Computer randomly cuts power. Need help!?

Question

Hi,
These past few days my computer has been randomly cutting power. The shutdowns never happen while I am doing any sort of activity (I mostly play graphics intensive games) and only seem to occur while I am not using my computer.
New additions to my pc within the last 2 weeks (possible causes?)
- I added in a new graphics card, an ATI 4890 (2 weeks ago)
- I added in a new 750 gb hard drive and reinstalled Windows (about . 1 week ago)
My first assumption was the PSU, but that just doesn't make sense to me as the shutdowns occur while I am doing nothing, yet I can use my computer just fine while playing Crysis.
I also thought of heat problems, but multiple shutdowns have happened within 20 min of windows starting up, and I can play games for 8 hours at a time and have it run perfectly fine.

If need be, I can try reinstalling Windows again, but really want to narrow down the possibilities before doing that.

Any input you have would be very much appreciated. (I will be checking this often and will respond as soon as possible)

~ Thank you.

Answer 1

I would recommend memtest over the vista test. You would have to download a small ISO, burn to cd and then boot off of it.



Another possibility is your network card or wireless cards driver may be causing the shutdowns, but I have to go with the previous poster that it is most likely the ram.



Another possibility is that the caps may be blown. Open the PC up, look at the capacitors and see if any of them look like they are about to burst open, and check to see if any of them have stuff that leaked out (may be liquid looking or dried). If it's still under warranty, RMA it asap.



When you were installing windows, did it ever give you an error that it was unable to read X file, and you hit retry till it worked?

Answer 2

sounds like an overheating undertaking. Is the CPU fan working for the time of as quickly as you turn on the pc. If it stops, or fails to return on, the CPU overheats in seconds and the conserving action would close off the pc. Or the photos chip may be overheating yet unlikely. have you ever put in all followers and CPU heatsink wisely?

Answer 3

Could be a Defective RAM chip. Try running the vista ram test.



Same thing happened to me, turned out it was a faulty ram chip.

Answer 4

Leaking (swollen) capacitors on the mobo?



http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rlz=1T4GGLL_enUS327US327&ei=jC9MStLpHNnBtwfTxMyyAQ&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=swollen+capacitors+motherboard&spell=1