My PC power cuts out after a few minutes

All your computer hardware and software questions in here please.

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
reganathome
Newly registered Member
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Jun 26, 2014 8:49 am
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

My PC power cuts out after a few minutes

Post by reganathome »

Hi all,

I'm having trouble with my home PC.

After a few minutes of me starting it up, it just cuts out, as if I'd removed the power cable. I have a feeling it's to do with dust getting on the inside of the pc (I have wooden floors which leaves the room quite dusty, and the pc sits on the floor).

While I don't mind opening it up to clean it, I'm not sure which parts I should be taking out to clean that would be directly effected by dust. Can anyone help?

Thanks!
User avatar
kellys_eye
Senior Member
Posts: 12309
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 11:49 pm
Location: Oban
Has thanked: 357 times
Been thanked: 1790 times

Re: My PC power cuts out after a few minutes

Post by kellys_eye »

Have you knocked it recently? You may have displaced the heatsink assembly on the CPU. Check that the CPU heatsink FAN is running too (often missed due to the noise made by the power supply fan).

Whilst the case is open give it a hoover!
Don't take it personally......
Bob225
Senior Member
Posts: 4764
Joined: Sun Jan 31, 2010 9:21 pm
Location: Kent, Land of Apples and PYO
Has thanked: 102 times
Been thanked: 878 times

Re: My PC power cuts out after a few minutes

Post by Bob225 »

as above, classic overheating and the bios responds by shutting the machine down, re-seat the cpu heatsink with fresh compound, a slight knock can make the plastic pins pull out the mobo*


*unless its a late I3/5/7 haswell chip
User avatar
Argyll
Senior Member
Posts: 6158
Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2008 3:58 pm
Has thanked: 1180 times
Been thanked: 580 times

Re: My PC power cuts out after a few minutes

Post by Argyll »

The exact same happened to mine a few months back.

Take off the cover and give it a good vacuum.
blackvenom
Senior Member
Posts: 128
Joined: Mon Feb 10, 2014 5:51 am
Location: Lancashire
Has thanked: 8 times
Been thanked: 8 times

Re: My PC power cuts out after a few minutes

Post by blackvenom »

When you say the power "cuts out" do you mean that literally? Or does it automatically just shut itself down?


Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk
lagi
Senior Member
Posts: 2081
Joined: Mon Dec 22, 2008 6:09 pm
Has thanked: 141 times
Been thanked: 53 times

Re: My PC power cuts out after a few minutes

Post by lagi »

If its heat related, take off the cover and see if it runs for longer, if it does then its probably heat related. Easy elimination.
reganathome
Newly registered Member
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Jun 26, 2014 8:49 am
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: My PC power cuts out after a few minutes

Post by reganathome »

Excellent thanks for the tips, I've hoover the bugger out and have a good look at check the heatsink + fan. :salute:
User avatar
BillyGoat
Troll Headbutter
Posts: 8071
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 8:20 pm
Location: On top of a mountain, in the long grass.
Has thanked: 386 times
Been thanked: 796 times

Re: My PC power cuts out after a few minutes

Post by BillyGoat »

Be careful with the hold hoover....some of the attachments are made of plastics that harbour static, which will kill the machine dead.

Can of compressed air or an air line if you have a compressor would be my first choice. Will cost you a few quid for a can (maplins, computer shop, pc world, etc) and you can take it outside and blast it all out. It'll shift most of the crap quite easily.

BG
Arguing with a woman is like reading a Software Licence Agreement.
In the end, you ignore everything and click "I agree".
Bob225
Senior Member
Posts: 4764
Joined: Sun Jan 31, 2010 9:21 pm
Location: Kent, Land of Apples and PYO
Has thanked: 102 times
Been thanked: 878 times

Re: My PC power cuts out after a few minutes

Post by Bob225 »

look around for fellowes air duster aka air in a can sometimes you can pick it up for 1/2 price from the supermarkets
Liam2349
Senior Member
Posts: 129
Joined: Wed Jul 17, 2013 7:21 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 19 times

Re: My PC power cuts out after a few minutes

Post by Liam2349 »

Could be the heatsink, definitely sounds like a temperature problem.

Download some freeware like CoreTemp to see the temps in your CPU. If the heatsink has come loose, you can't just screw it back down. You have to clean the CPU and heatsink with, some rubbing alcohol (I use Isopropyl 70%), then apply new thermal paste and stick them together again.
Post Reply

Return to “Computers”