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Fuzz · Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 4:18 pm Post subject: problems with my system

OK, home computer, a bit long in the tooth, but I'd like to keep it working for now. P4 Northwood on Asus P4P800. I had 1 gig of ram, 2 sticks and it worked fine. About 3 months ago I put in 2 more sticks, so 2 gigs, 4 sticks. 5 months ago upgraded video card.

In the past few weeks, I have had weird booting issues. It will start to boot to windows, then the screen goes black. I have to 4-second power button it down. reset doesn't work. Sometimes, it will come back and boot fine, but this week it won't even bios beep on restart. Then a couple more power cycles and it will work, but after POST the system says BIOS reset to defaults. It then boots to windows fine.

There have been a few times when watching movies that it freezes, but not often. Not sure if related.

So I just ran memtest86, and it goes for about about a minute, then freezes. The really weird part is during this time, 2 or 3 times, I actually get POST beeps. After the last set, memtest freezes completely. I have tried pulling it down to 1 stick of ram, but same results. I should check to see if those beep codes are decipherable . . .

So I figure either mobo, processor, or powersupply dying. My first desire would be the power supply, since If I need to replace other stuff, I'd need a new one anyway. It is 380 watt Antec.

Any ideas?
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Hammer_Time · Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 5:09 pm Post subject:

Sure sounds like a failing power supply... had an old system act exactly the same, replaced power supply and fixed.

The other thing it might be is if your capacitors on the mobo are starting to leak...

Most likely it is the psu by the sounds of it.

Good luck!!
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Fuzz · Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 6:42 pm Post subject:

So this is why I love computers. . . because they do things that make soooo much sense and always give clear answers when they mess up.

I was reading that my board beeps to count USB devices .. .so I decided to unplug them all. No beeps. memetest runs fine! So I just spent 1/2 hour with different USB devices in different ports, doesn't matter what or where, ANY usb devices causes memtest to freeze at about 90% through the third test.

Fortunately I have a PCI USB card, I plugged stuff into that, and everything works fine. So my USB controller must be dying a slow odd death, whereby it does weird ass shit, but once it is running in windows, has no symptoms. Computers are grand. Guess I'll let this limp along for a bit, but I better start system hunting . . and I just got this AGP video card! Gahhh

I gotta say though, I'm getting good at diagnosing obscure shit.
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TAViX · Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 7:25 pm Post subject:

H.T. Is right. It's power related. Can be a faulty power source, can be some capacitors on the mobo... If I were you I would check on the detail all the capacitors on the mobo, and also on the PSU. The ones on the mobo are difficult to replace, but the one on the PSU you can do it very easily. Wink

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Fuzz · Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 6:03 am Post subject:

Scratch that. Although it past memtest without freezing, it failed to boot properly this morning. I guess I'll start with the power supply, although I still think the mobo may be dying. Hope I have time to go shopping . . .

I'll take a look at caps, too.
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Fuzz · Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 11:26 am Post subject:

What is my best power supply choice for under $100 from this store?

http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/Computers(ME)/ComputerComponents(ME)/PowerSupplies(ME)/StandardATXPS(ME)/Default.aspx

I want something quite. I will use it in my new system if I need to replace my mobo ect, but I don't plan on building a beast of a machine, so i don't think I need huge watts. Any advice?
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DIREWOLF75 · Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 11:41 am Post subject:

Wouldnt buy Thermaltake or OCZ, but the rest are just all quality names. Antec, Enermax, Silverstone, FSP, Corsair, Sparkle etc etc...
Hard to say which one is the better.
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STBTechAL655 · Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 12:10 pm Post subject:

I think this Corsair will do nicely: http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX22031(ME).aspx

Or this Antec: http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX18430(ME).aspx

Anything above 400W is overkill, even if you replace the system afterwards, if you don't plan to install some monster VGA card and 8 HDDs, any of those will do. But I think the Corsair is preferable, larger fan thus surely quieter. A friend of mine has 5 HDDs, an OCed E4300 and an GTX 260 running on a 450W corsair, so that 400W will last you for many years.
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Fuzz · Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 2:21 pm Post subject:

Ok, I was considering that corsair. Wasn't sure on their quality, but the big fan is a good idea.
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DIREWOLF75 · Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 3:27 pm Post subject:

Sauron_Daz · Moderator Joined: 31 Dec 1969 Posts: 22639

What a list...the only thing that went bad on me was a PSU that sparked and smoked upon first boot, destroying only itself and not the rest of the newly bought items, fortunatly.. I do remember a failing PC that had trouble accepting a DVD player in combination with a CD writer of a different brand long ago, but I must say that failing hardware is a thing of recent experience: especially memory modules dying starting with the increase of module size beyond 512 KB. (so far on PC's that are not mine, but in recent months, never before), either DDR1 or DDR2..
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o'h3nry · Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 3:53 pm Post subject:

Dire, if you don't mind, what are your bad experiences with Thermaltake PSU's? I'm curious because I haven't seen reviews that rank them badly... Of course, perhaps I haven't seen enough reviews! Confused

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tranzistorx · Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 4:21 pm Post subject:

DIREWOLF75 · Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 4:31 pm Post subject:

DIREWOLF75 · Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 4:45 pm Post subject:

ford442 · Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 5:16 pm Post subject:

i just bought a Corsair TX650 with my new system - fine cables and cooling - it even came in a little cloth satchel.. Smile

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Hammer_Time · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 1:10 am Post subject:

Well, from Fuzz's link

http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/Computers(ME)/ComputerComponents(ME)/PowerSupplies(ME)/StandardATXPS(ME)/Default.aspx

The Corsair 400W that STB chose will do nicely:

Fuzz · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 4:45 am Post subject:

Well I may just have to use this PSU in a new system if it is something other than the PS. Would this have enough power for a dual core machine with a mid range gfx card?

I don't want to have to buy another PSU in a few weeks!

Maybe I should step up to the 450 watt one?

http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX18183(ME).aspx
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STBTechAL655 · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 5:26 am Post subject:

Considering the price difference, I think you should get the 450W one... it's the same that my friend has, and the PC that PSU runs is - 5 HDDs, E4300 OCed at 3GHz and a GTX 260 OC. So I think it will run any DC or QC CPU and a midrange GPU, plus a miriad of hard drives. Smile

Here, use this for peace of mind: http://extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp
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gilesgraphics · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 6:10 am Post subject:

Not so sure it is the PSU try and test it with one from another computer.
I built a CAD machine using the deluxe version of this board years ago.. I have recently got it back for repair and it had the exact same issues as this.
Replaced everything including PSU with known good parts I use for testing.
Turns out it is power related but it's the power stage of the motherboard itself which has the problem.
It has been consigned to the bin and a new machine built.
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