BleepingComputer.com: Computer Shuts Down After 4 Seconds.

I recently ordered a new computer. As soon as it arrived I went through the paces of setting up. When I turned the computer on the fans fired up, the LEDs came on, then it dies after about 4 seconds. I have tried lots of things already, and I'll try to list them all.

Specs first though:
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400(3.0GHz)
2GB (2x1GB) DDR2 800
500GB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 16MB Cache 7200RPM HDD
Drive 1: 20X DVD±R/±RW Dual Layer Drive
Drive 2: 16X DVD-ROM
Dual NVIDIA GeForce 8600GT 512MB PCI Express Video Card(two of these)
Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit
Chipset: nForce 650i SLI Chipset
Motherboard Name: ASUS P5N-E SLI
PSU: Ultra LS 600 Lifetime series(600w) also tried a Antec earthwatts 650w

Things I have tried:
1). Removed both sticks of RAM trying them one at a time.
2). Removing the HD(from PSU and SATA).
3). Removing both video cards.
4). Removed the heatsink and reinstalled.
5). Check the CPU chip for damage.
6). Checked all cables to make sure they were secure.
7). Cleared CMOS.
8). Tried a different PSU.
9). Tried just the motherboard being supplied power.
10). Tried a different outlet.

Things I have not yet tried:
1). Replacing the motherboard.
2). Reseating the motherboard.

Basically I haven't performed these steps yet because I wanted to exhaust all other options first. I will list more things as I remember them and or perform them by the suggestions posted here.

This post has been edited by clusion: 08 June 2008 - 01:25 PM

okay, sounds like its overheating...

do you have thermal paste between your heatsink and processor? If its shutting off automatically, its gotta be the proccessor due to overheating, or your motherboard...

Yes the paste is there I made sure to check when I checked the cpu and reseated the heatsink.

perhaps try the PSU then?

I do believe I will spend the money on one tomorrow. Odds are I will kill the current one even if it is good the way I use my computer, so it won't be wasted money. I will check in when I try it out.

I would not rush out and buy a PSU just yet...first thing I would do is satisfy myself that I have the system components (MB, PS, RAM) properly installed (with no shorting and all proper connections made).

The fact that the board gives evidence of power that quickly fades...would lead me to suspect a short.

You can test the PS by simply temporaly trying it in a different system. If it failed that test, I'd tend believe it's dead or dying.

Funny that you don't mention the PS when listing the system specs, since it's a valuable part of any system.

...and you did double-check the panel connections to the motherboard?

Louis

This post has been edited by hamluis: 08 June 2008 - 12:12 PM

Good call Ham, I should have listed it. I have edited my first post.

Not sure what you mean by panel connections. I haven't looked at how the board was placed in the case if thats what you mean. I can do that if that's what you want, I kinda wanted to avoid messing with the motherboard til I had to, but it looks like that time is coming shortly.

Also about shorts, I am not sure how to look for those. If you could lend advice or point me to a tutorial I can get on that as well.

To avoid possible shorts, every motherboard supplies those little items called standoffs...those are the receptables for the 6 or so screws which are used to stabilize the motherboard position in the case.

http://compreviews.about.com/od/tutorials/ss/DIYMB_5.htm

http://biorobots.cwru.edu/server/howto/buildcomp/mountmobo/

Panel connections are the connections from the case to the motherboard, can be a one-piece assembly, can be several different assemblies.

http://www.kitchentablecomputers.com/assemble17.htm

The motherboard manual will reflect the proper way to connect these to the motherboard. One thing I should say is that the owner/user needs to pay attention to what the proper sequence is for positive or negative terminals for each connecting wire, don't assume that each connection is positive equals odd, negative equals even . Follow the motherboard diagram.

Louis

I will get on this ASAP and let you know how things turn out.

So in order to eliminate chasis shorts I took the mb out. I hooked up only the PSU, 1 video card, and the heatsink/heatsink fan. Nothing else is hooked up, and it does the exact same thing.

Any ideas? Could I still be getting a short somewhere? It does kinda sound like something happens in the PSU to get it to turn off.

I should also note that when I turn on the PSU I don't have to actually do the pen trick to get the power going. Its "always on", it was like that when the connections were set, and even with everything removed it's like that. Not sure if this is important or not, I thought it was mentioning.

This post has been edited by clusion: 08 June 2008 - 07:08 PM

The fans don't spin?

Does it POST at all?

Any beeps?

Did you install any RAM?

Front Panel connections were correct?

Louis

The fans do spin up, there aren't any beeps as with before but I am not sure there is a speaker to make the beeps. There is one in the case but when it was in there it wouldn't beep either. Though there was a light hooked up to that and it wouldn't light up, so I am not sure it could make the beeps anyway.

The RAM is in there, I should have mentioned that. Front panel connections were correct as far as I could tell.

No PSU is always on...there's an on/off switch on the PS itself.

If the fans spin up, I would guess that the PS is good.

I have a situation similar to yours, but I gave up on trying to solve it myself and tendered the system to a shop where more capable persons can figure out what is wrong.

I think your title is a little misleading, since it seems to me that the system doesn't really shut down (unless I've misinterpreted something). You seem to the in "no POST, no video" club that seems to grow larger every day, unfortunately.

Louis

This post has been edited by hamluis: 09 June 2008 - 05:46 PM

Let me know what becomes of your situation please, the information might help me out.

The motherboard does have power even after everything dies(the fans etc) as indicated by the LED on the motherboard. At this point I would have to guess the motherboard is bad.

clusion, on Jun 8 2008, 12:47 AM, said:

Did you put new on such as arctic silver 5? Never use the paste that comes with the heatsink. This was a cause for my friends computer turning on for a few seconds then turning off. Make sure to completely clean all the old off the processor and heatsink, and apply a very small amount, about the size of a small grain of rice. Thoroughly apply it over the processor, and then securely fit the heatsink on.

I would suspect motherboard before power supply also. I've seen many more similar situations in which its the motherboard at fault, then the power supply.