Author Topic: Strange Situation (Read 6000 times)

Deucalion · « **on:** December 12, 2006, 12:27:38 PM »

Hi, I'm new here but I come with a pretty hefty problem. I was using a new system for awhile until suddenly the monitor went dead (from green to orange). I tried switching monitors, even video cards, but to no avail. When I restart, it doesn't post. I let it sit for awhile, then randomly turned it on like a week or two later and it was randomly working, but after a couple hours it went dead again.

I know you're probably thinking it's my power supply, but It's a 300 watter, and I'm fairly certain that's more than enough for my machine. Moreover, I've been using the computer for atleast six months with no problems until it went dead. I've been through many FAQs but this forum looks the most promising. Here are my computer's specifications:

   40 GB "Maxtor" Harddrive
   768 DDR RAM
   Sapphire ATI RADEON 9600 PRO
   ASUS motherboard with Intel CPU.(2600mhz)

Thoughts? Much obliged.

medieval30 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 12, 2006, 02:08:19 PM »

hello, i unfortunatly cant help you just found it strange that i was looking on this site for about the same problem. I have no visual, I have tried the monitor with a different cpu and it works fine. My cpu starts (all the lights are green) but then nothing. The only time i can get a beep code is when i try to start with f8. The beep code tells me that it is a microprocessor register error. I have put a jumper on the c mos and took the battery out, started it, shut down, took the jumper back off and replaced the battery. This is what someone else had suggested, but this did not work.

Maybe we can both get some answers!

patio · « **Reply #2 on:** December 12, 2006, 02:19:03 PM »

When PSU's fail they tend to go all at once with no warning....borrow a known good one to determine if this is in fact the case...

medieval it's best to start your own thread so it can recieve the proper attention...

medieval30 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 12, 2006, 02:24:00 PM »

Thank you for the advise on starting a new thread......stupid question though, is the PSU the battery?

Deucalion · « **Reply #4 on:** December 12, 2006, 03:35:38 PM »

Quote

is the PSU the battery?

It's power supply unit.

Deucalion · « **Reply #5 on:** December 16, 2006, 09:50:13 AM »

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When PSU's fail they tend to go all at once with no warning....borrow a known good one to determine if this is in fact the case...

All right, 2 days ago I just bought a brand new 300 watt and set it up fine. My computer worked flawlessly for a few days so I was pretty sure the other psu was faulty. I left the computer running over night because I was downloading something off of steam. When I awoke to take a look (today) the visual on my monitor was a sheet of blue, no text or anything. I reboot, and it freezes (I waited long enough to make sure) as windows loads. I reboot again, and it's dead again! I don't understand..

Neil · « **Reply #6 on:** December 16, 2006, 10:40:57 AM »

The first thing I say is "graphics card" but you say you've already tried another one. The only other thing I can think of is the motherboard. What graphics cards have you tried, and did you use the latest and correct (especially if you tried a Nvdia) drivers?

Deucalion · « **Reply #7 on:** December 16, 2006, 10:56:04 AM »

Well, my computer's video card (Sapphire ATI RADEON 9600 PRO) had drivers installed, but because the computer was dead when trying another card, then there was no driver for it. The card I used was from the computer I'm using to type this message. It's an antique ATI Rage Fury Pro, but it's all I had.

If it's my motherboard, why does the computer run flawlessly and then randomly die?

Fed · « **Reply #8 on:** December 16, 2006, 11:23:25 AM »

1) Describe what happens from the moment you turn it on.
2) Will it start in safe mode? http://www.computerhope.com/issues/chsafe.htm

Deucalion · « **Reply #9 on:** December 16, 2006, 12:02:31 PM »

That is the dilema of the situation, nothing happens when it starts. There's no visual to the monitor, and only occasionally will I see my keyboard lights flash, or the sound of the hard drive being accessed.

Consequently, obviously safe mode can't be acquired.

Fed · « **Reply #10 on:** December 16, 2006, 12:39:04 PM »

Unplug the computer from the wall outlet, wait 10 seconds, plug it back in and boot it up.

patio · « **Reply #11 on:** December 16, 2006, 12:49:40 PM »

Was the brand new PSU 300W less than $24.95 ? ?

Deucalion · « **Reply #12 on:** December 16, 2006, 12:57:15 PM »

Quote

Unplug the computer from the wall outlet, wait 10 seconds, plug it back in and boot it up.

Okay, I've done that before and it didn't work. I did it again just now and same thing.

Quote

Was the brand new PSU 300W less than $24.95 ? ?

No, it's an Antec and it was $59.95

Fed · « **Reply #13 on:** December 16, 2006, 01:11:47 PM »

Unplug it from the wall, remove the ATI RADEON 9600 card, fit the ATI Rage Fury Pro card, plug it back in & try to boot in safe mode.

Deucalion · « **Reply #14 on:** December 16, 2006, 01:14:16 PM »

Did that in the past, no dice. Tried it just now though, same thing.

Fed · « **Reply #15 on:** December 16, 2006, 01:24:31 PM »

I hate to say this but usually no post screen points to a faulty PSU.
Do you have any friends who will let you raid their computer for a PSU trial?

Deucalion · « **Reply #16 on:** December 16, 2006, 01:57:10 PM »

I don't know if you read the entire thread or not but I already concluded it was a Power Supply problem and bought a new unit. The computer worked for less than 2 days and went dead again.

patio · « **Reply #17 on:** December 16, 2006, 02:00:29 PM »

Quote

I don't know if you read the entire thread or not but I already concluded it was a Power Supply problem and bought a new unit. The computer worked for less than 2 days and went dead again.

Does not neccessarily mean it is still not a PSU problem...

Fed · « **Reply #18 on:** December 16, 2006, 02:07:58 PM »

Quote

I don't know if you read the entire thread or not but I already concluded it was a Power Supply problem and bought a new unit. The computer worked for less than 2 days and went dead again.

Yes I did read it.
The other alternative is to strip it down to the minimum and run it on the bench.
You may have got a dud PSU.

Deucalion · « **Reply #19 on:** December 16, 2006, 02:37:18 PM »

Quote

The other alternative is to strip it down to the minimum and run it on the bench.

Been done.

Quote

You may have got a dud PSU.

It's inconceivable that both PSU's have the same problem. Is it possible 300W isn't enough to run my PC?

Edit: By inconceivable I mean I hope that's not true, lol.

patio · « **Reply #20 on:** December 16, 2006, 02:43:09 PM »

Quote

It's inconceivable that both PSU's have the same problem. Is it possible 300W isn't enough to run my PC?

It's not inconcievable... i went thru a run of 4 bad PSU's lasting from a day to 3 weeks...all high end all from the same vendor. It does happen...

Travel Here...

Deucalion · « **Reply #21 on:** December 16, 2006, 03:05:36 PM »

Thanks for that URL.

It says my minimum is 270, so that rules out a shortage problem. Now, I guess all I can do is try for a third PSU? Any suggestions if that fails aswell?

patio · « **Reply #22 on:** December 16, 2006, 03:18:32 PM »

You need to keep in mind how they rate PSU's...a 300W PSU is rated at max output under a sustained load...not an accurate way to do things but it is what it is.

I normally calculate a PSU for a third less than it's rating..IE a 300W unit to me is worth about 220W at best.

If your system tested out at 270W i would suggest a 400W.

Just my 2 cents.

Deucalion · « **Reply #23 on:** December 16, 2006, 03:24:03 PM »

Finally, something I didn't know. Thank you very much.

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Author Topic: Strange Situation (Read 6000 times)

Deucalion

medieval30

patio

medieval30

Deucalion

Deucalion

Neil

Deucalion

Fed

Deucalion

Fed

patio

Deucalion

Fed

Deucalion

Fed

Deucalion

patio

Fed

Deucalion

patio

Deucalion

patio

Deucalion