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Author Topic: Common Ailment of the Phantom Computer  (Read 651 times)

Offline OOZ662

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Common Ailment of the Phantom Computer
« on: February 15, 2008, 10:11:16 AM »
Every computer I've owned, around the 4th year they begin to refuse to turn off. As soon as the power is dropped, the system will wait a fraction of a second before starting up again (directly into a fresh POST). After a while this causes a BIOS Wide-Range Protection Error that you can simply skip without harm. When using the switch on the power supply to keep it off, turning the switch back on makes the computer jump to life even though BIOS is set to stay off when AC is restarted.

My question is, what's headed south when all this starts up?
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A Rook who first flew 09/26/03 at the age of 13, has been a GL in 10+ Scenarios, and was two-time Points and First Annual 68KO Cup winner of the AH Extreme Air Racing League.

Offline Fulmar

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Common Ailment of the Phantom Computer
« Reply #1 on: February 15, 2008, 12:31:07 PM »
Every computer?  I've heard of similar problems like this before, but its limited to one computer per person per lifetime.

I think its time for you to become Amish.  Technology hates you.
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Offline MrRiplEy[H]

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Common Ailment of the Phantom Computer
« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2008, 12:34:08 PM »
I'ts called VID (Venereal Internet Disease) and you get it after surfing too many pr0n sites.
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Offline OOZ662

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Common Ailment of the Phantom Computer
« Reply #3 on: February 15, 2008, 04:35:59 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by Fulmar
I think its time for you to become Amish.  Technology hates you.


Too bad, seeing as I'm well on my way to starting a college education based upon it. :D

I've only owned 3, and one was an already far outdated Dell to hold me until I could build the current one.
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Offline Krusty

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Common Ailment of the Phantom Computer
« Reply #4 on: February 15, 2008, 04:54:11 PM »
Bad motherboard battery? 4 years might do it...
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Offline Fulmar

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Common Ailment of the Phantom Computer
« Reply #5 on: February 15, 2008, 05:22:25 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by Krusty
Bad motherboard battery? 4 years might do it...


The CR2032 that power the motherboard batteries should last longer than 4 years.  Manganese Dioxide (CR) Lithium batteries have a shelf life of 10+ years.  At the 5 year point they are still at 95% of their original capacity.  Granted this is shelf life and not in use life, memory back up doesn't require a lot of power and I've taken CR2032's out of systems that are 10 years old and have voltages above 3.2 volts.  Perhaps if the CPU remained unplugged for several years, but not every day use.

A good ole volt meter will tell you the tale of how good your battery is.  (CR) Lithium batteries range from 3.25-3.31 volts when brand new.  Around 3.1 volts or so you may experience some problems.  3.05 volts and below is pretty much dead.
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Offline Krusty

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Common Ailment of the Phantom Computer
« Reply #6 on: February 15, 2008, 05:31:05 PM »
If you have a multi-meter, or even hardware sensors on your mobo, you could see if the PSU is failing.

I remember once (many eons ago) I had a 286 that went wonky when turning it on, then finally stopped. Was the PSU.

Granted, this was about 1993 or something, and things have changed a lot since then....
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Offline Fulmar

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Common Ailment of the Phantom Computer
« Reply #7 on: February 15, 2008, 06:07:06 PM »
I used to have a Dell Dimension L466c desktop a few years ago that used to always reboot instead of a complete shut down if I went to Start -> Shut Down.  Had to hold the power button down.  Did it for about a week before it somehow fixed itself.
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Offline DREDIOCK

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Common Ailment of the Phantom Computer
« Reply #8 on: February 15, 2008, 07:42:08 PM »
A computer that refuses to turn off.

If only we had such problems with women
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Offline OOZ662

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Common Ailment of the Phantom Computer
« Reply #9 on: February 15, 2008, 09:10:31 PM »
It's started randomly turning itself on now. I shut it down, watched it for around a minute and it stayed off. Came back a few hours later to the Welcome screen.

Seems a handy feature of my BIOS is not to show voltages, but to just say they're OK. Gonna look into an old program to see if I can get them. I disabled Wake on LAN to see if that helps.
« Last Edit: February 15, 2008, 09:16:21 PM by OOZ662 »
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Offline FBplmmr

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Common Ailment of the Phantom Computer
« Reply #10 on: February 16, 2008, 09:45:58 AM »
A similar thing happened to my pc several years ago.


I replaced the power switch- the problem went away.
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