I think it's overheating?

[westie]

When playing CS: Source my computer just shuts down after a while of playing. It isn't a normal shut down it switches off and it doesn't turn back on. I have to switch it off at the back and then try it, then it boots up normally. Is it overheating?
(It also used to do this when playing Dawn of war)

 

[pr0nking]

Could very well be. If it was the graphics card you would probably get artifacts. But it sounds like the proc. Try playing with your sidedoor off.

 

[westie]

I do have the side door off, I took it off after the second shutdown (yesterday) and played this morning for about 2 hours then it restarted.
Artifacts????
I have had strange things happening but i think that is a connection problem like people turing invisable and my gun turning invisable.

 

[pr0nking]

Artifacts are like pinky purple blotches and squares on your game. It usually occurs when you overclock your graphics card or its over heating.

 

[westie]

How can i stop it overheating?

 

[pr0nking]

Either more fans in your case. Or maybe the fan on the actual graphics card is packing in, which could mean a replacement fan maybe needed.

 

[westie]

At what temperature does overheating usually occur?

 

[ankalar]

There is no set temperature where overheating occurs, and the overheating temperature range all depends on what type of graphics card you have. The models turning invisible sounds like some sort of artifact, which might be due to the graphics card overheating. Are you overclocking your card? If you have to ask questions like this on a forum, you probably shouldn't be overclocking your video card this much. If you're not overclocking then you might want to make sure your case isn't dusty and is well ventilated. Do you have at least one fan in the front blowing in and one in the back blowing out (other than your PSU fan)?

About the random shutting off, this could be either a faulty hard drive or power supply. Does your hard drive sometimes make clicking noises (the same noise it makes when you turn on/off your computer)? If it does, then your hard drive is dying and you should probably back up your data and buy a new one.

As for a power supply, the only way I've been able to check a power supply is to hook up another power supply that you know works and see if the problem still occurs. I'm not sure if there is another way to check the power, there might be an output status in the BIOS and maybe you can see if it matches the numbers on the side of your power supply.

By the way, it is really nice when people give their computer specs when they are looking for solutions to a problem...hint hint.

 

[westie]

Ah thanks the invisable people seems to not be anything to do with it, i searched for it and it is just a connection problem that happens sometimes.

Im not overclocking my card although this restarting has happend before on dawn of war and last time when that happend, shortly after my card went wrong so i sent it back to ATI and got another one.

I dont have any fans inside the case except PSU, CPU and GPU fans which come on them anyway and iam looking at getting some fans.

The only noise it makes is exactly the same as it normally does when shutting down it just kinda clicks and everything goes off.

I have a 420W Power supply i think and i have motherboard monitor monitoring the power supply which seems OK with a normal output.

I used Motherboard monitor to create a log and then went on to CS:S got a couple of rounds then the usual restart looked at the log and the CPU temp was 45°C that was higher than usual.
Like at the moment it is: 35/36°C and Case is 35°C.

Specs:
P4 2.4GHz
256MB Ram
Asrock P4S61 Motherboard
ATI Radeon 9800PRO
Golden Field 420W PSU
Anything else you need to know?

 

[ankalar]

Well if MBM says your PSU is fine, then it's probably fine, but there's still a chance that it's not. Do you have another computer that you could switch the power supply with? Just for a bit to test it.

The raise in CPU temp is normal. I'm not sure what's wrong, a faulty hard drive could be what's doing it.

 

[westie]

Is there anyway to see if the hard drive is faulty?
Forgot to mention the hard drive in the specs:
40GB Excelstor J340

 

[westie]

Just checked the fans on the GPU, CPU and PSu and they are all going, oh yes i had quite the surprise when i put my hand by the CPU fan and got hit by it. I finally put the torch i got out of a christmas cracker to good use.

 

[westie]

Here is the last log of when it restarted.
It must have been 11:14:52 AM when it restarted becasue i left it for a while and then came back at 11:32:28 AM.
Do you notice anything odd?

 

[KiMcH33]

the random restarts in cs:s also happens to me too, i dont think it is a hadr drive problem because i bought the hard drive 2 days ago and i also bought a new 410w power supply...i think the problem might be the ram because i recently put in a new stick of 256 ram...

 

[bryanf445]

the artifacts might mean you need to update drivers..i had a problem wheere i got little pink and purple squares...switched drivers and worked fine ever since

 

[Bud_Weiser]

He beat me to it, try upgrading your drivers for the Graphics. Also I had this problem WAY WAY back with JK:II, I popped open the case and had a floor box fan blowing into it. Worked like a charm until I was able to get some casefans.

 

[DreamThrall]

If you want to find out how hot your computer gets under load, go download Prime95 and Motherboard Monitor 5.

Run the torture test in Prime95 that says "maximum heat" or whatever, and check the temps using Motherboard Monitor 5.

The temps should go up fairly quickly (within the first 10-15 sec), but let it run for a half hour or so and keep an eye on how hot it gets. If you're seeing anything over 65-ish celcius, it's time to look into a new cooling solution.

 

[westie]

Doing that Prime 95 thing now.

 

[goss]

Either more fans in your case. Or maybe the fan on the actual graphics card is packing in, which could mean a replacement fan maybe needed.

What he said ^^^ :naughty: :stare:

 

[goss]

Oh and motherboard monitor 5 is useful

 

[westie]

No the fan on my graphics card is fine and im going to get some fans in my case.