220-802 · Question #181
A user reports that the desktop PC shuts down 10 minutes after turning it on in the morning. When the technician moves the PC, it sounds like there are loose parts sliding around in the case. Which…
The correct answer is C. The heat sink retaining clip has broken loose. The two clues here work together: the rattling sound of a loose component inside the case, and a thermal shutdown occurring after a predictable warm-up period (~10 minutes). A heat sink that has broken free from the CPU retaining clip will rattle around inside the case and will…
Question
A user reports that the desktop PC shuts down 10 minutes after turning it on in the morning. When the technician moves the PC, it sounds like there are loose parts sliding around in the case. Which of the following is the MOST likely explanation for the PC shutting down?
Options
- AThe CMOS battery is bad.
- BA memory module has become unseated.
- CThe heat sink retaining clip has broken loose.
- DThe hard drive cable has become unseated.
How the community answered
(28 responses)- A14% (4)
- B7% (2)
- C75% (21)
- D4% (1)
Explanation
The two clues here work together: the rattling sound of a loose component inside the case, and a thermal shutdown occurring after a predictable warm-up period (~10 minutes). A heat sink that has broken free from the CPU retaining clip will rattle around inside the case and will no longer be seated on the CPU. Without proper contact, the CPU overheats rapidly, and the motherboard's thermal protection circuit triggers an automatic shutdown to prevent damage. A bad CMOS battery causes clock/BIOS setting loss, not shutdowns. Unseated RAM or drive cables would typically cause immediate boot failures or crashes, not temperature-dependent shutdowns.
Topics
Community Discussion
No community discussion yet for this question.