Computer stops working

Qris

Distinguished
Feb 27, 2005
30
0
18,530
I have encountered a strange problem. My PC turns off "without reason" - playing Football Manager or FEAR, listening to music with Winamp or even during Windows startup - it seems like current stops to flow, but the LED on my motherboard keeps telling me that the power is still on.
The voltages are clearly ok at all times.

What's more, I predicted that the faulty component was my hard drive, so I tried to replace it with my new one, but I can't get them both working at the same time - PC will just work for 2-3 secs and then turn off.

mb Abit VT-7
Maxtor 40gb
Segate 250GB
Chieftec 360-202-DF

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
 

Qris

Distinguished
Feb 27, 2005
30
0
18,530
But why won't the two hard drives work together? Separately, they work just fine, they are properly detected.. So why?
Thay work just fine, except that I can't install Windows on my new one. During the first part of the installation my PC turned off again, and now I can't even get the installation started - booting just stops at "Verifying DMI pool data...."
 

Qris

Distinguished
Feb 27, 2005
30
0
18,530
I'll try to replace it with my friends' and we'll see what happens. This could be the PSU, but I thought that Chieftecs never fail :) And also, the voltages are prefectly stable when this "turning off" happens.
 

mad-dog

Distinguished
Oct 18, 2006
789
0
18,980
I resemble that remark, the PSU would support 1 HDD by itself but not 2 together, now it wont even spin 1 by itself.
It is common for the PSU to show 12V at the board but there is simply no Current available to drive the hardware, the electrons are standing in line but the Amperage is out to lunch.
 

godman

Distinguished
Jun 2, 2006
665
0
18,980
But why won't the two hard drives work together? Separately, they work just fine, they are properly detected.. So why?

is the 40gb one PATA (IDE)? And the other, is it SATA?

If so it could be a problem, I have heard problems with motherboards that don't allow SATA and PATA HDDs... Though that migh have only been on core 2 duo motherboards :?

Try with just one drive, because I'm pretty sure thats the problem...

I don't think its the PSU though... :?
 

cmptrdude79

Distinguished
Feb 22, 2006
233
0
18,690
Did you read the thread? They work fine by themselves. I agree, sounds like either power supply or, if they're both PATA drives, you could have the jumpers set incorrectly. That's my 2 cents (and not even worth half of it).

-J
 

godman

Distinguished
Jun 2, 2006
665
0
18,980
yeah it could be jumper problems or that there are MCH problems (some motherboards don't allow the use of SATA and PATA at the same time)

to the OP : CHECK JUMPERS





...(it's getting a bit cold as well) :lol:
 

sweetpants

Distinguished
Jul 5, 2006
579
0
18,980
Did you read the thread? They work fine by themselves. I agree, sounds like either power supply or, if they're both PATA drives, you could have the jumpers set incorrectly. That's my 2 cents (and not even worth half of it).

-J

That's always something to check (I always managed to forget and cause myself 2-3 hours of stress that wasn't necessary, needless to say I kicked my own ass for it)

I'm not understanding, I must not have read the thread very well... Did you install your OS on both drives? How do you know both work? I thought one hung up at Verifyign DMI Pool Data...

I would say PSU is definately a possibility.... another thing to check, once it turns off can you turn your system back on IMMIDIATELY? If NO then it could be that your processor is over heating.
 

Qris

Distinguished
Feb 27, 2005
30
0
18,530
Only the new Seagate is SATA. My main problem is the swithing-off, though. Getting them both to work together is not as important (and can possibly be solved by installing a new CPU.).


sweetpants -> Not immediately, but after holding the power button for several seconds. That is a kind of Abit motherboard's feature. I have to discharge some current "left" in my MB circuits and then power it back on. But CPU overheating is definately not the case, is works at 40 C at all times.
 

Qris

Distinguished
Feb 27, 2005
30
0
18,530
That's what happened:

I've switched to my friends CPU and everything worked just fine. Both HDDs work and system won't hang up any more. The CPU was the last thing I suspected..

Thanks for your help

Q