BleepingComputer.com: Computer Turns Off During Start-up

take a few minutes and create a linux cd and run the live linux that boots from the cd and ram .it will help narrow the possibilities

You know I was thinking about that... you think this could be a CMOS battery prob?

OK.. i tried loading from Unbuntu 11.04 off of a CD and the computer completely shut off again... sigh... I'm running out of options at this point and am beginning to think that the computer is haunted by an old Apple IIGS that I'm beginning to regret having gotten rid of.

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Worth to try for couple of bucks.

Well i have now replaced the CMOS battery (I just used a Toshiba 3V since I couldnt see any markings on the battery that indicated what to use) but the computer booted up, loaded the Unbuntu screen to the point it showed the menu on how I wanted to run it... then the whole thing shut off again.

I am at an utter loss...

maybe you have a bad cd/dvd rom device

I was thinking the CD/DVD might be the problem too... I might try loading Unbuntu onto a Thumbdrive and see if that works...

when i posted the ubuntu link i was going to post a link to puppy live linux,[my favorite for what bit i use /need linux] but decide not to for some reason ,but should have because its loads quicker, boots in about 30 seconds and runs from ram

http://www.puppylinux.com/cd-puppy.htm

This post has been edited by caperjac: 22 May 2011 - 04:00 PM

Well just installed Unbuntu on a thumb drive and after it got to the menu screen the entire computer turned off again...

Could this be a motherboard issue? Its about the only piece of the computer I haven't touched...

Bryan Campbell, on 22 May 2011 - 04:15 PM, said:

sure it could be mb.

is the ubuntu a live version if not its better to try a live one as it boots a lot quicker

Well the saga continues...I figured this had to be a memory issue... I've checked the PSU, CMOS battery, validated the hard-drives are good and that the CD-ROM works... but anytime I try and install anything like Win7, Unbuntu, Vista the machine turns off BUT I can run something like the Seagate Tools from a CD-ROM for several hours and no problem. SOOOOO...I assumed that the Seagate tools aren't stretching the six GB of memory I have but when I run something like Windows/Linux it uses more of the RAM and some bad sector causes the machine to reboot. To test this I purchased a brand new DDR2, 667Mhz 2GB stick of RAM and placed that in the computer and preceded to start up Windows both from the hard-drive and then the CD-ROM...in both cases the machine completely turned itself off!!!

I honestly have no other ideas at this point except a new motherboard and processor (the only things I haven't changed out yet).

Any other ideas from folks?

At this point, I think, you best bet is to travel to a computer shop.