Here's my current config:

AMD Athalon XP 2100+ (OEM)
VisionTek GeForce 4 Ti4200
Kingston ValueRAM 512 PC2100 (DDR266)
VeiwSonic E70 Monitor
Gigabyte 7VRXP Mobo
Maxtor 541dx 5400RPM 20 Gig HDD
Maxtor d740x-6L 7200RPM 40 Gig HDD
Thermaltake Volcano 6 Cu+ HSF
Antec 350W PSU
5 80mm Case Fans
Zip 100 Drive
Ricoh DVD/CD-R/CD-RW
Generic 52x CD-ROM
OEM FDD


First of all I am an A+ Technician and quite used to solving my own problems, so this is a last resort. I appear to have a dead system, but i cannot figure out what or why this happend. Within the last week I have replaced my cpu, mobo, and ram after a very similar event happend. After my last dead system relpacing these components fixed the proplem. But last night my pc shut down, not restarted, but shut down. Thinking it was a software issue by mistake I booted my computer and after a few minutes it shut off again. This repeated itself untill the system refused to boot at all. Now, the powercomes on and the drives spin, but there is no video and no beeps from the bios. I have checked all the connections and everything is seated properly. I have even striped the whole system to the bare necessities for booting (CPU, HSF, Video, keyboard, monitior, PSU, FDD). I have switched the power supply for one that I know is working as well as the video card. None of this had any effect. The only things that I couldn't change were the mobo, cpu, and mem (becaouse I have nothing to switch them with). This happening so soon after it happened only a matter of weeks ago has me worrried (except then there was no spontanius shut-downs and I think I am the culprit of that incident). This time I was not tinkering with the computer. There was also a faint electrical smell after the shutdown, but i couldn't find anything after opening the case. I am at my rope's end and I don't know what to do next. Any help would be greatly appreciated. None of the components were over clocked.:confused:

Welcome to http://www.pcguide.com/ubb/pcgubb.gif

Well, I am an amateur so take this with that in mind. The faint electrical smell and process you describe would make me wonder about a short that has fried the mobo. I am not sure why it would continue to boot for a while, but it is possible that the damage was simply accumulating. Others with more knowledge will follow.

Budfred

Listen to Budfred.
It sounds like the MB has grounded out, and may be fried.

However, before replacing it, make sure the PS is putting out the correct voltages.
If the PS is ok, then check to see if any of the MB ciruit traces are contacting the metal standoffs and screws, or if a stray screw or other metal object dropped behind the MB.
If it's the former, then use paper washers between the standoffs, screws, and the MB. Manila file folder paper is excellent for this purpose.

thanks for the comments, I'm going to replace the mobo and the psu. The power supply seems to be causeing random problems and the mobo seems to be fried. Perhaps the psu is what caused my first dead system as well. Does anyone know of a very reliable PSU? I'm getting tired of problems I can't solve.

There is a great review on power supplies here:

http://www.tomshardware.com/

Budfred

now why didn't i think of that....i love that site...thanks