Need help diagnosing problem.

[Scourge]

Ok .... so if you press ESC .... your message get erased ......

 

Here it goes again.

 

System:

MSI k8n-neo plat. (purchased used in Jan. from trustworthy source)

s754 Athlon 64 3200+ (same as above)

bfg 6600gt oc (new in Jan)

2gb generic ram (1gb new a month ago, 1gb new last July)

200gb Maxtor Sata HD (new in Jan.)

SB audigy OEM (new in July)

D-link Wireless (new in July)

Antec Sonata case with 400w Smartpower PSU

 

History of problems:

Twice froze while playing CS in the past two months. Complete freeze, had to use reset button. Twice restarted while trying to start limewire. Not the only times I've run limewire, but the two times it crashed was while loading limewire. Acted as if i hit the restart button, no loss of power, just rebooted. Events seem random.

 

This morning:

Keyboard was not lit up(G15), seemed like comp was asleep though. Moved mouse and it acted as though I had just booted up(all the fans had been running though). Got just past the memcheck screen an froze. After hitting the restart button it got as far as the windows loading screen and restarts on it's own. After that it asked if I want safe mode each time, but won't go into windows.

 

Some of the votages seema little low(3.3 is at 3.24, 5 is at 4.94, Vcore was a touch low too, can't remember how much though). I'm not sure what the tolerances are. Temps are fine. I only O/C the vid card and not by much, it always goes back to stock speeds after I'm done with the game I'm playing.

 

I'm leaning towards PSU, but it doesn't seem quite right fot that. I'm low on funds for the next while so I can't just go replacing random things. I've pretty much only got one shot at it.

 

Anythoughts??

 

Thanks

-George -typing on a P3 800, w00t ......*don't hit ESC this time*

 

 

*Edit: It's a 450W PSU that's in there now*

Edited April 18, 2006 by Scourge

[NOFX]

The PSU doesn't sound that far off, but this catches my eye

 

2gb generic ram (1gb new a month ago, 1gb new last July)

 

different types of RAM... both generic.. Try only using one stick, then try using somelse's memory...

 

Edit: It's a 450W PSU that's in there now*

 

I had a horrible 400Watter.. If its generic, its crap.. Test your memory first, if no luck, try your buddies PSU.

[Scourge]

The PSU doesn't sound that far off, but this catches my eye

 

2gb generic ram (1gb new a month ago, 1gb new last July)

 

different types of RAM... both generic.. Try only using one stick, then try using somelse's memory...

 

Edit: It's a 450W PSU that's in there now*

 

I had a horrible 400Watter.. If its generic, its crap.. Test your memory first, if no luck, try your buddies PSU.

 

I didn't think of the ram, I'll give it a shot when I get home. Although I had at least one random restart before I got the second stick.

 

The PSU is still an Antec Smartpower, I just had the power rating wrong when I typed it out this morning.

 

Thanks for the idea.

 

-George

Edited April 18, 2006 by Scourge

[Scourge]

PSU takes the cake.

 

Tried with each stick of ram, still no go. Then tried unplugging my two 120mm case fans, 80mm fan I have on the north bridge, IDE HD, and the lights from the front of the case and she fired right up.

 

So, in retrospect ....all of the above mentioned, plus the hadware from my previous post and a zalmann vid card cooler can NOT be run on a 450w smartpower for more then a few months, lol.

 

Now I have to decide, Antec NeoHome 480w, or Liberty 500w? hmmm....decisions. Any input? Cujo? I'm going for quiet too, which is why I'm leaning towards the Antec, it controls the other fans in the system to keep the noise levels down.

 

Thanks for the help

 

-George

[Cobalt]

PSU takes the cake.

 

Tried with each stick of ram, still no go. Then tried unplugging my two 120mm case fans, 80mm fan I have on the north bridge, IDE HD, and the lights from the front of the case and she fired right up.

 

So, in retrospect ....all of the above mentioned, plus the hadware from my previous post and a zalmann vid card cooler can NOT be run on a 450w smartpower for more then a few months, lol.

 

Now I have to decide, Antec NeoHome 480w, or Liberty 500w? hmmm....decisions. Any input? Cujo? I'm going for quiet too, which is why I'm leaning towards the Antec, it controls the other fans in the system to keep the noise levels down.

 

Thanks for the help

 

-George

 

If you want silence the Antec Phantom takes the cake in that regard. The Enermax Noisetakers also minimize noise by independently controlling the fans. Antec and Enermax power supplies are both good performers and you wouldn't go wrong with either one of those power supplies. You are probably looking for something in the 500Watt range and you could also check out OCZ and there is always PC Power & Cooling (albeit much more pricey). I think its probably just going to be a cost thing with the psu you go with. Those power supplies are both good so get whichever one you can get cheapest.

[ScubaDan]

Ok .... so if you press ESC .... your message get erased ......

 

If you hit CTRL-Z all that typing magically reappears, unless you hit ESC twice (or more), then you're toast.

[Guest zerodamage]

Look over the capacitors to see if you see any leakage. This could also be a motherboard issue and a sure sign that things are going downhill are leaking capacitors.

[Cobalt]

Look over the capacitors to see if you see any leakage. This could also be a motherboard issue and a sure sign that things are going downhill are leaking capacitors.

 

 

Or even just bulged out. If the caps are bulged out its mean they popped and like zd said it's all downhill from there.

[Cujo]

if that psu is just a few months old it's definately still under warranty. i'd check with antec. it should power your stuff with out any issues. i've seen it power a lot more.

[Scourge]

The 450w PSU has been the victim of certain acts of ......stupidity. Lol, let's just say, I'm fine with replacing it.

 

I ordered in a NeoPower(not NeoHome....I was on crack) 480 to a local comp store, it'll be in on friday. It's got the bonus of a single 120mm fan, the modular cables(only use the connectors you need, unplug the rest), and it'll control the rest of my case fans based on case temps. I think it should cover my needs.

 

Thanks for the help all.

 

-George -Running with 1 hd unplugged, and 1 120mm fan unplugged

[Cujo]

good buy.

[Cobalt]

Make sure you plug in your video card to its own seperate power supply lead. Modular power supplies can tend to exhibit some loss in stable voltages if you chain a crapload of stuff together. The Antec one exhibits this a lot less then say an Ultra one but it could still happen.

[Scourge]

' date='Apr 19 2006, 03:54 PM' post='324776']

Make sure you plug in your video card to its own seperate power supply lead. Modular power supplies can tend to exhibit some loss in stable voltages if you chain a crapload of stuff together. The Antec one exhibits this a lot less then say an Ultra one but it could still happen.

 

 

Thanks for the tip.

 

 

-George

[Scourge]

Ok .... got the new PSU yesterday. It's sexy.

 

Last night ... comp crashed again. Once while playing CS. When this happens it just freezes. Nothing shuts off, it just completely locks up. I have to hit the restart button.

Then this morning it was dead again. G15 still lit up this time, locked at 3:15am and no response from the mouse or keyboard. Couldn't wake the comp up. Restart button did nothing.

Killed the power to the PSU, gave it a minute and tried again. It just wouldn't boot up at all, nothing on the screen whatsoever. The fans all spun up but no other response from the system.

 

Shut off the PSU main power and left. Just got back about 10 minutes ago and as soon as I turned on the PSU power the comp booted right up. I didn't touch the power switch on the front of the case, it just started on its own when I gave the PSU juice.

 

Ugh!! lol, It's really irritating because it's so intermittant.

 

Anybody have any more thoughts??

 

 

Thanks

-George

[Guest zerodamage]

Sounds like a serious heat issue. If you wait ten minutes and then it boots up, that is a def heat issue with something. Probably the mobo chipset or the CPU.

[Scourge]

Sounds like a serious heat issue. If you wait ten minutes and then it boots up, that is a def heat issue with something. Probably the mobo chipset or the CPU.

 

That's what I thoughit it could be. But it's not really happening when I use the computer(it's only crashed a couple times during CS, but not during any other high stress operations), the main crash when it stops working is when it's idling at night. And even after sitting for 5 hours in it's "crashed" state it wouldn't restart.

 

The temps are well within range. CPU sits around 36-38 idle, although it's in the mid 40's with this psu(it's keeping the fan speeds lower). It was around 42 while playing CS last night. The north bridge heatsink on this mobo sucks so I've got an 80mm fan on it all the time, it sits around 30.

GPU idles around 48 and peaks around 70 during CS.

 

Bah. I have a feeling it's the mobo, but only because that's my luck, lol.

 

Any way to test it?

 

-George

[Cobalt]

Hook up the old power supply to the unit and leave it connected like you had it before. Ie, whatever fans and such you had connected and disconnected, leave them that way. You want the most minimal amound of devices possible. Motherboard, HDD, ODD, Video card. Leave the side panel off of your case so everything stays cool. Once you do all that stuff start playing some games again. There is a chance that whatever problems you are having could be a result of a DOA power supply. Even with as good a track record as they have some are bound to be DOA.

[Cujo]

very random problem. maybe you can come over to my house sometime this week and i can have a look. i found with that cpu and mobo that sometimes if the heatsink moves a bit it won't make as good contact with the cpu even if temps are reading good.

[Scourge]

very random problem. maybe you can come over to my house sometime this week and i can have a look. i found with that cpu and mobo that sometimes if the heatsink moves a bit it won't make as good contact with the cpu even if temps are reading good.

 

 

Hey, thanks for the offer!

 

The CPU was actually running hotter today then it usually does. With this new info, I think I'll try reseating the HS. I've got AS5 and whatnot here so I'll give it a go. I've been trying to make it crash again, but no luck yet, lol. I've played CS, run 3dmarks CPU test (3 times over in a row). Run full 3dmark testing. This think is just so random.

 

I'll see if I can make it happen again, if I have no luck with it I may take you up on the offer Cujo. I'll even bring you some bubble tea!! (Tried it yet? lol)

 

Thanks all.

 

-George

[Cujo]

lol no bubble tea for me please. ya that sounds really random and weird. be very careful when you reseat the heatsink. if you look at the cpu you'll be able to see slight chips on the corners from me reseating it a few times. cpu will still work but the more chips the hotter it runs and more chance of damaging. i find the heatink moves around relatively easily on the cpu. it may just be a matter of sliding it around.

[Scourge]

Arrrgghhhh, now it's crashing during CS with massive arifacts and a scary squealing/chirping from the speakers ..... did it twice tonight. Once after about 30minutes of playtime and again a few minutes ago after about an hour and a half. GPU temps are fine ~58* tonight. I have a zalman vf700alcu on my 6600gt, it's been on it since february with no problems.

 

 

Arrghhhhh

-George -time for a new computer .... again.