Computer turned off, now won't turn on.

[MaxBurn]

I can't believe I am back for help so soon. I swear I have more problems with this computer, if I wasn't fairly up on what is going on I would have trashed it long ago. You may recall I was having major stability problems long ago and finally found bad memory, I had that RMA'd and it was a sweet and stable machine for about five months now. Just getting to the point where I like it again.

Anyway I recently added (just under two weeks ago) a second video card to run SLI. Performance was great after finding the right hacked driver to run SLI on a ULI motherboard, don't get me started on nvidia locking out third party chipsets. I played a lot of stuff I was saving up, I beat HL2 Episode 1, Rock 24 and Minerva. Some serious game play time in this configuration below.

The problem is tonight I was replaying HL2,EP1, it is worth it to go through several times, the game is beautiful 1600x1200 with all eye candy on and I was getting framerates more than just mere playable. I was getting a little drink on, blowing some guys away and generally relieving the stress of Monday, much fun. So in the middle of the battle scene the computer just plain turns off with no beep or anything. Will not turn on with the power button, even after a couple minutes. Cycle the power supply switch and then turn on the computer, it runs almost enough to get through the BIOS check before turning off again.

So at the moment I am thinking the Seasonic S12-430 might not be big enough for this machine, I did feel it and it doesn't feel hot at all. I had my doubts as it isn't specifically SLI certified but I figured it should be stout enough for this rig. Really probably more than enough.

What I did to troubleshoot so far is I pulled the power off of both hard drives, both optical drives and pulled out the second video card. I also reseated the CPU, memory, motherboard power connectors and all cards. Still no go for more than a couple seconds after a hard cycle of the power supply. Most of the time it only turns on long enough to move the fans before shutting off again.


AMD 3700+ single core, stock speed
Asrock 939SLI32
2g Corsair XMS, running at rated speed
Two Evga nvidia 7800GT's with factory overclock
PCI sound card
WD 74g Raptor
Seagate 150g
Seasonic S12-430

 

[ddrueding]

A Seasonic 430W should be enough for that system, but it would be my #1 focus as well. Do you happen to have a 500W+ unit sitting around? A reseller with a friendly return policy (Frys)?

 

[Mercutio]

You might pull one of the video cards as well, or drop to a single, less capable video card for testing purposes.

Likely culprits in this are the motherboard and the video card(s), if the system is powering on at all. From your description that sounds like the case.

 

[MaxBurn]

I already pulled one video card, all optical and all hard drives. Even swapped the video cards. Same thing.

I think I have an Antec 430w PS sitting around, will try that.

 

[Mercutio]

Do you have, say, a PCI video card?

 

[MaxBurn]

Do you have, say, a PCI video card?

Nope, not anymore. Got rid of my last one a year or so ago. Do have an AGP here, not that that helps.

Well I pulled the power supply out of my AMD K62-450 system and found an Antec truepower 480w PS, my old PS that I used to run in this computer before the seasonic.

Using the Antec on the motherboard and video card only it will run in the BIOS fine.

Then I put just the Seasonic on the motherboard and video card and it ran fine too ???? must have used the time tinkering around to cool off or something?

Plugged in all my drives and tried it again on the Seasonic and it turned right back off immediately.

Going to spend the next hour or so swapping power supplies and the mass of cabling involved in that, fun fun.

I guess there is a reason there are no power supplies listed under 500w that are SLI certified?

 

[Mercutio]

I can't imagine the circumstance that would make that Seasonic a lesser PSU than that Antec, other than sheer wattage.

Maybe corrupted info in CMOS?
That would explain why everything was normal after you swapped PSUs.

 

[MaxBurn]

It does appear I smoked the Seasonic. I put everything back near as exactly the way it was with the Antec 480w and the computer runs fine again, although I have not tried very much 3D. I did run the first couple seconds of 3D mark 06 to confirm SLI was working (again don't get me started on nvidia and SLI on unaproved chipsets) and that was indeed working fine.

Reasons I originally pulled this antec PS; the thing pumps heat out the back like crazy and can't be that efficient where the seasonic runs much cooler. Also I replaced it as a troubleshooting step before I found my bad memory in earlier troubles.

 

[Bozo]

I went through the same "fans just start to spin" problem a while back. Turned out to be the memory. Main trouble shooting problem was that it was an intermittant problem.

Bozo :joker:

 

[MaxBurn]

I went through the same "fans just start to spin" problem a while back. Turned out to be the memory. Main trouble shooting problem was that it was an intermittant problem.

Bozo :joker:

I explained that bad, I mean what happened when you try to turn it on was that the fans and the power LED jump on for a second and then turn back off. Fans don't stay running.

 

[Bozo]

I explained that bad, I mean what happened when you try to turn it on was that the fans and the power LED jump on for a second and then turn back off. Fans don't stay running.

Exactly the same problem I was having. I should have been clearer, sorry.

Bozo :joker:

 

[MaxBurn]

Exactly the same problem I was having. I should have been clearer, sorry.

Bozo :joker:

Darn, that doesn't give me a warm fuzzy.

Rambling on the memory issue: With the memory I have I have to set a BIOS option "ultra high" voltage to get it to run at its rated speed. In the motherboard documentation it explains what the voltages are for the given descriptions and the ultra high one is what Corsair recomended you run their memory at so it all followed through and made sense. Thats one of the things I had to figure out back when I was having stability problems. Well that and the fact that I had a bad DIMM so after RMA'ing that DIMM and getting the above straightned out it has been great until adding this second video card now. Still, it is just more tinkering than I think should be necessary to get it to run right.

Well it is up and running again but I guess I should get a SLI certified power supply in the very near future, who knows how long this Antec 480 will hold out.

I don't know, I just have this computer here which has been a basket case and so I look over to the computer that I call a server that just couldn't possibly be any better and problem free, gets me fustrated. This PS issue is my fault but it just adds to the list of things I have had to deal with for this machine. Core 2 Duo looking really nice at the moment.

 

[MaxBurn]

Well then, trying to RMA the Seasonic power supply. The on-line web page will not accept my serial number and the "rma@seasonicusa.com" bounces my message with a:

<rma@seasonicusa.com>: host mx1.biz.mail.yahoo.com[67.28.113.136] said: 550
    relaying denied for <rma@seasonicusa.com> (in reply to RCPT TO command)

Another pleasant RMA experience.


So just on a hunch I tried the RMA page again in IE7 and it worked.

Just an FYI, Seasonics web RMA form is not Firefox compatible...

 

[MaxBurn]

Oh and I noticed a rather nasty clause in the RMA agreement that if you send them a power supply that tests good they get to charge you $25 before they send it back. First time I have seen something like that and just a little bit hard to swallow I think, how many people can actually test a power supply?

I put it on my AMD K6-2/450 PC and it wouldn't turn that on either, so I am sure.

I am using the Antec 480w just fine now, but have found that the PS going bad has corrupted my windows install, won't boot, so I get to try another repair install on this PC later on. Currently looping memtest86 with 3 error free passes so far so that makes me happy.

Anyway I have a proper SLI rated Seasonic S12 SS-550HT on they way, might even be here today.

 

[Mercutio]

A power supply tester costs all of $15.
They don't detect everything that could be wrong with one, though.

And at least Seasonic only charges you if the PSU is bad. Try sending an RMA to Abit or Epox sometime. Those guys want you to foot the bill for shipping, both ways.

 

[MaxBurn]

A power supply tester costs all of $15.
They don't detect everything that could be wrong with one, though.

Really? I didn't even know there was such a product for the normal consumer. Only thing I know about is shorting the green wire to black ground to turn it on and then check voltages with a meter, but I heard that wasn't to good for the power supply to run with no load.

And at least Seasonic only charges you if the PSU is bad. Try sending an RMA to Abit or Epox sometime. Those guys want you to foot the bill for shipping, both ways.

Didn't know that either. I have done a couple RMA's for Abit but that was years ago so must have changed for the worse, that sucks.

 

[Bozo]

I picked up a power supply tester made by Antec at Circut City. ~$15.00 US.


Bozo :joker: