BleepingComputer.com: SHUT DOWN

Sorry I posted in wrong catagory, like I said I'm new here. I have a Dell Deminsion 4550, 2.0 processor, 512 ram. The power supply quit and I replaced it with a Thermaltake TR2 430 Watt powre supply. I had removed the processor heatsink for access, but reinstalled that. Now the computer will operate about 10-15 min at light duty. If I use the internet or try sereral operations a the same time the unit shuts down, as if unplugged. Could the unit or processor be overheating? I tried to access the bios to see processor temp but my kowledge is limited. can anyone help?

Yes it can very well be over-heating.

When you removed the processor you most likely failed to re-apply new thermal paste to the processor.

If this is the case, I would recommend removing the processor heat sink and cleaning off any old paste and applying a new fresh bead to the processor head and re-installing the heat sink.

This will probably reduce your core temp by 20 to 30 degrees.

Also make sure the heat sink is fully seated on the processor's core and level.

Let us know if this worked.

Best regards.

This post has been edited by MrBruce1959: 23 May 2010 - 08:15 PM

You mentioned you removed processor. Did you put heat sink paste when putting it back in??

If not that would explain why it goes for 10-15mins and shuts down or for a couple min when overloading it.
Processors get very hot and shut off after they reach a certain temp.

The solution:

If you did not put thermal paste on processor I would do that first. Here is a how to video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7rPqCvCt0g

And if you want to check your temps just go to your BIOS by pressing "F2" or "Del" at boot up.

But you can also download this program to monitor temps. http://real-temp.en.softonic.com/

Good-luck

I am not much of an expert(I'm new too), but it sounds like it might be overheating. You can monitor your CPU and graphics card temps using a program like this: http://www.techpowerup.com/realtemp/

"I have a Dell Deminsion 4550, 2.0 processor" I am assuming it is a Pentium 4 2Ghz processor, otherwise the above program might not work.

Now, you said you removed the processor (and i understand this was before the shutdowns started occurring), did you make sure to reapply thermal paste before putting the heat sink on? Also, did you put the heat sink on tight enough?(don't make it too tight though...)

If you forgot to apply thermal paste, just google on how to apply thermal paste for a tutorial (like this one: http://www.techpowerup.com/printarticle.php?id=134 )

Try monitoring your cpu temps and post them.

Good luck

All great suggestions guys and to the OP please take a look at all of them but also I think you should use speedfan to monitor your temps as it has a little better support for dell computers: http://www.almico.com/sfdownload.php