Signs of a choking PSU?

kibbler · 07-31-2002, 07:35 AM

I have a 300W no-name PSU that I'm using in my current WC rig, carried over from a no-name crap mid-tower. Recently, I've been getting periodic system hangs, where windows is still displayed on the monitor but no response from mouse/keyboard. Now its even more absurd, to the point where the system might hang if I simply open the case!! What are the signs of a dying PSU? Strained PSU?

-I'm running:
DVD-ROM and CD-RW
1 HDD
TBird 1400
2 80mm and 2 120mm at 7v (12v minus 5v)
oh, and my Eheim 1048 is wired in directly to the AC terminals

edit:I have the same problem that ECUPirate had, where on occasion, when I press the power button, the monitor stays in standby, fans come on, optical drives spin up, but no POST. The system usually posts after a few retries

Please help me out!! Thanks a lot!

bigben2k · 07-31-2002, 08:58 AM

Did your system come configured that way, or did you add to it over time? Recently?

300W should be OK, but you probably got a cheap 300W, which may not be able to have the amps at 5V that your comp needs.

Personally, I'm going with 430W, just because I don't want to deal with any of this...

Zoolander · 07-31-2002, 09:06 AM

Hey,

I'm not an expert yet on OCing, but if you have a chance run some benchmark's. See if you can get your comp to lock up, also see if you can get it to lock up with your stock cpu speed. If it lock's up at all I would remove your water block, and replace it with your stock fan. Then disconnect your pump from your power supply then do the same test's at your stock cpu speed. If it locks up again then it's probably not your power supply, but if it does then it is your power supply.

Davis

Zoolander · 07-31-2002, 09:08 AM

If you want to go all out and really find if it's your PSU,

Here is how I have approached the initial design of an industrial PSU. I work as a co-op doing electrical and computer engineering, and I have never heard of a "dying PSU", but I have heard of a strained PSU.
One of the things that electical engineers typically would do is this to determine if they have enough power from their supply (on each line ie: the 3.3v, 5v, 2.5v), is find all the typical/maximum current's for each device as well as any internal typical/maximum currents for each device. Meaning if you could find out the typical/maximum currents for your mobo/pump/HDD/DVD/CD and see if it exceeds what your power produced by your PSU. This can be determined from the simple eq: P = IV (V being probably 5 volts) Since everything interfaces at the same voltage I'm guessing, that one of your 5volt supply is droping your power low. To test this you could test your 5 volt line while the system is running the benchmarks. Although, this might be too much work.

Davis

kibbler · 07-31-2002, 10:14 AM

Thanx for great responses guys!

Zoolander, I follow what you're saying (for the most part, anyway) but that'll have to be more of a last resort, since there are far too many other possibilities to eliminate, not the least of which is an iffy mobo

-Do most HDD/Optical drives/etc use the 5v line? hmm didn't know that...

-Which benchmark/intense stress prog do you guys recommend. I've heard of something called folding@home or something, but never used it

-Quick question, for those of you familiar with strained PSUs, would a system typically freeze (in my case), or simply reboot? If its the latter, then it might not be my PSU

ECUPirate, if you read this, could you possibly tell me about your AGP voltage mod fix? I'm not sure what your problem was, so I don't know if it would help me

07-31-2002, 07:35 AM	#1
kibbler Cooling Savant Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 107	Signs of a choking PSU? I have a 300W no-name PSU that I'm using in my current WC rig, carried over from a no-name crap mid-tower. Recently, I've been getting periodic system hangs, where windows is still displayed on the monitor but no response from mouse/keyboard. Now its even more absurd, to the point where the system might hang if I simply open the case!! What are the signs of a dying PSU? Strained PSU? -I'm running: DVD-ROM and CD-RW 1 HDD TBird 1400 2 80mm and 2 120mm at 7v (12v minus 5v) oh, and my Eheim 1048 is wired in directly to the AC terminals edit:I have the same problem that ECUPirate had, where on occasion, when I press the power button, the monitor stays in standby, fans come on, optical drives spin up, but no POST. The system usually posts after a few retries Please help me out!! Thanks a lot! Last edited by kibbler; 07-31-2002 at 08:32 AM.

07-31-2002, 08:58 AM	#2
bigben2k Responsible for 2% of all the posts here. Join Date: May 2002 Location: Texas, U.S.A. Posts: 8,302	Did your system come configured that way, or did you add to it over time? Recently? 300W should be OK, but you probably got a cheap 300W, which may not be able to have the amps at 5V that your comp needs. Personally, I'm going with 430W, just because I don't want to deal with any of this... __________________ WBTA (Water Block Testing Alliance) Nordic Hardware WC 101

07-31-2002, 09:06 AM	#3
Zoolander Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 15	Hey, I'm not an expert yet on OCing, but if you have a chance run some benchmark's. See if you can get your comp to lock up, also see if you can get it to lock up with your stock cpu speed. If it lock's up at all I would remove your water block, and replace it with your stock fan. Then disconnect your pump from your power supply then do the same test's at your stock cpu speed. If it locks up again then it's probably not your power supply, but if it does then it is your power supply. Davis __________________ I wub My computerZORZ

07-31-2002, 09:08 AM	#4
Zoolander Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 15	If you want to go all out and really find if it's your PSU, Here is how I have approached the initial design of an industrial PSU. I work as a co-op doing electrical and computer engineering, and I have never heard of a "dying PSU", but I have heard of a strained PSU. One of the things that electical engineers typically would do is this to determine if they have enough power from their supply (on each line ie: the 3.3v, 5v, 2.5v), is find all the typical/maximum current's for each device as well as any internal typical/maximum currents for each device. Meaning if you could find out the typical/maximum currents for your mobo/pump/HDD/DVD/CD and see if it exceeds what your power produced by your PSU. This can be determined from the simple eq: P = IV (V being probably 5 volts) Since everything interfaces at the same voltage I'm guessing, that one of your 5volt supply is droping your power low. To test this you could test your 5 volt line while the system is running the benchmarks. Although, this might be too much work. Davis __________________ I wub My computerZORZ

07-31-2002, 10:14 AM	#5
kibbler Cooling Savant Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 107	Thanx for great responses guys! Zoolander, I follow what you're saying (for the most part, anyway) but that'll have to be more of a last resort, since there are far too many other possibilities to eliminate, not the least of which is an iffy mobo -Do most HDD/Optical drives/etc use the 5v line? hmm didn't know that... -Which benchmark/intense stress prog do you guys recommend. I've heard of something called folding@home or something, but never used it -Quick question, for those of you familiar with strained PSUs, would a system typically freeze (in my case), or simply reboot? If its the latter, then it might not be my PSU ECUPirate, if you read this, could you possibly tell me about your AGP voltage mod fix? I'm not sure what your problem was, so I don't know if it would help me

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