Old Computer shuts off - loose connection?

[freddiespagheti]

I'm trying to get an old desktop computer (~10 years) up and running with a lightweight distro, but before I can actually get started with that I'm running into power issues. It likes to shut off randomly between 2 and 30 seconds after power on. I think it's some kind of loose/faulty connection because sometimes, after it shuts off, it will power on again if I shake it (great solution, right?)

Anyways, I've got the cover off. What should I be looking for and where should I look?

[cj.surrusco]

I would check the cables coming from the power supply, and any power cables running to the motherboard or hard drives. Make sure they are all plugged in fully and not loose. Also, check if any of the wires have the coating stripped off them.

[ronnielsen1]

Look at the transistors and make sure they don't have alot of corrosion on top. If they do, it's a bad motherboard. Otherwise, I'd suspect a power supply but it could also be





Try unplugging everthing from the motherboard except cpu and memory. Boot. The boot process should run until the hex display on the motherboard indicates a video failure. Since I am on vacation and away from my computer, I cannot tell you what the failure code should be.

If this does not work, the problem is probably the PSU, motherboard, cpu, or memory.

If it works, plug in the video card. Boot. If the psu shuts down, the problem is probably a defective or inadequate PSU or a bad video card.
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/243635-31-computer-powers-seconds

[CharlesA]

Sounds like it's got a short somewhere.

[freddiespagheti]

All the wires were secured none were loose and they were all had the coating still present.

I found a lot of dust, but no corrosion anywhere on the motherboard. I did the unplugging and it still shut off after a few seconds. There is an LED on the mother board that lights up when power is supplied, but turns off when I hit the I/O switch on the PSU. Also, sorry for not adding this earlier but I should probably also say that a lot of the time it doesn't even like to turn on at all. It might take pressing the power button about ten times plus shaking it in order too get it to start. Then it will shut off after a few moments.

There were a couple times when it would make it all the way through the boot process and stay on for over 20 mins until I shut it down myself.

[cj.surrusco]

I would try using another PSU if you have an extra, or one that can easily come out of another computer, just to ensure that the PSU is actually the problem instead of the motherboard.

[McRat]

I had a notebook do that, and when I replaced the memory it fixed it.

[freddiespagheti]

Well, I don't seem to have an extra PSU anywhere as surprising as that may sound. And there aren't any other desktops in the house. Should I give up?

[CharlesA]

Probably. It could be too many different things, and if you don't have spare parts around, it would get expensive to try to troubleshoot.

[cj.surrusco]

Well, I don't seem to have an extra PSU anywhere as surprising as that may sound. And there aren't any other desktops in the house. Should I give up?

Sounds like it's going to be a project if you want to get that thing running again. You would most likely spend more money than you would want to for replacing parts and such. Maybe you're better off just buying a second-hand desktop off of somebody if you want an inexpensive solution.