Random restarts -- my roomie says it's a bad power supply?

ski · 01-16-2003, 09:24 AM

Hola,

I recently reformatted my computer to fix a memory problem and to just have a clean slate. So after installing most of my drivers/software again, I started to notice random reboots. Sometimes I'd be installing a program, and in the installation process, the screens would go black and restart. Other times I would leave my computer to go to class, then come back and it be at Windows login screen! (rebooted)

My roommate says it may be the power supply, it's going bad. It's a 430W Enermax. My other friend told me to check the reset pins where the power supply connects to the mobo, and that's all secure.

What should I fix?

Specs:
AMD T-Bird 1.33ghz
ASUS A7A266 (ALi chipset)
2x256mb PC2100 crucial ram
Promise ATA controller card
430W Enermax power supply
Radeon 9500 Pro
Sound Blaster Live 5.1 OEM
4 hard drives, CD-RW, DVD, ZIP (7 total IDE devices)

Maybe unplugging some of them?

sho.gun · 01-16-2003, 10:41 AM

Is it overheating? I don't think it's the power supply although it's possible... but Enermaxes are top notch IMO.

This happened to me once and I couldn't find the source of the problem, I formatted and reinstalled windows and it fixed the problem.

smurphy · 01-16-2003, 11:37 AM

I had a similar story. Gigabyte board with a 1700+ with random reboots. I change the power supply (cheap OEM) and checked all connections but still had the problem. I then got messages saying that I had an error with the video hardware. I replaced it with a spare TI4400 and ATI 7500 but still same problem.

I replaced the motherboard and no more problem. All same components, power supply, video, RAM and CPU etc on the new board working great.

Probably not what you wanted to hear but this is what happened to me.

Cheers,
Scott Murphy

Merlin · 01-16-2003, 12:45 PM

I had a similiar problem a while back and it was heat related. What is your current cooling set up?

ski · 01-16-2003, 02:04 PM

Actually Scott, that's what I did want to hear... I'd love to convince myself and my parents that it's time for an upgrade ^_^

But I have a modified Lian-Li aluminum case (2 front intake, 2 side intake, 1 top exhaust, 1 rear exhaust. The HSF kinda crappy, it's a mid shelf Coolermaster. One thing I SHOULD mention is that in my first experience in dealing with a Socket CPU (my first was a Slot A), I accidently scraped off the thermal past on the HSF (lol

), realized my snafu, and bought thermal paste at Radio Shack. I may not have put enough on though. It's been over a year and a half. Should I take off the HSF and put a fresh coat on? My case cooling is definitely not the problem, although I knocked out my rear exhaust fan's connector to the mobo and now I can't find where it goes... I'll work on that.

So should I put some more paste on that baby?

Merlin · 01-16-2003, 03:12 PM

That may be a good idea but brfore anything I would install motherboard monitor and see if temp is your problem.

coleslaw · 01-16-2003, 04:40 PM

I don't think it's a power supply issue at all. My guess is that it is either a RAM problem (bad modules) or, as already mentioned, a heat problem.

Download some RAM diagnostic software, like DocMemory and see if it finds anything wrong in your memory.

Download Motherboard Monitor and check out the temps that it reports. If your CPU is getting up to 55-60C, heat may be an issue.

ski · 01-16-2003, 07:48 PM

CPU Temp: 45-46 degrees Celsius

I'm working on checking the memory right now...

I should note that I got several blue screens in Windows 2000 for memory errors, and also fatal errors about memory. Starting to narrow it down...

01-16-2003, 09:24 AM	#1
ski Admiral Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Utah Posts: 5,420	Random restarts -- my roomie says it's a bad power supply? Hola, I recently reformatted my computer to fix a memory problem and to just have a clean slate. So after installing most of my drivers/software again, I started to notice random reboots. Sometimes I'd be installing a program, and in the installation process, the screens would go black and restart. Other times I would leave my computer to go to class, then come back and it be at Windows login screen! (rebooted) My roommate says it may be the power supply, it's going bad. It's a 430W Enermax. My other friend told me to check the reset pins where the power supply connects to the mobo, and that's all secure. What should I fix? Specs: AMD T-Bird 1.33ghz ASUS A7A266 (ALi chipset) 2x256mb PC2100 crucial ram Promise ATA controller card 430W Enermax power supply Radeon 9500 Pro Sound Blaster Live 5.1 OEM 4 hard drives, CD-RW, DVD, ZIP (7 total IDE devices) Maybe unplugging some of them?

01-16-2003, 12:45 PM	#4
Merlin Admiral Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Square On My Arse Posts: 7,410	I had a similiar problem a while back and it was heat related. What is your current cooling set up? __________________

01-16-2003, 04:40 PM	#7
coleslaw Arrrhh! Join Date: May 2000 Location: LI NY Posts: 6,807	I don't think it's a power supply issue at all. My guess is that it is either a RAM problem (bad modules) or, as already mentioned, a heat problem. Download some RAM diagnostic software, like DocMemory and see if it finds anything wrong in your memory. Download Motherboard Monitor and check out the temps that it reports. If your CPU is getting up to 55-60C, heat may be an issue. __________________ A priest, a paladin and Varimathras walk into a bar...

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01-16-2003, 10:41 AM	#2
sho.gun the lemonizer Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Calabasas, CA Posts: 5,373	Is it overheating? I don't think it's the power supply although it's possible... but Enermaxes are top notch IMO. This happened to me once and I couldn't find the source of the problem, I formatted and reinstalled windows and it fixed the problem.

01-16-2003, 11:37 AM	#3
smurphy Lieutenant Junior Grade Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Igloo in Canada Posts: 144	I had a similar story. Gigabyte board with a 1700+ with random reboots. I change the power supply (cheap OEM) and checked all connections but still had the problem. I then got messages saying that I had an error with the video hardware. I replaced it with a spare TI4400 and ATI 7500 but still same problem. I replaced the motherboard and no more problem. All same components, power supply, video, RAM and CPU etc on the new board working great. Probably not what you wanted to hear but this is what happened to me. Cheers, Scott Murphy

01-16-2003, 02:04 PM	#5
ski Admiral Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Utah Posts: 5,420	Actually Scott, that's what I did want to hear... I'd love to convince myself and my parents that it's time for an upgrade ^_^ But I have a modified Lian-Li aluminum case (2 front intake, 2 side intake, 1 top exhaust, 1 rear exhaust. The HSF kinda crappy, it's a mid shelf Coolermaster. One thing I SHOULD mention is that in my first experience in dealing with a Socket CPU (my first was a Slot A), I accidently scraped off the thermal past on the HSF (lol ), realized my snafu, and bought thermal paste at Radio Shack. I may not have put enough on though. It's been over a year and a half. Should I take off the HSF and put a fresh coat on? My case cooling is definitely not the problem, although I knocked out my rear exhaust fan's connector to the mobo and now I can't find where it goes... I'll work on that. So should I put some more paste on that baby?

01-16-2003, 03:12 PM	#6
Merlin Admiral Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Square On My Arse Posts: 7,410	That may be a good idea but brfore anything I would install motherboard monitor and see if temp is your problem.

01-16-2003, 07:48 PM	#8
ski Admiral Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Utah Posts: 5,420	CPU Temp: 45-46 degrees Celsius I'm working on checking the memory right now... I should note that I got several blue screens in Windows 2000 for memory errors, and also fatal errors about memory. Starting to narrow it down...

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