My PC shuts down by itself a few seconds after startup.

Question

Hello,

Since yesterday, I have been having issues with my Vaio laptop (VPCEJ2C5E): it suddenly shuts down without warning, either during the Windows startup or a few minutes after (Windows loads, the desktop appears normally, I surf the internet a bit and bam)!
I cleaned the fan not long ago and the computer doesn't have time to heat up before it shuts down.
BUT, after a few startup attempts when the problem occurred, I heard a strange noise like "clack clack clack" (hard to describe a sound in writing), probably an element of the computer that has failed! How can I check what it is?
If it was the fan, could that cause the sudden shutdown of the PC like what I’m experiencing?

I don't have many other ideas regarding the cause of this problem, so if you have any leads, I’m interested. Here are some additional details if that can help:

Config: Intel Core i5 2430M CPU @2.4 GHz
Ram: Ballistix Sport SO-DIMM 8 Go (2 x 4 Go) DDR3L 1866 MHz CL10
Crucial MX300 750 Go SSD
Windows 10 64-bit Home edition version 1607

Note that at the beginning of August, I replaced my old HDD with a new SSD, changed the RAM modules from 6 to 8Go, and migrated my OS from Windows 7 to Windows 10 before doing a clean installation of Windows 10. That said, everything was working perfectly until yesterday. I should mention that in the meantime I traveled, so the PC which usually stays on my desk moved a bit. I checked the hard drive connections just in case, but it doesn’t seem to be coming from there.

Have a nice day!

poparnassus · Accepted Answer

A clack clack clack could be a failure of the hard drive... Is there a little high-pitched whistling?

The RAM, does it work or not? If it doesn't work, your computer won't start.

Normally, if it's the fan, it should overheat and show you a blue screen.

Test with your old hard drive, and check your connections!

SystemNO3 · Answer

Hi poparnassus, thanks for your reply.
Okay for the RAM, good to know.
No high-pitched whistling, and the noise was brief; after that, nothing, total silence! Could an SSD cause that kind of thing? It really made me think of something spinning, but it might just be my imagination. No blue screen, in any case.
I'm on vacation for almost three weeks, sigh, I'll test it with my old hard drive when I get back!

SystemNO3 · Answer

I took the PC to a computer repair shop, and he tried to boot it from a CD or USB drive without the hard drive, but the same problem occurs, so it's not the hard drive's fault.
He can't tell me where the issue is coming from, so I'm stuck here.
What tests can I perform to find out more? It would hurt to just throw the computer away without being 100% sure that the motherboard is dead or that it can’t be repaired for a reasonable budget!

SystemNO3 · Answer

@Poparnassus: when you say "Disconnect your CD drive power + data cable", is it to measure the temperature or during the thermal paste change?

Thanks for the link to the software, it's exactly what I need.
Unfortunately, the repairman I took my PC to "did nothing", except since going to him I no longer have my desktop when Windows 10 opens: the start menu, Cortana, and notifications no longer open when clicked, all the shortcuts from my taskbar have disappeared, so I no longer have access to programs and therefore can't test the temperature... Yay! :(

SystemNO3 · Answer

Hooray, my PC is reviving!
Back home, I reconnected the old HDD, and the PC shut down after two minutes like before.
I took it apart to check the references of the fan, and surprise: a small piece of tape had gotten stuck in the fan and had surely blocked it, causing overheating... I reassembled everything (except for the CD drive; I'll put it back soon hoping it doesn't change anything), and the fan is running again, my PC no longer shuts down.
(For the record, I had the "great idea" a while ago to use a piece of tape to fix the broken plastic minijack port... it must have fallen into the PC and ended up in the fan during my last move!)
Cost of the operation: 0 euros... and to think that the "computer repairman" suggested I throw it away and buy a new one!

Thank you for your responses, in any case.
So I bought thermal paste and will probably take the opportunity to change it.

Have a good day!

My PC shuts down by itself a few seconds after startup.

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