[wannabe1]

Hey deudonne...

Run the Everest report just as before, but instead of saving it as HTML as I prefer, save it as Plain Text. Open Everest, click the Report icon, click Next and choose All Pages, click Next and choose Plain Text, and click Finish. Save the log as before and attach it here for Doby.

You're doing a great job of checking your system! Having fun yet?

wannabe1

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Ok guys problem, according to the screenshot Everest is reporting the cpu core at 1.09V

reboot and go directly into bios and see what the bios is reporting it at, it should be 1.5v if not set it to that and report back. This should be listed in bios as VCore.

If you make a change in bios don't forget to save when you exit.

still looking into the psu but I must say it ain't looking to good

[Doby]

Ok guys problem, according to the screenshot Everest is reporting the cpu core at 1.09V

reboot and go directly into bios and see what the bios is reporting it at, it should be 1.5v if not set it to that and report back. This should be listed in bios as VCore.

If you make a change in bios don't forget to save when you exit.

still looking into the psu but I must say it ain't looking to good

[Doby]

I could not find any specs on the psu this in it self makes me suspicious but even more is the price I seen one price for $9.95 US.

So its junk and is the root of the problem, I recommend a Antec pure power 430W or 480W the Ulta 500w X Connect is also good

Maybe wannabe1 will recommend some others.

I know the vcore is low but that could be because of cool N quiet and we could mess around with some setting with both of these and try some other tests that I know of but I think it will be a waste of time till you get a good psu in there.

The voltages your psu is producing are within spec but the 3.3 is a bit low and maybe with the second ram in it falls below spec, again I know how to test for this but I don't think its worth the effort with this psu.

I have one other question does this psu have a 4 pin 12v connector leading from the psu to the mobo?

Is it connected? This is a must because it supplies extra 12v power to the cpu and remember Amd 64 cpu's have a intergraded ddr memory controller.

Rick

[deudonne]

this is great! - yes iam having fun now, especially as it seems we are getting closer to an answer. I've gotta go to work now - but cant wait to get back and put all of this into action. Speak later..

CHEERS!

Deudonne

[deudonne]

12v 4pin from psu is connected to MoBo

BIOS power readings
VCORE - 1.536v to 1.520v
3.3 - 3.248v to 3.232v
5v - 5.004v to 4.977
12v 12.070v

didnt re-set the VCORE coz it seemed to be aroun 1.5v mark
I did reset BIOS defaults in case any changes had been made along the way since i started building.
(ATI control centre is not loading up majority of the time still)

I am looking into getting a new psu - might get a new case with it - looking at Antec case with truepower psu for £100. But I would like to know that this will solve the problem, otherwise I would make this investment a little further down the line.

I'm gona look at everest again..

[deudonne]

http://www.pcnextday...=PSU&pgroup=CAS

this is a cheap power supply - not a recognised brand, but it has
Max Current: +3.3v=35A, +5v=40A, +12v1=16A, + 12v2=18A
which sounds good - i think these are higher than the truepower 2.0 (i think) - but are there other factors too?? I dont really mind spending a bit more.

Edited by deudonne, 01 December 2005 - 01:07 PM.

[Doby]

I am not positive the psu will solve the problem but lets look at the facts on witch I base my oppinion

1. The current psu is not a very good one and the 3.3 rail is suspect
2. You are on the second mobo still the same problem
3. Changed ram, problem contiues
4. The comon component with all of these is the psu

It could be the mobo but you need a better psu to be sure.
I googled the zoostorm, no reviews very little info, it does have good specs but I would spend a little more on something that is proven.

I really did not want to do this but you could run a test, download and install prime95 and run its torture test, this will put the psu and other components under full load.

The preferred method to check the psu would be to use a digital volt meter to check the psu while the computer is running and under full load with prime95. This assumes the computer will run prime long enough to perform the test because prime will error and shut down if it finds faulty hardware

Caution while this is not difficult you cannot make a mistake and cause a short.

on the back of the 20 pin connector on the mobo thouch the + probe of the digital volt meter to any orange wirer and - probe to any black, write down the voltage reading.

Do the same with the yellow and red wirers on the 20 pin connector and post all 3 readings here for us to see.

A somewhat easier and safer way but not as accurate would be to run prime's torture test and open up Everest at the same time and take a screenshot of the sensor readings and post them here for us to see.

Rick

[deudonne]

right, i'll try and give that a go over the weekend.

I was thinking also - the first MoBo and processor was a AMD sephron 2400+ with 256DDR333 and 512DDR333. I had huge problems installing sound card and graphics card and front card reader. First one would not work then the other and the card reader when plugged in gave me BSODs - sounded a bit like power back then. Naively i didnt try pulling a RAM stick out before buying new MoBo and pro - But - if that system was having difficulty running with two RAMs sticks, BUT only a 32bit 2400+ pro - surely a 64bit 3000+ requires more power than one stick of 512DDR333.

What Im saying is - if it is the psu, Why does my system work OK with one stick of DDR400 512 and 64bit pro and all the components, when it didnt work at all with a seemingly less power hungry system? - unless an extra stick of DDR333RAM really does take up more power than my new 64bit processor. Just a thought..

anyway - i will give 'prime' a go over the weekend and snapshot it with everest. Thanks for the advice!

Deudonne

[Doby]

Your thinking is correct, well sorta, one stick of ram does not take much more power, but the first system still had unexplained problems.

What I am try to do with prime is stress the psu and read the voltage readings to see if they fall below spec on the 12, 3.3 or 5 v rails, if we can do this without prime erroring out my bet is more than one of the rails will be below. I do thing prime will error and stop running before we accomplish this.

Prime tests the psu,mobo,cpu,ram and heat related problem it does not test the video card or software so even if prime fails before we can get the voltage readings this will leave windows and the video card out of the equation.

I am confident the ram is good because each individual stick passes memtest that leaves the psu,cpu or mobo. I don't thing its the mobo because 1 individual ram stick will run in any slot meaning there is not a bad ram slot, I could be wrong that is just a educated guess because mobo,s are very complex

To be honest knowing what I know about psu's if it were me I would get a better one because sooner or later thru changing parts you will find whats wrong and get it going and I would not trust that psu in most any system.

[deudonne]

cheers - yes, that sounds about right - will run prime... lets see what happens.

D

[deudonne]

This is a screen shot of everest when running prime on 'blend' setting.

I was watching konfabulator (although it doesnt show on screenshot for some reason) RAM was on 99%, but cpu was only around 30%.

Voltages dont look too bad (?), are they bad enough to warrant complete screen freeze with one more stick of ram? I am looking into buying a new psu anyway, but i would like to know if it will solve this particular problem.

THANX

Attached Thumbnails

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[deudonne]

quick question -- did you mean antec true/smart power or themaltake pure power?

[deudonne]

found this on a forum. My RAM says it is compatable in the mobo manual -but - Can you set mobo voltages??


Re: Computer turns off by itself randomly

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Often, when a rig shuts down like that. It is either overheating or the RAM.
And as most of all you guys having different mobos. I really dont belive the mobo(s) itself is the actual prob.

Some RAM / mobo brands, if put together, can be problematic. Mostly, because that the default RAM voltage is set to low on the actual mobo for that RAM. This giving instability problems.

[Doby]

Well that suprised me the voltages are near normal for running and intense program, if the psu was weak prime would fail no matter how many sticks of ram are installed.

I was watching konfabulator (although it doesnt show on screenshot for some reason) RAM was on 99%, but cpu was only around 30%.

There is something wrong here I just can't put my finger on, a minute or two after starting primes torure test the cpu should be at 100%

How long did you run prime?

Run prime again, use the In place large FFT's test, post a screeshot of Everest again. This time check windows task manager by pressing ctrl,alt,delete once and clicking on the performance tab and tell us what the cpu is running at. This is important to check if the cpu is throtteling back when it ain't suppose to.

Leave prime run, if it can run for 12 to 16 hours with out shuting down from finding a error then your hardware is 100% stable at least with its current configuration.

If the results of this test are the same as the last one with prime that pretty much eliminates the psu.

Rick

[Doby]

quick question -- did you mean antec true/smart power or themaltake pure power

I meant the Antec true power not smart power,

The thermaltake pure power series are also very good but you have to look at the specs closely some models have only 18amps on the 12v you should have 24a or so, check the specs!