Can someone give me a check list to help me solve why my computer is
shutting down without warning. I have had the 550W power supply checked
on another computer with similar load and it is okay.
The shutdown can be during post pup to a a few minutes after windows XP SP2
has completely loaded.
ECS KN1 SLI Extreme motherboard
Nvidia 8800GT dual dvi
2GB ram
C: boot
D: additional
E: CD/DVD recorder
F: DVD recorder
G: Scratch disk
K: Raid disks (2)
I have all Windows updates and cleaned out temp files. Kaspersky AV always
running and have hardware motherboard firewall as well as cable modem
router.All fans are running.
Nobody wrote:
> Can someone give me a check list to help me solve why my computer is
> shutting down without warning. I have had the 550W power supply checked
> on another computer with similar load and it is okay.
>
> The shutdown can be during post pup to a a few minutes after windows XP SP2
> has completely loaded.
>
> ECS KN1 SLI Extreme motherboard
> Nvidia 8800GT dual dvi
> 2GB ram
> C: boot
> D: additional
> E: CD/DVD recorder
> F: DVD recorder
> G: Scratch disk
> K: Raid disks (2)
>
> I have all Windows updates and cleaned out temp files. Kaspersky AV always
> running and have hardware motherboard firewall as well as cable modem
> router.All fans are running.
>
> regards,
>
> Beemer
>
Enter the BIOS. Go to the hardware monitor page. Check the CPU
temperature. Is the temperature rising ? Is it getting so high
that the machine shuts off ?
If the CPU heatsink is not making good contact, that could be
a reason for a high temperature.
If the suspect motherboard had an internal short, resulting
in more than normal current being drawn, that might give the
perfectly-fine power supply a reason to shut off.
"Paul" <nospam@needed.com> wrote in message news:ftkc42$r3k$1@aioe.org...
> Nobody wrote:
>> Can someone give me a check list to help me solve why my computer is
>> shutting down without warning. I have had the 550W power supply
>> checked on another computer with similar load and it is okay.
>>
>> The shutdown can be during post pup to a a few minutes after windows XP
>> SP2 has completely loaded.
>>
>> ECS KN1 SLI Extreme motherboard
>> Nvidia 8800GT dual dvi
>> 2GB ram
>> C: boot
>> D: additional
>> E: CD/DVD recorder
>> F: DVD recorder
>> G: Scratch disk
>> K: Raid disks (2)
>>
>> I have all Windows updates and cleaned out temp files. Kaspersky AV
>> always running and have hardware motherboard firewall as well as cable
>> modem router.All fans are running.
>>
>> regards,
>>
>> Beemer
>>
>
> Enter the BIOS. Go to the hardware monitor page. Check the CPU
> temperature. Is the temperature rising ? Is it getting so high
> that the machine shuts off ?
Another reason for shutdown by the BIOS would be the CPU fan - if it is
stopping or going under a speed threshold, then the BIOS might be set to
shutdown to avoid damage.
Nobody wrote:
> Can someone give me a check list to help me solve why my computer is
> shutting down without warning. I have had the 550W power supply checked
> on another computer with similar load and it is okay.
>
> The shutdown can be during post pup to a a few minutes after windows XP SP2
> has completely loaded.
>
> ECS KN1 SLI Extreme motherboard
> Nvidia 8800GT dual dvi
> 2GB ram
> C: boot
> D: additional
> E: CD/DVD recorder
> F: DVD recorder
> G: Scratch disk
> K: Raid disks (2)
>
> I have all Windows updates and cleaned out temp files. Kaspersky AV always
> running and have hardware motherboard firewall as well as cable modem
> router.All fans are running.
>
> regards,
>
> Beemer
>
>
>
>
>
If you have a chance, check the event viewer for problems. Try booting
in safe mode.
On Thu, 10 Apr 2008 06:09:52 GMT, "Nobody"
<Nobody@nowhere.com> wrote:
>Can someone give me a check list to help me solve why my computer is
>shutting down without warning. I have had the 550W power supply checked
>on another computer with similar load and it is okay.
How similar a load? Things like a couple more hard drives
and the gaming video card can be significant enough
difference in load to have an effect.
>
>The shutdown can be during post pup to a a few minutes after windows XP SP2
>has completely loaded.
Since there is this variability, it seems unlikely it would
be something overheating... if the heatsink weren't on good
enough to even allow it to finish posting, it wouldn't
magically make a good enough contact other times to boot
windows, unless you had a very strange environment where the
ambient temp plunged very low on occasions where it'd boot
windows.
If you have a hardware monitoring software installed, check
it for shutdown settings/thresholds. That's certainly not
what's shutting it down before windows even loads, but as
with bios, software could cause this given the same problem
whatever it may be.
Try leaving the system sitting in the bios hardware
monitoring/health menu, watching temps/voltages/fan-RPMs,
and see if it will just sit there at the bios menu
indefinitely or if it still shuts down, and if/when it shuts
down if any of the things you're watching have significantly
changed.
You didn't mention what make, model, and ratings for 12V
power your PSU has. Offhand I would still suspect the PSU
is insufficient. What exactly do you have to do to get the
system running again when it shuts down (I assume shut down
means completely off, no fans or anything running,
correct?)? Can you press the case front switch or must you
flip the PSU rear switch (If so equipped) or unplug it from
AC?
>
>ECS KN1 SLI Extreme motherboard
>Nvidia 8800GT dual dvi
>2GB ram
>C: boot
>D: additional
>E: CD/DVD recorder
>F: DVD recorder
>G: Scratch disk
>K: Raid disks (2)
>
>I have all Windows updates and cleaned out temp files. Kaspersky AV always
>running and have hardware motherboard firewall as well as cable modem
>router.All fans are running.
All fans may be running but if any are running slower than
(very roughly) 1000 RPM then the motherboard may have
trouble detecting them. If this were the case then you
could temporarily unplug any fans in question to see if the
system immediately shut down. Nothing will overheat enough
to matter by having the fan unplugged for such a short
period, you can just power off the system to more safely
take your time to plug the fan back in.
It's not windows, not files or any kind of added data
problem, that would not have any effect on a system that was
turned off, then powered on, since it hasn't loaded any of
that data from the hard drive yet when it boots - since it
sometimes shuts down before then.
One way to check whether the PSU is overtaxed would be to
temporarily put a less power hungry video card in, and
reduce number of hard drives and other things not critical
to running windows for a short test whether the shutdown
problem is lessened. You didn't tell us the frequency at
which it occurs. Once a month? Every 2 minutes?
Inspect the motherboard for failed capacitors, and if
nothing else seems to help, leave PSU unplugged from AC for
a few minutes then open and inspect it as well (unless doing
so would void a warranty still in effect).
It sounds like you may have developed a thermal fault on your motherboard.
It may need replacing.
--
--DaveW
"Nobody" <Nobody@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:QaiLj.5141$yD2.749@text.news.virginmedia.com. ..
> Can someone give me a check list to help me solve why my computer is
> shutting down without warning. I have had the 550W power supply checked
> on another computer with similar load and it is okay.
>
> The shutdown can be during post pup to a a few minutes after windows XP
> SP2 has completely loaded.
>
> ECS KN1 SLI Extreme motherboard
> Nvidia 8800GT dual dvi
> 2GB ram
> C: boot
> D: additional
> E: CD/DVD recorder
> F: DVD recorder
> G: Scratch disk
> K: Raid disks (2)
>
> I have all Windows updates and cleaned out temp files. Kaspersky AV
> always running and have hardware motherboard firewall as well as cable
> modem router.All fans are running.
>
> regards,
>
> Beemer
>
>
>
>
>
"kony" <spam@spam.com> wrote in message
news:jc2tv3t67s3veutqf09fk3iov52iqsatr6@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 10 Apr 2008 06:09:52 GMT, "Nobody"
> <Nobody@nowhere.com> wrote:
>
>>Can someone give me a check list to help me solve why my computer is
>>shutting down without warning. I have had the 550W power supply checked
>>on another computer with similar load and it is okay.
>
> How similar a load? Things like a couple more hard drives
> and the gaming video card can be significant enough
> difference in load to have an effect.
>
>>
>>The shutdown can be during post pup to a a few minutes after windows XP
>>SP2
>>has completely loaded.
>
> Since there is this variability, it seems unlikely it would
> be something overheating... if the heatsink weren't on good
> enough to even allow it to finish posting, it wouldn't
> magically make a good enough contact other times to boot
> windows, unless you had a very strange environment where the
> ambient temp plunged very low on occasions where it'd boot
> windows.
>
> If you have a hardware monitoring software installed, check
> it for shutdown settings/thresholds. That's certainly not
> what's shutting it down before windows even loads, but as
> with bios, software could cause this given the same problem
> whatever it may be.
>
> Try leaving the system sitting in the bios hardware
> monitoring/health menu, watching temps/voltages/fan-RPMs,
> and see if it will just sit there at the bios menu
> indefinitely or if it still shuts down, and if/when it shuts
> down if any of the things you're watching have significantly
> changed.
>
> You didn't mention what make, model, and ratings for 12V
> power your PSU has. Offhand I would still suspect the PSU
> is insufficient. What exactly do you have to do to get the
> system running again when it shuts down (I assume shut down
> means completely off, no fans or anything running,
> correct?)? Can you press the case front switch or must you
> flip the PSU rear switch (If so equipped) or unplug it from
> AC?
>
>
>>
>>ECS KN1 SLI Extreme motherboard
>>Nvidia 8800GT dual dvi
>>2GB ram
>>C: boot
>>D: additional
>>E: CD/DVD recorder
>>F: DVD recorder
>>G: Scratch disk
>>K: Raid disks (2)
>>
>>I have all Windows updates and cleaned out temp files. Kaspersky AV
>>always
>>running and have hardware motherboard firewall as well as cable modem
>>router.All fans are running.
>
> All fans may be running but if any are running slower than
> (very roughly) 1000 RPM then the motherboard may have
> trouble detecting them. If this were the case then you
> could temporarily unplug any fans in question to see if the
> system immediately shut down. Nothing will overheat enough
> to matter by having the fan unplugged for such a short
> period, you can just power off the system to more safely
> take your time to plug the fan back in.
>
> It's not windows, not files or any kind of added data
> problem, that would not have any effect on a system that was
> turned off, then powered on, since it hasn't loaded any of
> that data from the hard drive yet when it boots - since it
> sometimes shuts down before then.
>
> One way to check whether the PSU is overtaxed would be to
> temporarily put a less power hungry video card in, and
> reduce number of hard drives and other things not critical
> to running windows for a short test whether the shutdown
> problem is lessened. You didn't tell us the frequency at
> which it occurs. Once a month? Every 2 minutes?
>
> Inspect the motherboard for failed capacitors, and if
> nothing else seems to help, leave PSU unplugged from AC for
> a few minutes then open and inspect it as well (unless doing
> so would void a warranty still in effect).
Kony,
Sometimes I have to use the PSU main switch as the front panel switch will
not restart the computer. EZCOOL atx PSU nameplate ratings are:
Nobody wrote:
> "kony" <spam@spam.com> wrote in message
> news:jc2tv3t67s3veutqf09fk3iov52iqsatr6@4ax.com...
>> On Thu, 10 Apr 2008 06:09:52 GMT, "Nobody"
>> <Nobody@nowhere.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Can someone give me a check list to help me solve why my computer is
>>> shutting down without warning. I have had the 550W power supply checked
>>> on another computer with similar load and it is okay.
>> How similar a load? Things like a couple more hard drives
>> and the gaming video card can be significant enough
>> difference in load to have an effect.
>>
>>> The shutdown can be during post pup to a a few minutes after windows XP
>>> SP2
>>> has completely loaded.
>> Since there is this variability, it seems unlikely it would
>> be something overheating... if the heatsink weren't on good
>> enough to even allow it to finish posting, it wouldn't
>> magically make a good enough contact other times to boot
>> windows, unless you had a very strange environment where the
>> ambient temp plunged very low on occasions where it'd boot
>> windows.
>>
>> If you have a hardware monitoring software installed, check
>> it for shutdown settings/thresholds. That's certainly not
>> what's shutting it down before windows even loads, but as
>> with bios, software could cause this given the same problem
>> whatever it may be.
>>
>> Try leaving the system sitting in the bios hardware
>> monitoring/health menu, watching temps/voltages/fan-RPMs,
>> and see if it will just sit there at the bios menu
>> indefinitely or if it still shuts down, and if/when it shuts
>> down if any of the things you're watching have significantly
>> changed.
>>
>> You didn't mention what make, model, and ratings for 12V
>> power your PSU has. Offhand I would still suspect the PSU
>> is insufficient. What exactly do you have to do to get the
>> system running again when it shuts down (I assume shut down
>> means completely off, no fans or anything running,
>> correct?)? Can you press the case front switch or must you
>> flip the PSU rear switch (If so equipped) or unplug it from
>> AC?
>>
>>
>>> ECS KN1 SLI Extreme motherboard
>>> Nvidia 8800GT dual dvi
>>> 2GB ram
>>> C: boot
>>> D: additional
>>> E: CD/DVD recorder
>>> F: DVD recorder
>>> G: Scratch disk
>>> K: Raid disks (2)
>>>
>>> I have all Windows updates and cleaned out temp files. Kaspersky AV
>>> always
>>> running and have hardware motherboard firewall as well as cable modem
>>> router.All fans are running.
>> All fans may be running but if any are running slower than
>> (very roughly) 1000 RPM then the motherboard may have
>> trouble detecting them. If this were the case then you
>> could temporarily unplug any fans in question to see if the
>> system immediately shut down. Nothing will overheat enough
>> to matter by having the fan unplugged for such a short
>> period, you can just power off the system to more safely
>> take your time to plug the fan back in.
>>
>> It's not windows, not files or any kind of added data
>> problem, that would not have any effect on a system that was
>> turned off, then powered on, since it hasn't loaded any of
>> that data from the hard drive yet when it boots - since it
>> sometimes shuts down before then.
>>
>> One way to check whether the PSU is overtaxed would be to
>> temporarily put a less power hungry video card in, and
>> reduce number of hard drives and other things not critical
>> to running windows for a short test whether the shutdown
>> problem is lessened. You didn't tell us the frequency at
>> which it occurs. Once a month? Every 2 minutes?
>>
>> Inspect the motherboard for failed capacitors, and if
>> nothing else seems to help, leave PSU unplugged from AC for
>> a few minutes then open and inspect it as well (unless doing
>> so would void a warranty still in effect).
>
> Kony,
>
> Sometimes I have to use the PSU main switch as the front panel switch will
> not restart the computer. EZCOOL atx PSU nameplate ratings are:
>
> +3.3V 3A
> +5V 32A
> -5V 0.5A
> +12V 36A
> -12VF 0.8A
> +5V sb 3.0A
>
> I calculate my total load is 450W worst case if I use the Nvidia stated load
> for their 8800GT as 312W.
>
> I will do as you suggest and just leave it running with the Award bios
> monitor page open.
>
> regards,
>
> Beemer
>
The 8800GT is measured at 85.7W here. Some Nvidia web pages, list a number
appropriate for building an entire system, and not the video card alone.
(They may be throwing in enough power for a 130W processor as well.)
The Xbitlabs measurement is not statistically significant, as they don't
measure enough cards to establish a mean and standard deviation. But these
measurements certainly add sanity to power calculations.
And your 3.3V is probably 30A (at least matching specs with an EZCool on this page).
"Paul" <nospam@needed.com> wrote in message news:ftn90e$62v$1@aioe.org...
> Nobody wrote:
>> "kony" <spam@spam.com> wrote in message
>> news:jc2tv3t67s3veutqf09fk3iov52iqsatr6@4ax.com...
>>> On Thu, 10 Apr 2008 06:09:52 GMT, "Nobody"
>>> <Nobody@nowhere.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Can someone give me a check list to help me solve why my computer is
>>>> shutting down without warning. I have had the 550W power supply
>>>> checked
>>>> on another computer with similar load and it is okay.
>>> How similar a load? Things like a couple more hard drives
>>> and the gaming video card can be significant enough
>>> difference in load to have an effect.
>>>
>>>> The shutdown can be during post pup to a a few minutes after windows XP
>>>> SP2
>>>> has completely loaded.
>>> Since there is this variability, it seems unlikely it would
>>> be something overheating... if the heatsink weren't on good
>>> enough to even allow it to finish posting, it wouldn't
>>> magically make a good enough contact other times to boot
>>> windows, unless you had a very strange environment where the
>>> ambient temp plunged very low on occasions where it'd boot
>>> windows.
>>>
>>> If you have a hardware monitoring software installed, check
>>> it for shutdown settings/thresholds. That's certainly not
>>> what's shutting it down before windows even loads, but as
>>> with bios, software could cause this given the same problem
>>> whatever it may be.
>>>
>>> Try leaving the system sitting in the bios hardware
>>> monitoring/health menu, watching temps/voltages/fan-RPMs,
>>> and see if it will just sit there at the bios menu
>>> indefinitely or if it still shuts down, and if/when it shuts
>>> down if any of the things you're watching have significantly
>>> changed.
>>>
>>> You didn't mention what make, model, and ratings for 12V
>>> power your PSU has. Offhand I would still suspect the PSU
>>> is insufficient. What exactly do you have to do to get the
>>> system running again when it shuts down (I assume shut down
>>> means completely off, no fans or anything running,
>>> correct?)? Can you press the case front switch or must you
>>> flip the PSU rear switch (If so equipped) or unplug it from
>>> AC?
>>>
>>>
>>>> ECS KN1 SLI Extreme motherboard
>>>> Nvidia 8800GT dual dvi
>>>> 2GB ram
>>>> C: boot
>>>> D: additional
>>>> E: CD/DVD recorder
>>>> F: DVD recorder
>>>> G: Scratch disk
>>>> K: Raid disks (2)
>>>>
>>>> I have all Windows updates and cleaned out temp files. Kaspersky AV
>>>> always
>>>> running and have hardware motherboard firewall as well as cable modem
>>>> router.All fans are running.
>>> All fans may be running but if any are running slower than
>>> (very roughly) 1000 RPM then the motherboard may have
>>> trouble detecting them. If this were the case then you
>>> could temporarily unplug any fans in question to see if the
>>> system immediately shut down. Nothing will overheat enough
>>> to matter by having the fan unplugged for such a short
>>> period, you can just power off the system to more safely
>>> take your time to plug the fan back in.
>>>
>>> It's not windows, not files or any kind of added data
>>> problem, that would not have any effect on a system that was
>>> turned off, then powered on, since it hasn't loaded any of
>>> that data from the hard drive yet when it boots - since it
>>> sometimes shuts down before then.
>>>
>>> One way to check whether the PSU is overtaxed would be to
>>> temporarily put a less power hungry video card in, and
>>> reduce number of hard drives and other things not critical
>>> to running windows for a short test whether the shutdown
>>> problem is lessened. You didn't tell us the frequency at
>>> which it occurs. Once a month? Every 2 minutes?
>>>
>>> Inspect the motherboard for failed capacitors, and if
>>> nothing else seems to help, leave PSU unplugged from AC for
>>> a few minutes then open and inspect it as well (unless doing
>>> so would void a warranty still in effect).
>>
>> Kony,
>>
>> Sometimes I have to use the PSU main switch as the front panel switch
>> will
>> not restart the computer. EZCOOL atx PSU nameplate ratings are:
>>
>> +3.3V 3A
>> +5V 32A
>> -5V 0.5A
>> +12V 36A
>> -12VF 0.8A
>> +5V sb 3.0A
>>
>> I calculate my total load is 450W worst case if I use the Nvidia stated
>> load for their 8800GT as 312W.
>>
>> I will do as you suggest and just leave it running with the Award bios
>> monitor page open.
>>
>> regards,
>>
>> Beemer
>>
>
> The 8800GT is measured at 85.7W here. Some Nvidia web pages, list a number
> appropriate for building an entire system, and not the video card alone.
> (They may be throwing in enough power for a 130W processor as well.)
>
> http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/vid...-8800gt_5.html
>
> The Xbitlabs measurement is not statistically significant, as they don't
> measure enough cards to establish a mean and standard deviation. But these
> measurements certainly add sanity to power calculations.
>
> And your 3.3V is probably 30A (at least matching specs with an EZCool on
> this page).
>
> (
> http://www.techspot.com/vb/all/windo...it-my-PSU.html )
>
> Paul
>
Paul,
Yes this was my typo. 3.3V is 30A. Interesting about the 8800 current.
I have read figures from 22A to 26A when maxed out but your xbit labs link
indeed shows 87W whcih equates to 7.25A. Perhaps graphic cards can peak
under certain conditions.
Anyhow after totting up all loads I think my 550W psu is adequate and as it
has tested okay elsewhere I will now check out more thermal issues. Only
other point I'm wondering is the matter of why sometimes I have to reset the
PSU using its on/off switch before the computer will boot.
"DaveW" <radiation@nuclear.org> wrote in message
news:CYednV7V29P2D2PanZ2dnUVZ_vWtnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
> It sounds like you may have developed a thermal fault on your motherboard.
> It may need replacing.
>
> --
> --DaveW
>
>
> "Nobody" <Nobody@nowhere.com> wrote in message
> news:QaiLj.5141$yD2.749@text.news.virginmedia.com. ..
>> Can someone give me a check list to help me solve why my computer is
>> shutting down without warning. I have had the 550W power supply
>> checked on another computer with similar load and it is okay.
>>
>> The shutdown can be during post pup to a a few minutes after windows XP
>> SP2 has completely loaded.
>>
>> ECS KN1 SLI Extreme motherboard
>> Nvidia 8800GT dual dvi
>> 2GB ram
>> C: boot
>> D: additional
>> E: CD/DVD recorder
>> F: DVD recorder
>> G: Scratch disk
>> K: Raid disks (2)
>>
>> I have all Windows updates and cleaned out temp files. Kaspersky AV
>> always running and have hardware motherboard firewall as well as cable
>> modem router.All fans are running.
>>
>> regards,
>>
>> Beemer
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
Dave,
I hope not as it is a nightmare changing MB without losing everything
installed when you have:
(a) only an OEM install restore disk
(b) NTFS file system
(c) striped raid and separate boot disk
Ghost and other similar programs do not work well for such a system.
> Paul,
>
> Yes this was my typo. 3.3V is 30A. Interesting about the 8800 current.
> I have read figures from 22A to 26A when maxed out but your xbit labs link
> indeed shows 87W whcih equates to 7.25A. Perhaps graphic cards can peak
> under certain conditions.
>
> Anyhow after totting up all loads I think my 550W psu is adequate and as it
> has tested okay elsewhere I will now check out more thermal issues. Only
> other point I'm wondering is the matter of why sometimes I have to reset the
> PSU using its on/off switch before the computer will boot.
>
> regards,
>
> Beemer
>
Needing to cycle the power supply like that, can mean a couple things.
1) There is a fault detected in the power supply.
2) There is a fault detected by the Vcore regulator circuit on the motherboard.
When faults happen, some power systems are designed to "latch" them.
The power system refuses to retry, in order to avoid further damage.
Power has to be removed, in order for the circuit to reset itself.
Cycling the power, gives the circuit another attempt to start.
There have been, on occasion, some power supply and motherboard
combinations, that had a power-up timing problem. Certain Antec
supplies had a problem of that nature.
You need to look around, and find a forum or a web site, with
some user reviews. For example, this Newegg page still has some
reviews listed on it. The first posting here, from Jan 17, 2007,
notes a peculiar behavior.
On Fri, 11 Apr 2008 08:05:43 -0400, Paul <nospam@needed.com>
wrote:
>Nobody wrote:
>
>> Paul,
>>
>> Yes this was my typo. 3.3V is 30A. Interesting about the 8800 current.
>> I have read figures from 22A to 26A when maxed out but your xbit labs link
>> indeed shows 87W whcih equates to 7.25A. Perhaps graphic cards can peak
>> under certain conditions.
They can peak but even the lower figure of 22A @ 12V is
impossibly high at 264W, while 87W seems much closer to
realistic.
>> Only
>> other point I'm wondering is the matter of why sometimes I have to reset the
>> PSU using its on/off switch before the computer will boot.
>Needing to cycle the power supply like that, can mean a couple things.
>
>1) There is a fault detected in the power supply.
>2) There is a fault detected by the Vcore regulator circuit on the motherboard.
>
>When faults happen, some power systems are designed to "latch" them.
>The power system refuses to retry, in order to avoid further damage.
>Power has to be removed, in order for the circuit to reset itself.
>
>Cycling the power, gives the circuit another attempt to start.
While #2 above is true, is there any board that supplies
5VSB to this? I didn't think they did and as such, there
would be no need to switch off the PSU AC power in order to
reset the Vcore regulator, it would happen any time the
system is shut off normally, to soft-off S5 state.
I would speculate that #1 above is the most likely fault of
both what has been discussed and contrasted with anything
that hasn't been yet, but of course that could occur from
any downstream part failure causing excessive current, even
if the PSU itself being faulty or of insufficient capacity
seems more likely.
On Fri, 11 Apr 2008 08:33:47 GMT, "Nobody"
<Nobody@nowhere.com> wrote:
>Sometimes I have to use the PSU main switch as the front panel switch will
>not restart the computer. EZCOOL atx PSU nameplate ratings are:
>
>+3.3V 3A
>+5V 32A
>-5V 0.5A
>+12V 36A
>-12VF 0.8A
>+5V sb 3.0A
>
>I calculate my total load is 450W worst case if I use the Nvidia stated load
>for their 8800GT as 312W.
First, it is extremely unlikely your system actually uses
312W, let alone 450W. I don't have that video card, but
even my typical overclocked and volt-modded gaming systems
haven't hit 300W, though if you were running SLI'd o'c video
cards the potential is higher.
>
>I will do as you suggest and just leave it running with the Award bios
>monitor page open.
Regardless of what I wrote above (keep reading) I suspect
your psu is the problem, that it is grossly overrated and
even though your system isn't likely to consume what it's
rated for, it's true capacity is lower than required for
acceptible lifespan in your system and thus it has
progressively degraded and/or outright failed to meet specs.
Often on poor PSU that work initially with a fixed set of
hardware, they fail due to capacitor cost-cutting. You
might want to leave it unplugged for a few minutes then open
and inspect this. Given some soldering skill or a friend
with some, replacing a capacitor or two can be a lot less
expensive than replacing whole PSU (if it isn't under
warranty). Even so, replacing caps won't compensate for a
PSU that just wasn't up to the load, we can only assume it
worked reasonably for a period before this potential failure
mode.
Computer shutting down unexpectedtly 
Linear Mode
