Computer shuts off unexpectedly!

Last April, my computer started to shut off unexpectedly and without any warning at all. I would have to hold in the power button for about 30 seconds, let it off, and push it again and it would reboot. It did this for several weeks without warning. Before I knew it, it wouldn't even boot up again. I took it to a local computer guy, who checked it out and told me that the motherboard, hard drive and the memory were all "fried" and that I had to get all new. I did so.
Now, the same exact thing is happening AGAIN! I don't want my computer to "fry" again. Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this? Could this be a cooling issue? I really don't know much about computers, and don't know if I have listed enough information, so please let me know if there is any other info you may need (and how to get it).

I have: an MSI Km2m Combo-L Motherboard (VIA KM266 Chipset)
AMD Athlon XP 2200+ CPU
Maxtor 40gb Hard Drive
Windows XP Professional

 

Hey, check your Psu, it have to be the problem, what Mobo do you have, and what psu?

 

I am guessing that psu is power supply unit, and mobo is motherboard (like I said, I am pretty much inept when it comes to computers!).
I was thinking that it could be the power supply....thats about the only thing that hasn't been changed yet. As for the motherboard, it is (to the best of my knowledge) MS-6738 (v1.X) Micro ATX Mainboard
G52-M6738X1-L03
If you need any other info please let me know! Thanks!

 

I'm not sure what brand the power supply unit is. Is there any way I can pull that information out of the computer?

 

Almost all Psu comes with a kind of sticker, you can check the brand there, if it doesnt have it must be a cheap one, it also indicate you how many watts it has. Try to get a new an good one Psu, and change it . !

PD: Yes, Mobo is Motherboard, and Psu, Power Supply !

 

it sounds like your original computer was fine ... if you kept the same PSU and built around it and now your new computer isn't working? ... I'd say you best run out and get a new PSU like you should've to begin with

Antec True series is good ... PC Power & Cooling also make good ones ... if you search this board there are other people with other recommendations

 

Personally I think that your local repairman dipped you in egg and fried you in butter and the only thing that was burnt was you and the power supply, which is setup to trip off like a circuit breaker when it overheats, and take 30-40 seconds to cool down enough so it can re-set itself . THat should have been the very first thing he checked.

I sure hope he gave you the "burnt parts" he replaced . My God, He just sold you 90% of a complete computer. Did he give you the boxes and paperwork that comes with all that you just bought ? If not you might have just bought his last customer's parts out of his computer, and he might be putting your so-called "burnt " parts in someone elses computer as we speak.

Normally I'm not this negative about things , but when it comes to rippoffs it turns my stomach. Where I live , here in Az. it has become rampant. I'm sorry if maybe I planted a bad seed here & I sure hope that I'm wrong about this but it Definitely smells funny to me, and this kind of ripp-off happens all the time where I'm at, and doesn't sound like it could be that hard to get away with.

Here in Tucson a few years ago, to put an end to the TV repair, or non-repair, ripp-offs that were becoming the norm here, the police and one of the local television stations here set these guys up for the fall and it was so slick the way they did it.

They took a 1 year old 19" television's cover off, unhooked 1 little wire inside, put the cover back on, and took it to every single TV repairman in Pima county for a repair estimate. Out of over 200 repairman who gave an estimate, only 1, a 70 year old repairman, said, Hey here's the problem. Just a loose wire. He soldered it back on and gave them the TV back and said. Here, No Charge. Just took a couple of minutes . No problem.

BTW, The loose wire was in the 1st. place you would see when you took the cover off so there would be no excuse that it wasn't seen. About 60% of the estimates were just under $100 and the rest were just under the price of the TV when it was new except for 2 that were about $50.00 over the new price. Just to be fair they did this twice over a months time and most of the estimates were carbon copies of the originals. Then all of the estimates were published in the newspaper for all to see.

Anyway , the way I see it , a whole lot of knowledgeable people in one place, like this forum, can collectively give you better and more accurate advice , than any one person, anywhere. Think about it. It's always better to ask questions first. And Hey, It's Free.


Joe

 

I was wondering if maybe I was taken for a ride or not, but I just don't know enough about computers to know either way. He did give me all my parts from the old computer, so maybe I should slap them into another case and try them out! I wish it would work, because my "fried" hard drive had all our pictures on it...including the birth of our son (needlesstosay, my wife was NOT happy!....I know....back up EVERYTHING!). It would be nice to get them back, but he told us that we would have to spend "hundreds of dollars to have data recovery specialists try to get the information, and even then, it isn't guaranteed that they will get anything." Anyway, thanks for the info guys.......I guess I should run out and get a new psu!