Here is my computer: http://fryssupport.net/fm7740.cfm
It works perfectly and I am very happy with it. Three days ago a
friend told me about Skype and I grabbed the software, bought a webcam
(well, two of them actually, read on!), and was having a lot of fun
using it and communicating with her in Japan.
I was about 5 minutes into my first video conference when the computer
just shuts off! Not a Windows Shut Down -- this was WHAM -- over and
out.
Figuring I pulled a cord loose when installing the Logitech USB
Webcam, I pushed all the cords back in and double checked -- all good.
Relaunch and start Skype... about 2 minutes into a video conference
and WHAM... shuts off again.
I have repeated the test a few times -- even went out and bought a
different Webcam (Creative, this time) and had the exact same problem.
When I am not using Skype everything is fine -- no shut downs and the
thing just hums along. I have the camera (back to the Logitech) still
plugged into the Externally Powered USB Hub.
What I've tried:
- This computer only has a 350W power supply as you can see in the
specs. Thinking that maybe it didn't like the extra draw of the
camera (what are we talking here, .1A??), I unplugged one of the
systems FOUR fans and ran the tests. WHAM -- shut off after 4 minutes
of Skype.
- Originally the USB Webcam was directly into the computer's USB port.
I then tried plugging it into my Externally Powered USB Hub. No
change in the problem.
- Switched from a Logitech to Creative Webcam. No change in the problem.
- Have uninstalled and reinstalled webcam software and Skype (with
Norton Internet Security disabled)-- No change in the problem.
- Went out to the computer in my office and installed the webcam
software and webcams (both of them) and SKYPE and it's all working
perfectly. Problem is isolated to this computer.
Comments? Answers?
Thanks.
Barry Friedman |
Request for Question Clarification by
sublime1-ga
on
24 Jan 2006 22:42 PST
Hi Barry...
I'm using Windows 2000, but XP should have similar settings
in the same areas. See if this setting makes a difference:
R-click My Computer, go to the Advanced tab, click in the
Startup & Recovery area on the Startup & Recovery button.
Under System Failure, uncheck the box next to Automatically
Reboot.
This should allow you something of a grace period, and
permit an error message to be displayed. Make a note of
any error messages you receive and duplicate them exactly
in a post here.
Whether you do that or not, and whether it helps or not,
you may also be able to glean some useful error messages
by right-clicking on My Computer and selecting Manage.
Expand the Event Viewer, and look at any messages under
Application and System around the time of the shutdowns.
If you need to duplicate the experiment, do that, and
make a note of the exact time the PC shuts down. Then
look in the Event Viewer for messages occurring at that
time.
Let me know where this takes you...
sublime1-ga
|
Clarification of Question by
raspyni-ga
on
25 Jan 2006 05:40 PST
Thank you Sublime,
News: This morning the computer was off! Last night after posting
the question I left the camera plugged in and SKYPE turned off! I
hadn't run that test over night before. So, I'm feeling less like it
is a SKYPE-caused problem and something only pertaining to the camera.
Typically I leave the computer turned on all the time and the camera
unplugged over night.
I unchecked the AUTOMATICALLY RESTART in the advanced tab. FYI, the
computer does NOT restart after it stops! It just turns itself off
and that's it until I push the power button again.
There are no errors in the Manage log. Lots of 'Information' entries
from last night before bed (SecurityCenter, Userenv, ccProxy,
ccSetMgr,SNDsrvc,SPBBCSvc) and then similar ones this morning at 5:15
when I turned it back on. See the screen shot at:
http://www.raspyni.com/images/Manage_Screen.jpg .
Thank you and I look forward to your next suggestion.
Barry
|
Request for Question Clarification by
sublime1-ga
on
25 Jan 2006 10:33 PST
Curiouser and curiouser...
I see nothing in the Application log that looks off. Did you
also check the System log? For something like this, I would
expect the error to show there.
Since you've experienced this with 2 brands of webcam, it
does make the power supply suspect. The only way I know to
actively monitor your voltages is with a piece of freeware
called Motherboard Monitor:
http://mbm.livewiredev.com/
It's something of a challenge to set up, but once you get
it going, you can set it to give alarms for values less than
what you set up, and can have it write a log of activity.
It might be that your power supply voltages are below specs
to begin with, and the camera somehow pushes the system over
the edge over time. If a critical voltage such as the CPU
voltage goes too low, it might cause the kind of shutdown
you're describing, rather than a Windows error message and
a reboot, as you might expect.
Beyond that, I'm not sure what to tell you...
sublime1-ga
|
