My PC keeps powering up by itself.

[Race Idiot]

Ok, my PC is plugged into a wall socket and that is turned on. But the PC's power is off, but if I leave the power switch on at the mains, the PC keeps turning itself on.

Totally.

Anyway, it did this a couple of times when I built it, but this stopped happening for a long time. Also the case is about 5 years old ATX one from my previous PII slot 1 computer although it has a different powersupply (300W, can't remember the brand).

Gigabyte http://tw.giga-byte.com/products/6oxt.htm motherboard.
1ghz processor FPCGA 370(overclocked to 1.1ghz, although I reset it back to normal because of this)
1 256 133mhz dimm
2 128 133mhz dimm
Small ass 20gb Maxtor drive
Geforce 2 64mb (I don't play PC games)
Sigmatel Internal sound (Same reason)
Intel Pro 10/100 NIC
3Com 56k modem.
40x Speed Lite on CD-Rom
8x 4x 32x HP CD-RW
Standard 1.44 floppy disk drive.

It started happening after I tested a friends 600mhz processor to see if it was working, to do this requires me to remove most of the connections to the motherboard (IDE cables, ATX power connector, HDD light and power switch cables etc) .

Also the processors voltage seems to be registering as over the safe limit, but only in the windows monitoring program. In the Bios it does not report this.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[rjensen11]

What OS do you have? In most Windows OS's, they have options to have your computer boot up at a specific time, then shut down at a specific time, I think. Either that, or possibly a setting changed from power down to hybernate(not sleep, hybernating is when your data in your memory goes onto your hard drive, then it powers down, then everything restores when you turn it back on.)
There could be a scheduled task or something that might be your problem. If you don't have any scheduled tasks that would be your problem, try contacting Microsoft or the company that made your OS.

 

[Race Idiot]

The machine is running W2K with SP3.
Although I don't think that has anything to do with it, because I always disable standby and hibernate (but I think hybernate is only available on XP).

I have checked the ACPI power settings on the motherboard and there isn't a 'Power on the pc at random intervals' option in the list.

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Originally posted by Race Idiot
I have checked the ACPI power settings on the motherboard and there isn't a 'Power on the pc at random intervals' option in the list.

... but is there a 'wake on LAN' in there?

If it happens with the network cable unplugged, then your machine has issues, but otherwise, it sounds like there's a spike coming in from your hub/switch/router and that's causing the machine to boot.

 

[Race Idiot]

Yeah I usually leave the network cable out of the the machine. Although the modem is always plugged in. I just realised that the PC speaker connector wires are frayed, but I haven't hooked that up.

The thing is that it only started happening when I tested out my friends processor in my machine.

 

[Acid X]

Just leave it on.

 

[Race Idiot]

It's too noisy.

 

[Viper_Maniac]

Then get some new fans.

 

[Race Idiot]

I don't like paying for PC equipment.

 

[NocturnalPS]

Have you tried to reset your CMOS? You might have something turned on in there thats causing it to turn on. If not that then maybe your powersupply has some kind of evil spirit living in it and you just might need to get a new one

 

[Race Idiot]

Whoa, I was suprised i'm still signed in on this machine.

Anyway i'm using the machine at the moment and the motherboards utility is giving out a warning about the processors voltage being too high. Only thing is that I have tried reseting the cmos several times, that was one of the first things I did and I know most of the CMOS setup options off by heart now. Maybe you are right about the powersupply thing, although I would like to try another PSU before I go out and buy a super duper new one.

Although my mum said the computer was haunted by our great aunt, mind you she said that about the dodgy hoover.

 

[NocturnalPS]

What did i tell you. Its haunted. Get a power supply from a store where you know you can bring it back and get a full refund. In case it does not solve your problem

 

[rjensen11]

It's beyond my knowledge, I wish you much luck!

 

[Race Idiot]

Originally posted by NocturnalPS
What did i tell you. Its haunted. Get a power supply from a store where you know you can bring it back and get a full refund. In case it does not solve your problem

Hmm might do that, shame we don't have any decent power supplys at work or I would have nabbed a spare one. We only have spare IBM units and I don't think they are 300w, although maybe the P4 ones might be.

Looks like I might have to take a trip down to computer exchange.

Stop laughing at me!

 

[NocturnalPS]

Originally posted by Race Idiot
Hmm might do that, shame we don't have any decent power supplys at work or I would have nabbed a spare one. We only have spare IBM units and I don't think they are 300w, although maybe the P4 ones might be.

Looks like I might have to take a trip down to computer exchange.

Stop laughing at me!

Sounds like a plan.

Stop laughing at me!

Im not laughing at you. Im laughing with you.