PC doesn't power down after holding power button for 4 seconds

[HTC]

Update!

So i hooked up the PC to my sister's monitor / TV and went to BIOS to load defaults. Windows loaded just fine after that: so far no problems.

Checked event viewer but it only showed errors like these: could this be a PSU problem?

The PC case is a bit too close to the furniture so i think it may be a problem with the power cable not being properly plugged in to the PSU causing bad contact, maybe: i placed the case a bit further away just in case so that the cable isn't so twisted.

 

[qubit]

As for the switch itself, if it turns on your computer, the switch is fine. If shorting the two pins turns on the computer but pressing the power switch does not, the switch is bad, or disconnected. What I often do if bad is swap the wires going to the motherboard with the Reset button switch. Then just use the Reset button from then on.

Although not very likely, it is just possible that the switch is intermittent, so it could contact momentarily when held in to trigger a normal Windows shutdown, but then not maintain that connection solidly for the whole 4 seconds. This is why I suggested touching the contacts with a screwdriver, to rule out this possibility.

Also, afaik the 4 second off is not controlled by the BIOS, the PC switches off no matter what. That BIOS power configuration refers only to momentary presses.

 

[HTC]

Although not very likely, it is just possible that the switch is intermittent, so it could contact momentarily when held in to trigger a normal Windows shutdown, but then not maintain that connection solidly for the whole 4 seconds. This is why I suggested touching the contacts with a screwdriver, to rule out this possibility.

Also, afaik the 4 second off is not controlled by the BIOS, the PC switches off no matter what. That BIOS power configuration refers only to momentary presses.

That has always been my understanding of it: similar to how you can do the same in Windows, right?

 

[eidairaman1]

Ok so it seems stable now with a clear cmos, clean all dust out if the case, reapply tim on cpu, try setting xmp on the memory. Keep track of the steps and last thing you did. If it crashes again its possible, ram, psu or mobo cant handle the operating speeds, ensure you have the correct ram voltage too, some motherboards don't set it via xmp.

 

[Bill_Bright]

could this be a PSU problem?

That error basically shows that you pulled the plug to kill power instead of "gracefully" shutting down Windows and the computer through the start menu.

Although not very likely, it is just possible that the switch is intermittent, so it could contact momentarily when held in to trigger a normal Windows shutdown, but then not maintain that connection solidly for the whole 4 seconds. This is why I suggested touching the contacts with a screwdriver, to rule out this possibility.

Intermittent is quite possible. Case fans will pull dust through the tiny gaps around the switch and that can create an intermittent situation. And if the switch is worn, or has been pressed too hard and is damaged, the return tension can become weak and cause an intermittent situation too. So your advice to check by shorting the two pins was sound advice.

Also, afaik the 4 second off is not controlled by the BIOS, the PC switches off no matter what. That BIOS power configuration refers only to momentary presses.

Once again, that is an ATX Form Factor design feature. Did you look in your own motherboard manual to see if yours is configurable via the BIOS Setup Menu? Many motherboards provide options to change how that switch works.

Yes, it does switch off no matter what - but the logic (programming) behind it is set in the BIOS/chipset. Otherwise, how would you be able to power on and off without a boot drive connected or before any OS is installed? Remember, the switch is not connected directly to the PSU.

 

[HTC]

That error basically shows that you pulled the plug to kill power instead of "gracefully" shutting down Windows and the computer through the start menu.

Intermittent is quite possible. Case fans will pull dust through the tiny gaps around the switch and that can create an intermittent situation. And if the switch is worn, or has been pressed too hard and is damaged, the return tension can become weak and cause an intermittent situation too. So your advice to check by shorting the two pins was sound advice.

Once again, that is an ATX Form Factor design feature. Did you look in your own motherboard manual to see if yours is configurable via the BIOS Setup Menu? Many motherboards provide options to change how that switch works.

Yes, it does switch off no matter what - but the logic (programming) behind it is set in the BIOS/chipset. Otherwise, how would you be able to power on and off without a boot drive connected or before any OS is installed? Remember, the switch is not connected directly to the PSU.

Except it was 3 times, according to event viewer: happened once to my sister and twice to me, all on the same day. That said, the plug was pulled "only" twice.

 

[eidairaman1]

Except it was 3 times, according to event viewer: happened once to my sister and twice to me, all on the same day. That said, the plug was pulled "only" twice.

Hey man read my last message and see if you concur.

 

[HTC]

Hey man read my last message and see if you concur.

Just put it @ stock, as per BIOS defaults, after clearing CMOS.

Didn't re-apply TIM and didn't touch any voltages, but cleaned the case a bit: wasn't really dirty, anyway.

 

[Bill_Bright]

Except it was 3 times, according to event viewer: happened once to my sister and twice to me, all on the same day. That said, the plug was pulled "only" twice.

A sudden loss of power can give the same result. As eidairaman1 notes, many hardware failures can cause such a result. In fact, such shutdowns can occur so quickly, Windows does not even have time to write an error.

I am not a fan of reapplying TIM because TIM does not go bad and need replacing UNLESS the cured bond is broken. It can easily last 10, 15 years or longer. Even if it dries out, the solids that remain are doing their job. TIM is only in a liquified state so it can be squeezed out of tube and evenly spread out. IMO, the risk of ESD or pin damage due to accidental mishandling is too great. And besides, your symptoms are not heat related.

I do agree to make sure all your clock speeds and voltages are at the defaults and I see you just did that so that is good. I think it is "hurry up and wait" now to see if problem returns.

 

[HTC]

A sudden loss of power can give the same result. As eidairaman1 notes, many hardware failures can cause such a result. In fact, such shutdowns can occur so quickly, Windows does not even have time to write an error.

I am not a fan of reapplying TIM because TIM does not go bad and need replacing UNLESS the cured bond is broken. It can easily last 10, 15 years or longer. Even if it dries out, the solids that remain are doing their job. TIM is only in a liquified state so it can be squeezed out of tube and evenly spread out. IMO, the risk of ESD or pin damage due to accidental mishandling is too great. And besides, your symptoms are not heat related.

I do agree to make sure all your clock speeds and voltages are at the defaults and I see you just did that so that is good. I think it is "hurry up and wait" now to see if problem returns.

Apparently, the PC has been having some issues but she said nothing and, since i don't use her PC, i had no idea.

I've told her many times: if something is not working properly, then complain about it!!!! If she doesn't, how am i supposed to know since i don't use it?

My niece does the same thing: i got a mail from the cable company last month stating that they would be changing the channel numbers as well as some channels of the TV cable for TVs without the box. She said nothing so i thought her TV model handled it internally. Yesterday i asked her and she casually said "the TV isn't working" ... right ...

 

[Bill_Bright]

I've told her many times: if something is not working properly, then complain about it!!!! If she doesn't, how am i supposed to know since i don't use it?

That's the story of my life. I typically hear about a problem at 10PM when my kid or grandkid has some important school project that has to be submitted by midnight!

 

[eidairaman1]

Apparently, the PC has been having some issues but she said nothing and, since i don't use her PC, i had no idea.

I've told her many times: if something is not working properly, then complain about it!!!! If she doesn't, how am i supposed to know since i don't use it?

My niece does the same thing: i got a mail from the cable company last month stating that they would be changing the channel numbers as well as some channels of the TV cable for TVs without the box. She said nothing so i thought her TV model handled it internally. Yesterday i asked her and she casually said "the TV isn't working" ... right ...

Set the xmp as well, ensure voltages are set properly. If it starts crashing you may have a ram or mobo issue...

 

[HTC]

Update:

So far, it seems it's OK: @ least, she hasn't complained ...

Thanks to all that helped with the troubleshoot!

 

[eidairaman1]

As long as it isn't something weird and doesn't tell you. By the way did you set the ram back to its specified clock rate?

 

[jaggerwild]

Its over heating season, over 5 years old smmh.

 

[HTC]

As long as it isn't something weird and doesn't tell you. By the way did you set the ram back to its specified clock rate?

I did not: left the RAM as detected by the BIOS, with everything on auto. Only disabled the 1394 port and the splash screen IIRC.

She doesn't use the PC very often so any problems may take a longer time to present themselves.

 

[HTC]

So her PC decided to start not booting ... so i took it apart and switched the mobo + CPU for my old one (AsRock fatality Killer FM2A88X+ + A107850K APU, which were fine when i took them out from my own PC, when i switched to my current Ryzen system).

And the PC decided to do the same thing ... not boot and then not turn off by holding the power button for over 4 seconds.

Could this be a PSU problem? Something else?

 

[Deleted member 163934]

Check with another PSU, a known working one. If it still does the same start it with only one ram stick (basicaly only the cpu+mb+ 1 ram module). If it still does the same use another ram module in another ram slot.
If it works with cpu+mb+1 ram module add the ram modules one by one. If everything works ok add the hdd also. If it start doing the same after adding a ram module or the hdd, the last one added is causing the problems.

If with a known working psu, the "new" mb and every ram modules + ram slots combinations it still show the problems described i'd start to think it's the cpu.
It's a bit hard for me to belive that all the ram modules/slots have gone bad in same time, or that 2 mb have gone bad. Not impossible but the chances are really low.

I had a loose ram slot in my father pc that was causing similar problems and I had a Samsung spinpoint F3 512GB that after 6 months of being used in a mb with uefi bios has started to hang the boot process (wasn't showing anything, was hanging with random bios codes), fail to load windows (changing cables or sata ports had no effect), I never figure our what happened with the hdd because it happy works without any problems in an older not UEFI mb but is causing problems now in the 2 UEFI mb that I have.

 

[HTC]

Check with another PSU, a known working one. If it still does the same start it with only one ram stick (basicaly only the cpu+mb+ 1 ram module). If it still does the same use another ram module in another ram slot.
If it works with cpu+mb+1 ram module add the ram modules one by one. If everything works ok add the hdd also. If it start doing the same after adding a ram module or the hdd, the last one added is causing the problems.

If with a known working psu, the "new" mb and every ram modules + ram slots combinations it still show the problems described i'd start to think it's the cpu.
It's a bit hard for me to belive that all the ram modules/slots have gone bad in same time, or that 2 mb have gone bad. Not impossible but the chances are really low.

I had a loose ram slot in my father pc that was causing similar problems and I had a Samsung spinpoint F3 512GB that after 6 months of being used in a mb with uefi bios has started to hang the boot process (wasn't showing anything, was hanging with random bios codes), fail to load windows (changing cables or sata ports had no effect), I never figure our what happened with the hdd because it happy works without any problems in an older not UEFI mb but is causing problems now in the 2 UEFI mb that I have.

Unfortunately, i don't have another PSU, with the exception of the one powering my own system.

I didn't switch the RAM but i did switch both the board as well as the CPU. Both were running in my own system up until when i upgraded to my R5 1600.

Haven't tried my old RAM (used hers): should i do that?

 

[Deleted member 163934]

Haven't tried my old RAM (used hers): should i do that?

Try this but only with 1 stick. And check each memory slot on the motherboard if it still show the problems.

I still think you should try to use another PSU.

If in the "new" mb, with the "new" ram and with the another psu it still does the same I'd look at the cpu. Maybe bended pins. I had a sempron 145 with a bended pin that it fit just fine in the socket and it was working, just not seeing half of the ram (i suspected the ram but it was basicaly not seeing half of the ram slots), i removed the cpu visual inspected it i failed to see the bended pin, only when I used a paper between the pins raws i noticed the bended pin (now i use the paper every time i remove a cpu with pins on it), unbended the pin and problem vanished.

 

[HTC]

Try this but only with 1 stick. And check each memory slot on the motherboard if it still show the problems.

I still think you should try to use another PSU.

Perhaps i can get a hold of a spare one but i'm unsure if i'll be able.

Will do as suggested, after i wake up: worked the night shift and haven't slept yet.

 

[Deleted member 163934]

I edited the post after you replied. If you move the cpu in the other mb look for bended/missing pins.

L.E.: I said about the Samsung spinpoint F3, because I had 2x 512 GB 1 end up rma and I got a Seagate (installed new windows, everything fine for 2 days, 3rd day data corruption at boot, tested on 3 mb with 3 distinct psu not same model, 6+ sata cables, windows & linux the problem was the same over and over) and the other one after some months started to refuse to work properly on 2 mb but it works in the 3rd without problems.
The Seagate is basicaly a spinpoint f3 and based on how it acts I think in less than 1 year it will start doing problems... They all show the same pattern... My bet is that something breaks on the hdd board and some sata controlers have a higher tolerence to errors (the 2 uefi mb have sata 3 while the not uefi one has sata 2).

 

[HTC]

Apparently, the RAM is the problem: reduced the RAM speed from 2400 (my RAM speed) to 1600 (her RAM speed) and now it boots every time ... right ... forgot to reset BIOS to defaults ... right ... brilliant move ... right ...

Will leave memtest running all night to check for errors with the kit (4 * 4 GB sticks kit)

That said, it still sometimes doesn't power off by pressing the power button for 4+ seconds.

Unfortunately, i can't switch her RAM just yet because it has my old NH-C12P cooler on it i my old RAM is too high for that cooler and, since i've seem to have misplaced all my stock cooler retention brackets, i can't swap to that cooler instead just yet.

 

[HTC]

UPDATE:

The RAM didn't give any errors @ 1600.

Currently installing Windows 7's updates.

The damn power button still doesn't shut down sometimes after holding it for 4+ seconds: i'm guessing it's an issue with the button or cable leading to the board since it's the 2nd board it does this with.

Since her RAM doesn't have any problems, i'll leave it in her PC instead of having to swap coolers to be able to change the RAM.

 

[Aquinus]

The only time I've experienced the power button not working after a hard crash is when DRAM is unstable.