My System shuts down, fans off, but the LED on/off button stays lighted.

[Shabakthanai]

My system shuts down without warning and has been doing so for several days. Sometimes in the past the on/off button would remain on, and holding it down would not shut the computer off.

I would unplug the computer for 20 seconds and restart and things would work again.

Today, the computer shut down, the LED light remained burning and could not be turned off holding the on/off button down. To shut off, I had to unplug for 20 seconds.

When I pressed the on/off button to restart the computer, the system shut down without warning in just a few seconds, not enough time to even get to the logon screen. I retried the process several times and it will not boot to a working desktop.

Does anyone have any idea what is wrong?

Prior to this unrecoverable shutdown, I read in my search for solutions that the kernel needed to be updated. This is an area I am not familiar, so I did not try any of the solutions offered. I did check the advanced tab of the boot process and it showed two entries for 3.5.0-37-generic and two other that I did not write down and do not remember.

In search for a new kernel, I came to an installation procedure for kernel 3.9.4, but did not install before learning more about the need to do so. In that waiting period, the system went down with the unexpected shutdown that could not be recovered.

My system is just a couple of months old.

AMD 8 core @ 4.1ghz +
AsRock 990FX Extreme4 motherboard
16GB DDR3 1866 Ram
256gb SSD
TB HDD 6gbs
TB HDD 3gbs
LG DVDRW's 2 ea. Optical drives
Kubuntu 13.04 current
1000W Power Supply
I recently re-installed GForce 1gb DDR5 GPU (replacing Radeon 2gb DDR5 GPU - kubuntu drivers did not work with dual-monitors) My old GPU has been working well, though.

I have a CPU cooler and 5 fans.
27" ViewSonic monitor
22" Acer monitor

I have had a lot of problems with my new system. Dual monitor problems, UEFI BIOS problems, etc. I am not experienced enough to diagnose my problems. If there is an equipment failure, I don't know which one to check or replace. I did re-install my old GPU and was able to resolve the dual monitor problems in Kubuntu, but it screwed up the Windows 7 dual-boot operation. By the way, the Radeon GPU worked fine in Windows 7, however I only use the Windows 7 OS as a backup when things go wrong.

I just attempted to restart to go to Windows 7, but the system shut down, even the LCD for the on/off switch turned off. Pressing the on/off button no longer works.

If this sounds like a Power Supply problem, I have an 850W that I can use. If that does not sound like the problem, I am old and infirm and don't want to spend the effort unless there is promise by doing so. Thanks!

[Simon]

I am not an expert, ask anyone they will tell you how unqualified I am. lol

However an ex-girlfriend of mine had this issue; it turned out to be a heat sensor was tripping and shutting the PC down. I forget the solution but the BIOS should be checked for an overheat threshold. I don't have a clue about the LED other than it doesn't take much to power them. Could you have the LED plugged into the incorrect source for power?

[Shabakthanai]

I am not an expert, ask anyone they will tell you how unqualified I am. lol

However an ex-girlfriend of mine had this issue; it turned out to be a heat sensor was tripping and shutting the PC down. I forget the solution but the BIOS should be checked for an overheat threshold. I don't have a clue about the LED other than it doesn't take much to power them. Could you have the LED plugged into the incorrect source for power?

Thanks for the input. I cannot seem to get the system to stay open long enough to make changes in the BIOS.

Do you know if I can gain any benefit by re-installing the OS? I suppose if it is heat sensors, that wouldn't help, but which heat sensors? The ones in the CPU or the GPU or the motherboard? AsRock is willing to RMA; I suppose AMD and XFX would RMA their units too, but it would be better if I knew that one of them is defective before I make the request. I have a lot invested in my monster PC; it sure would be nice if I could get it to function on a more-or-less continuous basis without constant problems.

[GreyGeek]

Thanks for the input. I cannot seem to get the system to stay open long enough to make changes in the BIOS.

Do you know if I can gain any benefit by re-installing the OS?...

I believe your next stop is a computer repair store. It sounds to me like that box has had a mobo hardware failure. Could have been heat related, but if something has now had one of its operating parameters changed (like a resistor heating up and changing its value, or a diode rupturing, or a capacitor leaking) it probably won't remain on regardless. IF ir were OS related you could put in a USB stick or a LIVE CD and boot off of it and Linux would run from it instead of the OS on the HD. If you can't even boot a LIVE CD or USB, or have it stay up, then you have hardware problems.

[Xaotique]

Before you go spend money, there's probably a good reason the heat sensor would trip. This was my first thought as well, as I've seen it happen plenty of times. For some reason, Windows will keep it running, while on Linux it gets too hot and shuts down.

Open up your case, and see if there's a bit of dust in there. Check the CPU fan is clear and all fans are plugged in. If you need to clear things out, using q-tips works well. Don't use a vaccuum! If you don't want to sit there with q-tips doing it, then take it outside and use compressed air. Nobody wants that dust flying through the house. :P

In the case everything's clean and fans working fine, maybe it's not the heat sensor. Seems most likely though.

Is it able to run without the case being closed? Maybe with a house fan blowing cool air if necessary. Long enough to get something done?

[Shabakthanai]

Before you go spend money, there's probably a good reason the heat sensor would trip. This was my first thought as well, as I've seen it happen plenty of times. For some reason, Windows will keep it running, while on Linux it gets too hot and shuts down.

Open up your case, and see if there's a bit of dust in there. Check the CPU fan is clear and all fans are plugged in. If you need to clear things out, using q-tips works well. Don't use a vaccuum! If you don't want to sit there with q-tips doing it, then take it outside and use compressed air. Nobody wants that dust flying through the house. :P

In the case everything's clean and fans working fine, maybe it's not the heat sensor. Seems most likely though.

Is it able to run without the case being closed? Maybe with a house fan blowing cool air if necessary. Long enough to get something done?

It looked pristine clean, but I blew dust anyway. It worked, I believe. Restart was a success and it has been running about 10 minutes so far. I am amazed that a dust particle has so much power. Someone conducting just normal maintenance would never have taken the time to blow dust without a similar problem; it appeared so clean. I am going to let the computer run for 24 hours before I mark the post as "Solved". In any event, I am so very grateful for the advice. It looks to be working.

[Xaotique]

Good. A little extra advice if you're having problems with heat would be to redo the thermal paste on the cpu. It doesn't do a lot, but it helps when you're actually having a problem with it. Every little bit does I guess.

Good luck.

[Shabakthanai]

**

Good. A little extra advice if you're having problems with heat would be to redo the thermal paste on the cpu. It doesn't do a lot, but it helps when you're actually having a problem with it. Every little bit does I guess.

Good luck.

That is the funny thing. Since I installed the new build, temperature has been running at the highest temperatures at 98F. That was on the motherboard; the CPU ran a little cooler. While not gaming, the GPU has been running even cooler. From what I have read, none of those temperatures are to be a concern. Am I wrong? I have been running the computer for over an hour without resumption of the problem, so I am pretty sure your diagnosis was right on the button.

I guess perhaps something rested on a critical position somewhere that really affected cooling. I was on the Kubuntu OS at the time, and the application that reads temperatures is on the Windows 7 OS.

It is called Speery or something like that and seems to be a very good application.

Any time I checked the temperatures in the BIOS, they were right at 40C. I am guessing that is around 98F; I haven't checked the conversion. It sure was a fast fix, if it continues. I am in your debt, my friend. Thanks for the prompt response too, being without my desktop computer is terrible since I have gotten used to the speed. I just love the instant response on almost everything.

[Teunis]

There is a Plasma widget to show the system temperatures.

[Shabakthanai]

Thanks to all, the problem seems solved with the dust removal. I am very grateful. My imagination was getting the best of me, thinking I spent all this money for an edgy computer in vain. You are the best techy gurus in the business.