PC keeps shutting down suddenly!

santotomas · posted: 2015-06-21 10:44

Suddenly I'm having problems with my PC just shutting down all of a sudden, especially when I'm working on line- several times a night. I have AntiX 13.2 stable, more specifically antix 13.2_386 full iso (when I installed it).

I've been following an old post here:
viewtopic.php?f=49&t=4690

It hints at interference problems I could be having with another wireless firmware I had installed from a previous service provider and I no longer have. I am using another wifi provider that was working pretty well until about a month ago when I started having this problem. I wonder if it might also be that my limited RAM could have reached the end of its anemic rope - 436 MB RAM?
I update AntiX regularly including browser etc. Could it be the problem with the flashplayer not updating issue? I don't know. I've just about reached my limit with AntiX. __{{emoticon}}__

Maybe you might have some ideas.

jdmeaux1952 · posted: 2015-06-21 13:32

First of all, with beginning any thread to report a problem, you should always post the"inxi -F" from your system. Open a terminal to enter it and Copy-and-Paste the result in your thread. This will give others an idea of what you are working with.

You stated that you changed providers and had to change your wireless. I am making an assumption you are talking about the wireless receiver your provider and NOT your own wireless doohickey on your computer. Am I correct?

rokytnji · posted: 2015-06-21 14:00

Instant shutoffs usually are heat or hardware related in my experience.
Not software related at all.

Are you saying you are powering off/down while browsing?
When was the last time you cleaned your gear
with canned air can or cleaned out dust bunnies inside of your computer?

fatmac · posted: 2015-06-21 18:35

Overheating often shuts a computer down without much, if any, warning.

(You don't have a lot of ram, by todays standards, so I hope you have a large swap.)

santotomas · posted: 2015-06-22 11:58

I had it cleaned, etc. right away plus I tried putting an extra fan (right next to the area of the power supply where it seems to be getting warm). Just a note- I'm living in an extremely hot, tropical country and we are in an energy crisis so no use turning on the ac. Everybody uses fans. It still turns off on me when I'm on line but especially on my e mail or places like Facebook. On this forum I have no sudden shutdowns.

Here is the inxi -F

Code: Select all

System:    Host: usual362 Kernel: 3.7.10-antix.5-486-smp i686 (32 bit)
           Desktop: IceWM 1.3.7
           Distro: antiX-13.2_386-full Luddite 4 November 2013
Machine:   Mobo: MICRO-STAR model: MS-7211 v: 4.1
           Bios: Phoenix v: 6.00 PG date: 06/09/1906
CPU:       Single core Intel Celeron (-UP-) cache: 256 KB
           speed: 2661 MHz (max)
Graphics:  Card: VIA CN700/P4M800 Pro/P4M800 CE/VN800 Graphics [S3 UniChrome Pro]
           Display Server: X.org 1.12.4 drivers: openchrome (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           tty size: 80x28 Advanced Data: N/A for root
Audio:     Card VIA VT8233/A/8235/8237 AC97 Audio Controller
           driver: snd_via82xx
           Sound: ALSA v: k3.7.10-antix.5-486-smp
Network:   Card: VIA VT6102 [Rhine-II] driver: via-rhine
           IF: eth0 state: down mac: 00:16:17:76:f8:12
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 82.3GB (7.3% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: ExcelStor_Techno size: 82.3GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 74G used: 3.7G (6%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 2.17GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda2
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 71.0C mobo: N/A
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 84 Uptime: 8 min Memory: 150.9/436.2MB
           Client:

my swap is kind of small.

Let me know what the problem might be.

fatmac · posted: 2015-06-22 12:50

Only other thing I can think of at the moment is to check your ram, maybe it is faulty.
(memtest86)

rokytnji · posted: 2015-06-22 14:11

Yeah, I live where it was 100F and will be hot again today.

So I install lm-sensors and run sensors-detect and also I install acpi and acpi-tools.

That way I know what tempatures are going on in my conky so if a process is hammering my cpu and the temperature on my gear starts
to rise. I know to open htop and kill the process.

Old gear has a shelf life. Like all things. Extra work is required to keep them going.
I re-purpose a lot of old gear. So I am speaking from experience.
I broke apart the laptop deck and re-paste the cpu paste on my Panasonic CF-48 laptop when the temps on it ran
at 70C and up on a regular basis and hand cleaned the internal fans with qtips and 90% strength alcohol.
Then spent 15 bucks on a better LVDS LCD screen cable from inverter to the back of the screen.
Then replaced the D/C plug on the back of the laptop as it was getting hot as a frying pan. With a solder job.

That laptop was on it's last legs but I fixed it to where it works OK now. That paragraph above is just to bear out my statement
that old gear requires more work to keep going. It is a P4 with 1gig of ram and a toughbook. So it was worth saving.

Code: Select all

$ sensors
acpitz-virtual-0
Adapter: Virtual device
temp1:        +44.0°C  (crit = +98.0°C)
temp2:        +44.0°C  (crit = +98.0°C)

coretemp-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
Core 0:       +41.0°C  (high = +105.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)
Core 1:       +41.0°C  (high = +105.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)

========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"https://www.google.com/search?num=50&noj=1&q=lm+sensors+site%3Aantix.freeforums.org&oq=lm+sensors+site%3Aantix.freeforums.org&gs_l=serp.12...7298.7298.0.9225.1.1.0.0.0.0.103.103.0j1.1.0....0...1c.1.64.serp..1.0.0.AsovTFZVJUE"
linktext was:"lm-sensors"
====================================

========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"https://www.google.com/search?num=50&noj=1&q=acpi-tools+site%3Aantix.freeforums.org&oq=acpi-tools+site%3Aantix.freeforums.org&gs_l=serp.12...65141.72427.0.74508.20.20.0.0.0.0.285.2005.14j3j1.18.0....0...1c.1.64.serp..20.0.0.oXk7e711YJw"
linktext was:"acpi-tools"
====================================

You have your work cut out for you. HTOP which is in AntiX is your friend when looking for things in software that might be straining your gear.
Gparted or sudo fdisk -l in terminal is your friend when it comes to letting us know /swap partition size.
inxi -F in terminal helps us help you also. You run that in terminal. (edit: blonde moment by this biker. Will edit your inxi post so I notice it.)

Good luck with it Bro. It is a tough road you are on now.

Edit: after editing you inxi -F so I would notice it. I see you are running at 71C which would concern me.
CPU paste turns into a brick like texture. Like cement that gets hard. With time and age.
This effects how well heat is transferred between the cpu chip

santotomas · posted: 2015-06-23 08:31

Roky,

Thanks for your response, it helps me get a grip on this situation. I will check out the Youtube you suggest. Like I said, I have absolutely no problem with sudden shutdown when I'm on a low speed web site (in my opinion), like forums like this, but as soon as I visit my yahoo mail, my Gmail doesn't shut me down, Youtube and things like Facebook (which I only visit briefly as administrator of a cultural group) I get this problem.

I'll report back to you great people if I finally get it to stop shutting down suddenly. I am eternally indebted to all of you!

santotomas · posted: 2015-07-09 06:20

Reporting back to you great people as since the weather has cooled off my PC, magically, has stopped shutting off on me just as you all have said. __{{emoticon}}__ Pretty accurate in your diagnosis. Thank you all very much for your patience, time and suggestions! You helped me stop from freaking out. I have purchased a super dooper fan just to keep my PC cool when the temperatures go up again but for now, you can right this problem off as solved.

Again, thanks loads to all of you.

fatmac · posted: 2015-07-09 18:47

Also, if a laptop, you can raise it up a bit, will help with the air flow when using the fan.
(Bigger gap under neath.)

rokytnji · posted: 2015-07-09 20:21

Cheap fix

Stick between bottom of laptop and table. Ol injun desert trick kimosabe.

fatmac · posted: 2015-07-10 08:05

Another thing that I have noticed since getting a new desk, my laptops run hotter on it, my old desk was brown, the new one is white. Obviously reflects heat back instead of absorbing it.

Shay · posted: 2015-07-10 10:42

Are you exceeding the temperature range for that laptop?

0 to 34 C seems to be common.

And are the feet still attached to the laptop?

santotomas · posted: 2015-07-10 11:07

I'm using a desktop not a laptop but thanks for the blue ice suggestion- seems like a great fix. No kidding, everything is working fine. Hope this cool weather keeps up for a while. We are experiencing some brutal climate change events here and have been in the middle of a 2 year drought now topped off by a heat wave in a big city that is usually uncomfortably hot and humid. Thanks to you folks again!!