of time. Then after a longer period it drops further to 'hibernate' which is nearly a power off status. Mouse or keyboard input is supposed to wake it (I think there's a bios setting for this). It doesn't always work.

Since you said you're able to avoid the issue using a program that constantly runs your cpu, that's what makes me think it has to do with that. If the cpu is always 'busy' it thinks there's a user and it won't allow the machine to go into sleep/hibernate mode - and avoid the issues that brings.

I think i should mention that it started to happen when i had to wipe my HD and do a re-install due to my comp having the inf. BSOD

synphul · Dec 15, 2014

Depending what the error code on the bsod screen was, it could have been hardware or software related. If it's been running stable since a reinstall of windows then likely a corrupt system file or driver causing the cycling bsod.

Unless something else is causing it, I really have no idea. Nearly every issue of a pc powering off happens during loads, not because of cpu idling. It's completely backwards of most every instance of random power issues I've encountered.

Harry Jackson · Dec 16, 2014

synphul :

I see what you mean, when i Googled it, i didn't find anyone else having the problem. It seems like i have no choice but to buy a 3rd new computer for this year and dump this piece of crap, thank you for all your help and for your time, i really appreciate it.

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