persisting confusing problem

danjufo · Aug 6, 2005, 07:14 AM

i have a weird powering problem - i have built the following rig:

Mobo - MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum SKT 939 Nforce3
CPU - AMD Athlon 64 (San Diego) 3700 CPU Skt 939
Cooler - Zalman (CNPS7700-CU) 120mm Super Flower Cooler
HDD - Seagate ST3200822A Barracuda 7200
PSU - Ebuyer 600w Power Supply
DVD - Samsung TS-H552UB 16x16x DVD R/RW
Ram - OCZ Premier Dual Channel Kit 2x512MB DDR400
Case - Ebuyer SN-C838BK Gaming Case
GFX - Radeon 9200 \ 9550

This rig worked fine untill i left it over night for downloading. I came back to the machine being off, yet the keyboard lights were still on. I switched it back on and it worked fine again however the next time i left it over night it went off again and i couldn't get it back on. I put in a new PSU in then it was working again. I thought that was it but now since i left that one over night same thing happens. I can't get it to power up at all with either PSU.

I just tried it with my gf's PSU and it powers up however it just beeps on and off (the initial beep when a computer starts i think from the mobo right?) Is this because something like my CPU / mobo is dead or could it be because the PSU was only 250v where before i was using atleast a 350v?

Also when i initialy built this rig i had this beep problem but it was due to a broken GFX card (9800pro) once i swapped it (9200 then a 9550) it worked fine.

I have tried it with an alternative PSU - DVDROM - GFX - HDD so am i right in thinking that either my CPU / Mobo is faulty?

BWX · Aug 6, 2005, 07:26 AM

Sounds like a mobo/PSU issue.. what are your volts and temps reading?

Necrosis · Aug 6, 2005, 02:52 PM

The board requires at a 400W PSU, and it seems to some times prefer different brands. If you can borrow a good quality 400-450 I would try it again, and also reset the CMOS. It's also sensitive to changes; uplugging the main ATX cable solves that issue.

BWX · Aug 6, 2005, 04:36 PM

Yeah sometimes just unplugging and plugging back in all connections, and make sure they are all snug makes a difference..
Molex connectors aren't the best way of making an electrical connection - I actually would like to solder up all my connections if I ever build an uber rig--

Just like in high end car stereos and high end RC cars.. Everything gets soldered and it is a lot better, more stable. Maybe a little overboard, but someday I am going to try it.

But a good solid PSU would be a good thing to test with- just to make sure.

And also try this- disconnect all PCI cards, all extra drives, extra lights or fans, a "minimal" setup just for testing to see if it will boot..

Maybe a bios flash/ update is needed??

swimtech · Aug 6, 2005, 09:32 PM

This is a recurring issue for him folks...

Weird problem

How many amps on that 12v line with the Ebuyer 600 watter? If over 22, I'd say you have a flaky mainboard - which I know would be a bummer - only way to know for sure is to swap or run a diagnostic in loop mode for a long time...

BWX · Aug 6, 2005, 09:36 PM

Hmm, maybe easier to RMA the mainboard and go from there.

Probably what I would d oat that point.

danjufo · Aug 7, 2005, 03:15 AM

thanks for the replys, the 350w PSU i used said AMD recommended and i am not sure of the amps of the ebyter600w i will check. I think it will be a mobo issue but i might try it with just one more PSU

Wouldnt it atleast boot through BIOS and up to the OS logo on just a 250w ? or would you expect the beeping like i had ?

Again - thanks alot for the replys, i probably will ty another PSU but i think i have to read up on returning items to ebuyer (first time)

swimtech · Aug 7, 2005, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danjufo

...Wouldnt it atleast boot through BIOS and up to the OS logo on just a 250w ? or would you expect the beeping like i had ?...

Maybe, maybe not. Depends on the mainboard, bios, and power supply combination. My IBM at work (with 2 optical drives, one hard drive, ATI AIW 128, ATI Firewire card, ethernet card, PIII 733, 256Mb ram - all running on a 145watt PSU!) doesn't even get to the bios screen when I try to put another hard drive in it and doesn't beep at all, just sits and spins with the cursor as though at a DOS prompt - remove the second hard drive and all is well...

The biggest current draw from the PSU is at startup, then when running demanding applications that tax all the components at once - and the particular rigs react differently to low power conditions...

danjufo · Aug 7, 2005, 01:33 PM

i just bought a Jeantech 450w PSU and it just loaded to the beeping again. i tried clearing cmos with the 3pin jumper and also with just not putting in the atx and it just sits as though before Bios with no beeping.

guess its my mobo (hope so anyway) will send it back asap.

BWX · Aug 7, 2005, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danjufo

i just bought a Jeantech 450w PSU and it just loaded to the beeping again. i tried clearing cmos with the 3pin jumper and also with just not putting in the atx and it just sits as though before Bios with no beeping.

guess its my mobo (hope so anyway) will send it back asap.

Did you try re-seating the CPU? -or starting it with only one stick of ram, no DVD drive connected, etc?

Drakon · Aug 7, 2005, 06:15 PM

Yeah try re-seating the CPU. I know when I was putting this rig back together, the cpu initially wasn't seated properly and I couldn't get the system to boot. The fans would spin, but windows wouldn't load and I didn't get any video signal.

danjufo · Aug 9, 2005, 11:18 AM

i have tried putting the cpu on again also tried with the custom cooler and no dvd. i think i have tried everything apart from a different cpu and a different mobo so surely it has to be one (or both) of those being the factor. i will send just the mobo and hope for the best.

daedal · Aug 9, 2005, 02:30 PM

What happened to the two prior PSUs you tested? Are those still running?

danjufo · Aug 10, 2005, 02:12 AM

The old PSU's do nothing on this rig - i havent tried them on another though

Matth · Aug 10, 2005, 10:28 AM

The Ebuyer "600W" is definitely not worthy of such a rating ... maybe you might get 600W out, if you loaded every rail optimally, but it does have the typlically low 12v rail capability for it's "rating".

I've heard system health error beeps due to high or low minor rail voltages too - the -5 and -12

Until tried on a really good quality PSU of appropriate rating, it's not entirely fair to blame the motherboard.

BWX · Aug 10, 2005, 02:01 PM

ANTEC ANTEC ANTEC...

or about 5 other name brands... but I like Antec for the price/performance ratio.. True Control 550.. a brute. I bet one of those (or the updated equivalent) would fire that thing up.