PC shuts off after literally 2 seconds, bios doesn't load.

bovis

Distinguished
Dec 13, 2009
37
0
18,530
Hey all, this is my first post here, so forgive me if I do something wrong.

My rig:

Intel Core2 Duo E6700
GeForce 8800 GTS 640MB
4GB RAM
Mobo: GIGABYTE GA-965P-DS3 V1.3 R
PSU: OCZ OCZ700GXSSLI 700W
Age: 2.5 years

Last week, when I was simply listening to music, my PC suddenly shut off and restarted and the bios was all jumbled and there were red vertical lines showing up too. When it got to windows, it BSOD'd, and the message said something about display drivers before promptly restarting.

So I did a fresh install of windows and the computer worked ok...but after I left it on for a few hours, it shut off and restarted. After a few hours, I turned it on and I installed COD World at War and as soon as I would start a mission, it would cut out.

This all led me to believe that the source of my problems was my video card.

So a few days later I borrow my friend's 7800 and turn on the computer. It stays on for literally 2 seconds and before the bios can even load the power cuts out and it tries to turn on again. To make sure that this newly discovered problem wasn't related to my friend's card, I put my 8800 back in and the same problem persisted.

Sidenote: I tested my card in my friend's computer and he had the same vertical line issue in his bios. His 7800 worked fine, so for sure I know my video card is dead.

At this point, I thought that my PSU was the issue. So yesterday I went home and tried out an unopened Ultra brand PSU I bought a few years back. Plugged everything in correctly, and tried to power it on. Same problem: shutoff after literally 2 seconds.

So what can it be? I inspected the motherboard for bulging capacitors and it looks fine. I tested out each individual stick of RAM and that made no difference.

I read on some forums that it may be related to the CMOS battery...but that would require for the computer to post, but that doesn't even happen.

One thing I haven't really looked into is the CPU -- I've heard from some places that PC's will shut themselves off as a safety measure if the CPU fan isn't running. I've noticed that when my computer powers on, the CPU fan doesn't immediately turn on, but the instance the computer shuts off, the CPU fan does a slight "burst" where it begins spinning but stops. I'm not sure if this is any different from what it's supposed to do.

Another thing I have heard of that may cause this is a faulty power switch in the case. I'm not sure really how this works, so I haven't really looked into this either.

Thoughts?
 

crazy359

Distinguished
Nov 8, 2009
532
0
18,990
You know what my computer turns of after about 1-3 seconds too but if u press the power button like 30 times it will turn on and work properly. Like SIREAUSLY no one really knows what it is. I say my and your problem is a bad motherboard.
 

Rahbot

Distinguished
Dec 12, 2008
231
0
18,710
I see that you have tried a few things already. #1 Change GPU's, #2 Try diffrent PSU, I would say that your GPU is what was the cause of your troubles. If your PSU wasnt giving the right power it could has messed up your GPU then because the PSU can't give the power the Motherboard did and toke out the Motherboard also. I have had that happen to me. But most of all were you OC'ing your system if so that would have lead to a even faster death to your CPU and motherboard. I wonder what brand of 8800Gts you have. Cheaper brands also give you problems.
 

bovis

Distinguished
Dec 13, 2009
37
0
18,530
Nah, I wasn't overclocking anything.

It was an EVGA 8800 GTS 640 MB.

Do you think it took any other components with it? I just took out the CPU and looked at it for any changes in color/cosmetic damage and it still looks like new.

The thermal paste is dried up though...do you think reapplying some would possibly fix my problem?
 

bovis

Distinguished
Dec 13, 2009
37
0
18,530
Can heating issues cause shutoff that quickly? Even if I start the computer for the first time in 24 hours? I can't imagine something to heat up that quickly....
 


Very, and i do mean very, rarely does that happen and on newer cpu's that almost drop to 0 due to overheat protections. On older cpu's that dont have HSF could blow up (this is an overclocked p4) but you have newer cpu so that wont happen.

With newer cpu's they can run while having no HSF but you'll notice a perfromace lag by large amounts. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxNUK3U73SI
 

bovis

Distinguished
Dec 13, 2009
37
0
18,530


So it's gotta be the mobo then?
 

blacksheep101

Distinguished
Sep 29, 2009
61
0
18,630
Interesting thread...

If you removed the heatsink from the CPU (I assume you have if you took the CPU out of the mobo socket) I would say you definately need to reapply the paste before reseating the heatsink, and it's normal for the paste to kinda look dry once the heatsink has been pulled off. It does kind of "set" after the cpu has had it's chance to heat it up.

In my experience usually if the CPU fan isn't spinning/no fan plugged into the cpufan header on the motherboard the BIOS will usually start beeping and saying that you've got a cpu fan failure and not just turn itself off. Yes the cpu overheating protection will just cut power to the PC if it gets too hot but if you've actually got a heatsink on top of it it will certainly keep it cool through conduction long enough for the BIOS to start warning you about the fan not working.

Does your mobo still give memory beeps if no RAM is installed on the board?

My first thoughts would have been to test the PSU as PSU failure or it not giving a stable enough current can certinaly cause every kind of weird and wonderful crashes/failure in the book but as you've tried another PSU that ones out of the window. I would also say yes it's possible you could have damaged your other components with a bad PSU but you haven't done the usual mistake and buy a cheapo PSU, you bought a good brand name one so....

I don't think it's to do with the CMOS battery as your right in it not posting at all.

Unfortunately with a problem like this you really need a fair bit of hardware lying around to actually get down the problem, ideally what I think you need to do if possible is get another CPU to test it. I would use your friends gfx card, your other PSU (it is a good high wattage psu right?), clear the cmos with removal of battery/switching of jumpers etc, and change the CPU and see if it boots. If it doesn't boot after that your mobo is probably the likely cause.

Gonna be a tough one!
 

TRENDING THREADS