I've got a home assembled PC about 18 months old. Asus motherboard with an
Athlon dual core processor.

For the last few months it's been shutting down at random. Thinking it
was the PS replaced it. No improvement.

It seemed to be at least slightly heat related or possibly peak energy -
it only seemed to happen after the machine had been on for some time and
when actually in use - usually coincident with a key press, etc.

Wondering if it was the processor overheating I removed the heatsink/fan
and to my delight found the thermal transfer compound was dry. Cleaned it
off, replaced with new and great - it then worked perfectly for a couple
of months.

Then the same fault came back. But the paste is fine. On fixing back the
heatsink and it once more worked ok for a while. Then the same fault. Put
some weight on the heatsink or wiggle it and it will usually fire up.
So I'm thinking poor connection in the socket? Dry joint? Broken track?

I remember the processor being very stiff to fit - so wonder just how I'd
get it out to check without doing damage?

Any other guesses?

--
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Dave Plowman London SW
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