PC shutsdown at random. No warning.

[Kdog]

Hello everyone! Sorry i'm not too sure how to start posts like these but ill just jump right into it. I have a prefab dell machine (Dell Studio XPS 9100) that I got from a cousin who was moving out of country. It was kinda spotty at first and it would only go out while rendering video files larger then 1440p but after awhile it did it at random . I ended up not using it for about 9 months and I started working on it once again last month. I fidgeted around with the BIOS and reset all the settings. After that it was fine for about 2 weeks bout since about yesterday it does the same thing once more.

 

More info on the shutdowns: Directly after the shutdown I hear a small click and then I have to reach around the back of the PC and first unplug the power cable then push a button on the PSU. After repeatedly clicking this button then re plugging in the power cable. Then once again pushing the button over and over again until I can hold the button down with the fans continuously rev. 

 

Things I've ruled out: I have ruled out the OS as the machine has shutdown while in the BIOS. I have ruled out the graphics card because I used two different cards with different power consumption and it has shut down on both.  

[aisle9]

I see two options. The first is thermal throttling. The i7-930 runs hot, like all of its i7-9XX brothers do, and if the cooler fan is crapping out with age, the heatsink is packed with dust or years of crap accumulating have left the case with poor airflow, thermals could very easily be the problem.

 

Option two is the PSU. The XPS 9100 is an old system at this point, and if the PSU installed is the original, there's a pretty good chance that it's on its way to that great big e-waste bin in the sky.

 

First thing I'd do is open up the case, blow everything out with compressed air to thoroughly clean it, make sure your fans are all easy to spin and don't need replacement, then remove the cooler, apply new thermal paste and remount. If that doesn't fix it, I'd pick up an S12II or CXM unit to replace the PSU. I'm thinking it's more likely a bad PSU than anything else, but since cleaning the case is free and buying a PSU is not, might as well try the cheap way first.

[Kdog]

6 minutes ago, aisle9 said:

I see two options. The first is thermal throttling. The i7-930 runs hot, like all of its i7-9XX brothers do, and if the cooler fan is crapping out with age, the heatsink is packed with dust or years of crap accumulating have left the case with poor airflow, thermals could very easily be the problem.

 

Option two is the PSU. The XPS 9100 is an old system at this point, and if the PSU installed is the original, there's a pretty good chance that it's on its way to that great big e-waste bin in the sky.

 

First thing I'd do is open up the case, blow everything out with compressed air to thoroughly clean it, make sure your fans are all easy to spin and don't need replacement, then remove the cooler, apply new thermal paste and remount. If that doesn't fix it, I'd pick up an S12II or CXM unit to replace the PSU. I'm thinking it's more likely a bad PSU than anything else, but since cleaning the case is free and buying a PSU is not, might as well try the cheap way first.

I've tried cleaning it before and it hasn't worked so should I order a Hyper 212 EVO and see if that improves it at all? I would like to save buying a new PSU for last as I would like to try not to spend more money then necessary if it ends up being the cooler. 

[Droidbot]

2 minutes ago, WorriedKdog_YT said:

I've tried cleaning it before and it hasn't worked so should I order a Hyper 212 EVO and see if that improves it at all? I would like to save buying a new PSU for last as I would like to try not to spend more money then necessary if it ends up being the cooler. 

Just run HWInfo64 or a similar program, and leave it logging while you do your tasks and until it shuts down. You should be seeing temps around the 80s under load, as it is a prebuilt with shitty airflow. 

 

212 EVO maybe - depends if it can be mounted on the board. Dell do some scummy shit

[aisle9]

1 minute ago, WorriedKdog_YT said:

I've tried cleaning it before and it hasn't worked so should I order a Hyper 212 EVO and see if that improves it at all? I would like to save buying a new PSU for last as I would like to try not to spend more money then necessary if it ends up being the cooler. 

No, for a few reasons. First and foremost is that back in the day, Dell loved them some proprietary motherboard hardware. The 212 EVO may not be compatible. Even if it is, it may not fit within the case.

 

Grab a program like RealTemp and leave it up and running with logging enabled in the background, then download something like OCCT or RealBench, fire it up, and watch to see what kind of temps the CPU hits. Anything north of 75C on Nehalem i7's like yours, 80C max, is really treading on dangerous ground. If your temps are getting to or above that point, thermals become a likely cause. If you've cleaned out the PC and the cooler heatsink, I'd start to consider the cooler's fan as the problem.

[Kdog]

6 minutes ago, Droidbot said:

Just run HWInfo64 or a similar program, and leave it logging while you do your tasks and until it shuts down. You should be seeing temps around the 80s under load, as it is a prebuilt with shitty airflow. 

 

212 EVO maybe - depends if it can be mounted on the board. Dell do some scummy shit

I keep the side panel off for better airflow and I monitor temps regularly. I usually hit mid to high 60's but the shutdowns don't occur when the temps get high.

[Kdog]

On 5/11/2017 at 11:53 PM, aisle9 said:

I see two options. The first is thermal throttling. The i7-930 runs hot, like all of its i7-9XX brothers do, and if the cooler fan is crapping out with age, the heatsink is packed with dust or years of crap accumulating have left the case with poor airflow, thermals could very easily be the problem.

 

Option two is the PSU. The XPS 9100 is an old system at this point, and if the PSU installed is the original, there's a pretty good chance that it's on its way to that great big e-waste bin in the sky.

 

First thing I'd do is open up the case, blow everything out with compressed air to thoroughly clean it, make sure your fans are all easy to spin and don't need replacement, then remove the cooler, apply new thermal paste and remount. If that doesn't fix it, I'd pick up an S12II or CXM unit to replace the PSU. I'm thinking it's more likely a bad PSU than anything else, but since cleaning the case is free and buying a PSU is not, might as well try the cheap way first.

Hey! I know it's been awhile but I just wanted to say thank you. It turned out to be the power supply. I bought a new one and it has been great! I even upgraded to an RX480! Anyway thanks again!

[aisle9]

2 minutes ago, WorriedKdog_YT said:

Hey! I know it's been awhile but I just wanted to say thank you. It turned out to be the power supply. I bought a new one and it has been great! I even upgraded to an RX480! Anyway thanks again!

Glad to hear everything worked out for you!