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Possible PSU problem


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#1
mcsmc

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I'm having issues with my computer and wondering if the power supply could be at fault (either failing, or not sufficient for my system). My current specs:

Demon Silver Chrome ATX 480W max PSU
AMD Athlon XP 2600+ clocked normal (2.08 GHz)
1 GB RAM
Pioneer DVD +/-RW
Floppy disk drive
3 Western Digital IDE hard drives - 1 250GB and 2 160GB's
Not sure about the mb
ATI Radeon 9250
2 Ethernet cards (1 integrated into the mb, the other added in a PCI slot)
Creative Soundblaster Live! sound card
I also have 2 devices plugged into USB:
A printer (has a separate power adaptor)
An APC that uses the USB for feedback purposes

My computer issues didn't start until I added the third hard drive, so that's why I'm wondering. I noticed in another thread the recommendation to use SpeedFan, and while I have no idea what they mean, I used it anyway, so I can post the results in the hopes that maybe someone that CAN decipher it can help. If it's not my power supply, then I really don't know what to do. I'm confident that I'm virus/trojan/malware free.

SpeedFan results:

(Readings)

Win9x:NO 64Bit:NO GiveIO:YES SpeedFan:YES
I/O properly initialized
Linked ISA BUS at $0290
Linked VIA VT8235 SMBUS at $5000
Scanning ISA BUS at $0290...
Winbond W83697HF (ID=$60) found on ISA at $290
SuperIO Chip=Winbond W83697HF
Scanning VIA SMBus at $5000...
SMART Enabled for drive 0
Found WDC WD1600JB-22GVC0 (160.0GB)
SMART Enabled for drive 1
Found WDC WD2500JB-00GVC0 (250.1GB)
SMART Enabled for drive 2
Found WDC WD1600JB-00FUA0 (160.0GB)
Found ACPI temperature (40.5C)
End of detection

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#2
Retired Tech

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Check for updated video card drivers

Click start then run, type prefetch then press enter, click edit then select all, right click any file then click delete, confirm delete

Click start, all programmes, accessories, system tools to run disc clean up, then from system tools, run disc defragmenter.

Click start then run, type sfc /scannow then press enter, you will need the XP CD

System File Check will display an onscreen blue progress bar, when the bar goes, reboot.

Click start then run, type chkdsk /f /r then press enter, type Y to confirm for next boot, press enter then reboot.

Windows will appear to load normally then either the monitor will show progress or the screen will go blank, do not disturb this. This will take an hour or so before it gets to the desktop.

When it gets to the desktop, the system files and the hard drive will be as they should and you can check for any improvement


This will rule out another couple of things which can also cause the crashes
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#3
mcsmc

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I'll get right on that, Keith. Thanks for the tips. Oh, and as to updated video card drivers, I've already done that. Heh.

Edited by mcsmc, 08 March 2006 - 04:39 AM.

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#4
Retired Tech

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This is optional but worth a look once you get the checks out of the way then you can look at other reasons if necessary

Download, install and run Tune Up 2006 Trial

Run Tune Up disc clean up

Run Tune Up registry clean up

Click Optimize and Improve to run Reg Defrag, the screen will lose colour during the process which can take a few minutes and then needs a reboot

Those will have cleared the drive of obsolete software errors

These are suggestions for making the most of the free trial

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to optimize the computer, select computer with an internet connection from the drop down menu, this also requires a reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to accelerate downloads, select the speed just above your actual connection speed, this requires a reboot.

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to run system advisor

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#5
mcsmc

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Looks like I have my work cut out for me for at least the next 24 hours. Do you know what the SpeedFan stats mean, and could/does my power supply have anything to do with it though?
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#6
Retired Tech

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As far as the temperatures go, it all looks good, most alarms are set for 60 and yours are well below that
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#7
mcsmc

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Okay, so the temperatures are really the only concern? I guess my concern is that the PSU isn't adequate for the amount of hardware in my system, but I don't know much about it.
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#8
Major Payne

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In one pic it shows power supply voltages:

+3.3v: 1.66v
-12v: 1.13v
-5v: -0.07v

Is this reported correctly by SpeedFan as it indicates a really bad PS :tazz:

Just curious.

Ron
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#9
mcsmc

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In one pic it shows power supply voltages:

+3.3v: 1.66v
-12v: 1.13v
-5v: -0.07v

Is this reported correctly by SpeedFan as it indicates a really bad PS :tazz:

Just curious.

Ron


It fluctuates. For instance, I just ran SpeedFan again, and at the moment:

+3.3v: 1.65V
-12v: going between 1.13v and 2.86v
-5v: going between -0.07 and -0.12v

What should they read if the PSU isn't "really bad"? And I wouldn't doubt that this PSU sucks... I bought the PSU/mb/CPU/case from someone, and it was built by some Korean guy (I'm stationed in Korea) so for all I know, the PSU is a $5 hunk of hardware.
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#10
mcsmc

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And by the way, I already performed disk cleanup and am currently defragging one of my partitions... so no, I'm not just hanging out in this thread waiting for an easy answer. Heh.
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#11
Major Payne

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i'm sorry, but I would say it was a power supply problem if those are truly the voltages being reported. Most +-12v supplies should never read like that. You have too many readings way, way too low.

Do you know the wattage of your PS? With the three HD and a possible lousy PS to begin with, you should have a 300 watter or better. Either the current PS has failed totally for the main supplies (it is a switching type of supply and may/may not be fused on separate outputs) or they are being reported incorrectly.

Do you have access to another PS?

Ron
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#12
mcsmc

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Ron:

I listed the wattage of my PS in my initial post (480W MAX), however I have done a slight amount of research on power supplies, and have found that most inferior brand power supplies' "max wattage" is way off base. I don't have access to another PS, but if I can verify that that is the problem, I'll definitely purchase a better one.
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#13
Major Payne

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Sorry. Went back through your original post (3 times already) but at 64 these monitors are kinda hard to read when there's lots of text on the screen. :)

Do you have access to a Digital Multimeter (DMM) or feel comfortable using one inside your PC using the standard safety precautions? If not, subbing out the PS is the best bet.

A 480 w PS should not be loaded down so far that most of its power supply voltages are practically nil if its been no problem to date and you only added the HD (or am I not seeing the decimal in the right place?). :tazz:

Ron
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#14
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My intel 3.0 shows these results in speedfan.

3.3v = 3.28
-12v = -12.77
-5v = -5.90

SRX660
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#15
mcsmc

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Yes you're seeing the decimal at the right place Ron, and no I don't have access to a DMM (well I do, but I think I'd get chewed out if I took it from work... heh). Actually, I originally had ONE hard drive, and I think after adding the other two is when the problems started... so it looks like it's time for me to get another PSU. Any recommendations? One I found, that looks pretty good, is THIS ONE.
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