System does not start up

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I've got a desktop computer, running XP Service Pack 2, I use most of the time and last night I left it to download something because I was too tired to wait. I woke up this morning, and it had switched itself off.

I turned it back on again, and before the progress bar appeared to show it's loading Windows, the system switched itself off. I switched it back on, and hit F8 so I could run it in Safe Mode, but I choice Last Known Good Configuration instead. It loaded Windows, but as it was starting up other programs, it switched itself off again.

I decided I'd load setup defaults in the BIOS, but now every time I switch it on, it switched itself off even before a hardware check. Any idea as to what this could be? I'm completely lost. Thanks!
 
Well, figured what it was - the CPU fan is kaput. I pulled the thing apart, and gave it a good clean (amazing how I just cleaned it last week and it's dusty already). Then I noticed one of the tie down clips had broken. Replaced that from an older motherboard, cleaned the heat sink and fan, put it back together and the system started right up. CPU temperature was in the mid 50s (Celsius) though, and fan speed was fluctuating between 550 - 620 rpm when it should be 2,250+. Thankfully, I didn't fry my processor.
 
Originally Posted By: Falcon_LS
Thankfully, I didn't fry my processor.

Basically, the CPU has a built-in mechanism to shut itself down before any harm is done (due to operating temp being out of spec) - that is what you were in fact experiencing.

Glad you got it taken care of.
 
I've been luckier with Intel processors actually. The last time I had a CPU fan fail on an AMD Athlon XP and Athlon 64, the CPU was fried.
 
Originally Posted By: Falcon_LS
I've been luckier with Intel processors actually. The last time I had a CPU fan fail on an AMD Athlon XP and Athlon 64, the CPU was fried.


Funny, when my CPU fan died on my Athlon XP, it just slow down to a safe frequency. Probably has to do with what motherboard you runs.
 
It was an Asus A7V8X, which was pretty good by 2004 standards back when I had the system.
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Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Originally Posted By: Falcon_LS
I've been luckier with Intel processors actually. The last time I had a CPU fan fail on an AMD Athlon XP and Athlon 64, the CPU was fried.


Funny, when my CPU fan died on my Athlon XP, it just slow down to a safe frequency. Probably has to do with what motherboard you runs.


Intel CPU's have had an internal shut-down mechanism for a long time. AMD did not. They were reliant on settings in BIOS.

I remember back when I worked at a shop ~2000, the BIL of the owner came in and pulled the heatsink off the top of his Athlon 900 to feel how hot it was. The core literally separated from the pin package and burned a hole in the board!

Tom's Hardware did a similar test a number of years ago with similar results.
 
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