Why does my PC switch itself off at random times ?

[theblairwitch]

Apart from being thwarted with a burning issue at the moment: Here (http://www.thedvdforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=309845)

I am being plagued by a far worse PC problem. Running Windows Me (I know, I know !) on a HP Pavilion bought 3 years ago (refurbished from Morgan - again - a glutton for punishment !).

However the problem is the computer switches itself off with a "thunk" and the power LED flashes green sporadically. This can be after 2 hours being on, 2 days - or far more annoyingly 2 seconds. Its completely random - certainly isn't a virus of any kind. Did a complete rebuild - wiped everything and used the recovery discs and it can happen again straight away.

Thinking it might be a power pack problem - bought a new one (which handily didn't fit the machine at all) and then came across what was a cable that was not plugged into anything from my exisiting power pack.

A few years back it was sent back to Morgan when it kept on crashing (memory problem apparantly) and hasn't been opened since (apart from recently to plug in the DVD burner) and the problem didn't happen before it was returned back to me (so naively think this might be the source) - so at the moment I'm completely stumped where this wire should go - or if indeed it needs to go anywhere and is just auxillary to another device that I haven't got...

It runs from the power pack itself - has a small 4 pin connector. It is labelled P8 (P6 runs to the writer - P7 to another DVD drive, Hard Drive is labelled HDD - this might be generic wiring or standard I don't know) and has wiring that goes:

BLUE BLACK BLACK YELLOW

A reward shall be offered (one of those nice shiny disc things that we all seem to like !) if its just a case of me (or more to the point Morgan) being a muppet and its simply a case of "plug this into there and your computer will never switch off again" and it works ! Somehow I think it might be a little bit more involved than that though :D

Anyroad - ANY help VERY gratefully received.

Cheers :)

[homerjhandley]

do you have a picture?

[theblairwitch]

Not at the mo - but obviously that will be very necessary to would-be helpers !

As soon as it switches off again - I'll get snappy.

Cheers.

[Crazy Squirrel]

Hmm, I think thats HP's own connector, i.e. it isn't standard.

Found this on a PSU site:
"..P8 4 pin video power connector. In most cases the P8 connector is not connected to anything.."
and this on another forum:
"The P8 connector is a standard +12 volt connector for expansions like extra cd-rom drive or hdd"

[theblairwitch]

Cheers Crazy Squirrel - many thanks - at least its not that then !

I think it might have to make its way to a repairer...

[infestedsicness]

Are the wires arranged in a square?? Like :: ?? Because I had an AMD board for a while, and it didnt have one of these, but then I got a P4 board and there was somewhere to plug it in. The first time I built my computer it wouldn't turn on properly, so maybe it does need plugging in??? If it is a square thing, have a look near the ATX socket on your motherboard, there will be a little socket for that wire. If not then ignore me completely.

[theblairwitch]

Cheers <b>infestedsicness</b> - the arrangement is just a line .... like that.

I think there is a slot on my motherboard for a :: configuration though (with nothing plugged into it) - so maybe that is a issue...

[theblairwitch]

Up for the night owls :)

[vulture]

What you could try doing is reseating the memory to see if that makes a difference.