dc7100 power failure issue

I have a dc7100 small form factor PC (running Windows XP SP2).

Sometimes it just turns itself off without warning, as if the power
cable had been yanked out. (I have of course checked that all
connections are secure and have tried a different power cable).

I am sure this is nothing to do with any software running, because
there have been occasions when it shuts down like this before it's
even got as far as booting up.

I suspect this is probably a failing PSU. However, since it is not a
generic PSU, I can't just try a different PSU for a while to see if my
suspicions are correct. I don't want to go to the expense of a new PSU
until I am confident it is the problem.

The other possibility that occurs to me is that perhaps a motherboard
fault might be telling the PSU to shut down (ie. to behave as if the
power button has been held in for several seconds).

Anyone have any suggestions as to how to narrow down where this fault
is?

Clive Backham wrote:
> I have a dc7100 small form factor PC (running Windows XP SP2).
>
> Sometimes it just turns itself off without warning, as if the power
> cable had been yanked out. (I have of course checked that all
> connections are secure and have tried a different power cable).
>
> I am sure this is nothing to do with any software running, because
> there have been occasions when it shuts down like this before it's
> even got as far as booting up.
>
> I suspect this is probably a failing PSU. However, since it is not a
> generic PSU, I can't just try a different PSU for a while to see if my
> suspicions are correct. I don't want to go to the expense of a new PSU
> until I am confident it is the problem.
>
> The other possibility that occurs to me is that perhaps a motherboard
> fault might be telling the PSU to shut down (ie. to behave as if the
> power button has been held in for several seconds).
>
> Anyone have any suggestions as to how to narrow down where this fault
> is?

are you sure the CPU fan is cooling the CPU sufficiently? Try to
increase the fan speed in BIOS. If it then reboots, you will need to
return to your old hypothesis of either PSU or mainboard.

Unfortunately I cannot give you any help for this.

Christian