Thread: Why is computer powering down?

I just upgraded with this CPU

Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale 3.16GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail

on this motherboard

ASRock 4CoreDual-SATA2 LGA 775 VIA PT880 Pro/PT880 Ultra ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Upgrade motherboard with AGP Slot

The problem is that after about 5 minutes the computer just switches off.
Then it won't start up for a while after that (or just kicks over the fans for about 2 seconds and then stops)

So I have been swapping in and out my old CPU (a P4 about 2.6GHz ) and CPU fan on the new motherboard - but it also does the same with that CPU - which was working.

What I have ultimately watched is that the CPU temp gets up to about 45/46 Degrees C and the MB gets up to about 40 degrees C and that seems to trigger the power down.

Can the powering down be related to the CPU reaching a certain temperature?

at what temparature should that happen? (I read somewhere, this CPU should be able to handle up to about 65 degrees C - but ideally should run at about 20 degrees lower)

Is this a setting I can change?

Could it be a faulty motherboard?

Any answers to my problem would be appreciated.

There may be a setting in your BIOS to automatically power-off the system on reaching a set temperature, but I doubt it would be set by default so low (45c is pretty nominal). Still, check there for anything amiss.

You may also need a BIOS firmware upgrade to support the new chip.

Could be a grounding issue with something short-circuiting, or a PSU going bad.

Is the timing always consistent regardless of what you do (ie, is it always exactly 5 minutes; does doing nothing extend the time, doing heavy computation decrease the time)?

Draco

changing a jumper setting on the MB

from +5VSB (standby) for PS/2 or USB wake up events
to
+5V

seems to have done the trick

Of course now it doesn't switch off when I exit Windows - but that can be tomorrow's problem

Thanks for your input Draco