Should I switch my PSU?

G

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Guest
Hey.

I’ve been having problems with my PC shutting down during boot up. It will shut down and then I can’t power it back up I have to unplug the power cable and replug it so I can start it up again. It also restarts and freezes or the screen just goes goes to sleep while in windows.

I think it might be the PSU. I bought my PC in Feb of 2005. It’s specs are:

3.2 GHz Intel
1 gb ram
Albatron PX865PE Lite Pro motherboard
Ge Force 5500 FX 256 mb ram
Two hard drives one 40 GB another 250 GB
And one cd and one dvd burner.

This is my current PSU:
dsc04435.jpg


And this is the PSU I have from an older PC, that I want to put into my computer:
dsc04434c.jpg


I see that they differ in some areas, will this matter much? Will my pc work if I replace it?

I only need it for a few days to a week before I buy a new PSU.

Thanks upfront.
 

mike99

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Check for blown/leaking capacitord on motherboard, your PSU is being tripped out. Could be dying PSU, or excessive load on one of the power rails. Unplugging from wall socket resets yhe overload trip.

Mike.
 

croc

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Hey.

I’ve been having problems with my PC shutting down during boot up. It will shut down and then I can’t power it back up I have to unplug the power cable and replug it so I can start it up again. It also restarts and freezes or the screen just goes goes to sleep while in windows.

I think it might be the PSU. I bought my PC in Feb of 2005. It’s specs are:

3.2 GHz Intel
1 gb ram
Albatron PX865PE Lite Pro motherboard
Ge Force 5500 FX 256 mb ram
Two hard drives one 40 GB another 250 GB
And one cd and one dvd burner.

This is my current PSU:
http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/4343/dsc04435.jpg

And this is the PSU I have from an older PC, that I want to put into my computer:
http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/8605/dsc04434c.jpg

I see that they differ in some areas, will this matter much? Will my pc work if I replace it?

I only need it for a few days to a week before I buy a new PSU.

Thanks upfront.

The bad news... Both PSU's are, uh, crap. The second PSU is crappier than than the first, by about 90W.

The good news, I doubt that it is the PSU causing the issues. Do you have a DMM? If so, theck the CMOS battery for proper voltage. While you have the case open, check it for dustbunnies. Blow out the PSU from the exhaust side, see how much gunk comes out. I've seen PC's so dusted up that you couldn't read the MB symbols.... (Don't use a vaccuum cleaner to do any cleaning, get a can of 'air'.)

If none of the above really helps the situation, then post the proposed new PC so's we can spec a PSU that won't be wasted in a few week's time.
 
Check your motherboard for leaky capacitors. I say it's either the motherboard going bad, or the PSU going bad. Also make sure to run memtest to rule out bad RAM. As for that second PSU don't use it. I don't think it's enough to run your system and if it blows it could take your motherboard with it, as well as some of your other components.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Thanks for the info guys.

The PSU I have are crap. They're old the second one was bought in 2000 first one came with the PC start of 2005.

I've cleaned my pc so it isn't that. I clean it every few months or so. I did check for leaky capacitors it's not that either.

The thing about my PC situation is it's gotten progressively worse. About a week ago it would shut down once during start up and than I would unplug it replug it and it would work fine. But as the week passes it would shut down a few times before I got it working. Then It would shut down in windows/ freeze/ restart. Now when I get to windows I will only work about 3-4 minutes and the monitor would shut off and it will stop working but it won't shut down. Sometimes it will restart after a while.

Others have told me It could be the CMOS battery, but I read the symptoms for a bad CMOS battery I seam to have none. They usually point out that if the battery is going bad the date and time in Bios will be messed up and other signs.

My old PC has an identical looking battery with the same markings on it + kts japan cr2032. Should I replace it?

I can't run a memtest from windows, because I can hardly get into windows and If I do the pc won't run more than a few minutes before shuting down/freezing/restarting. Few days ago if I got into windows it would work fine for 15 hours, now no more than a few minutes.
 

croc

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Thanks for the info guys.

The PSU I have are crap. They're old the second one was bought in 2000 first one came with the PC start of 2005.

I've cleaned my pc so it isn't that. I clean it every few months or so. I did check for leaky capacitors it's not that either.

The thing about my PC situation is it's gotten progressively worse. About a week ago it would shut down once during start up and than I would unplug it replug it and it would work fine. But as the week passes it would shut down a few times before I got it working. Then It would shut down in windows/ freeze/ restart. Now when I get to windows I will only work about 3-4 minutes and the monitor would shut off and it will stop working but it won't shut down. Sometimes it will restart after a while.

Others have told me It could be the CMOS battery, but I read the symptoms for a bad CMOS battery I seam to have none. They usually point out that if the battery is going bad the date and time in Bios will be messed up and other signs.

My old PC has an identical looking battery with the same markings on it + kts japan cr2032. Should I replace it?

I can't run a memtest from windows, because I can hardly get into windows and If I do the pc won't run more than a few minutes before shuting down/freezing/restarting. Few days ago if I got into windows it would work fine for 15 hours, now no more than a few minutes.

OK, now we are looking at a worst case scenario. You mentioned that you planned on a new PC in a 'few days'. Were you planning on building it yourself? If so, give us the specs, then we can guide you to a PSU that at least won't go wasted even it doesn't cure your present problems. If not, then will the vendor loan you a PSU? I would, just for the customer loyalty it would generate. Or would the vendor help you troubleshoot the problem? (Iffy, as the vendor has no real reason to fix your present system...)

Hmm. Bad choices, worse choices.

How are you now emailing / watching this thread?
 

Dahak

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Don't use the second PSU.It's not enough to run your system safely.Buy a good quality 550-650watt PSU with at least 30amps on the +12v rail,40 would be better.This allows for some future proofing in case you want to get a better video card.And yes it does sound a lot like the PSU is crapping out.Goodluck.

Dahak







 
G

Guest

Guest
I'm posting from I lap top I have for work.

I am planing on buying a new PC, but I still want to use this one as I have two residences. I want to have a PC in each one. So I need to fix this one.

Now I doubt that a vendor will let me borrow a PSU, but I can buy one if I know thats the problem and that a new PSU will fix the problem for me. I just checked two shops that are like 5 minutes from where I live, they have 400/500 W PSU for like 20 bucks. They might not be quality but lets face it, it isn't like I have a powerful machine. I only use it for typing, internet, music stuff like that.

This is what they have listed for 20$:

Power supply ATX 400W
Power supply ATX 380W
Power supply MS KY 400W GOLD
POWER SUPPLY JNC 500W P4 CE ATX,W/CORD
power supply ATX 500W
POWER SUPPLY JNC 400W P4 24 pin CE ATX, W/CORD
Power supply MS Platinum 400W

All are the same price, give or take a dollar or two.

Do you guys think a new PSU will solve me problem?
I tried to start the PC 3 times now, every time it shut down before entering windows and I had to un plug, re plug the power to try to power it back up. If I don't uplug it and re plug it I can press the power button all I want it won't do a thing.
 

croc

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I'm posting from I lap top I have for work.

I am planing on buying a new PC, but I still want to use this one as I have two residences. I want to have a PC in each one. So I need to fix this one.

Now I doubt that a vendor will let me borrow a PSU, but I can buy one if I know thats the problem and that a new PSU will fix the problem for me. I just checked two shops that are like 5 minutes from where I live, they have 400/500 W PSU for like 20 bucks. They might not be quality but lets face it, it isn't like I have a powerful machine. I only use it for typing, internet, music stuff like that.

This is what they have listed for 20$:

Power supply ATX 400W
Power supply ATX 380W
Power supply MS KY 400W GOLD
POWER SUPPLY JNC 500W P4 CE ATX,W/CORD
power supply ATX 500W
POWER SUPPLY JNC 400W P4 24 pin CE ATX, W/CORD
Power supply MS Platinum 400W

All are the same price, give or take a dollar or two.

Do you guys think a new PSU will solve me problem?
I tried to start the PC 3 times now, every time it shut down before entering windows and I had to un plug, re plug the power to try to power it back up. If I don't uplug it and re plug it I can press the power button all I want it won't do a thing.

OK, let's go back to basics. Pull everything out of your PC except for one memory stick, the CPU and the HSF. (You do have a case / MB speaker, right?) I have no clue what your MB is, but hopefully you saved the manual. There it gave you the 'beep' codes. Usually, under those scenarios, you'd get one short beep. Boot OK is the usual meaning.

See if you can get that far.
 
G

Guest

Guest
I pulled everything out the pc with the exception of the power cable for the floopy, I couldn't pull it out.

Any way this is what happens: I power it up 2 sec later it shuts down and I have to do the whole un plug re plug cable thing to power it back up.

I couldn't find anything about beep codes in the manual. I did google it and found some codes but I hear no codecs for those 2 seconds. I hear something like hissing noises, but they vary each time I power it up. It also depends how long it stays on. Sometimes it powers down in a second, sometimes it last like 3 second, but no more than that.

So should I go get a new PSU or someone has an idea of what I should try?

PS: Thanks for the help guys, especially croc.

 

croc

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I pulled everything out the pc with the exception of the power cable for the floopy, I couldn't pull it out.

Any way this is what happens: I power it up 2 sec later it shuts down and I have to do the whole un plug re plug cable thing to power it back up.

I couldn't find anything about beep codes in the manual. I did google it and found some codes but I hear no codecs for those 2 seconds. I hear something like hissing noises, but they vary each time I power it up. It also depends how long it stays on. Sometimes it powers down in a second, sometimes it last like 3 second, but no more than that.

So should I go get a new PSU or someone has an idea of what I should try?

PS: Thanks for the help guys, especially croc.

OK... You need to repair this PC anyway, right? That will be hard to do withour being able to power it up long enough for some basic tests. I'd not like to see you spend money on a low quality PSU, when your intent is to keep the PC long term. Hmm... Is there a shop that you can go to, one that you trust? Don't know about where you live, but I have a few not too fay from me in Sydney that I buy parts from, they would do some troubleshooting for me for free if asked (but they do rape a bit on parts...). It might be cheaper in the long run to pay someone a few $ to do all the parts swapping then tell you what parts you need. A main concern for me would be that you'd buy a good PSU and then find out that it is the MB that's bad.

 

medjohnson77

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Yeah I have to agree that it may be a bad mother board, I have a old emachine I bought from Worst buy several years back, and it had the same signs as yours. at the time it died I had put a PC & cooling 610 watt psu in it and really doubted it was the problem. I tried it with two other PSU also a Antec 430 and a 550 watt. I would turn it on, and it would not post or stay on for more then a few seconds. I took it out of the case, did the one stick of ram, only the cpu fan and Cpu installed and still did the same. I switched out several different processors, and still same problem. I then unplugged the CPU wire with 4 plugs for the CPU socket and it would not beep, however it would stay on, no beeps no post though. Turned out that it was a bad mother board, with no signs of being bad, caps all looked sound, no burn marks, nothing.

Mother board was a 939 socket with DDR ram, and was a MS-7202 I think? It was a MSI, and that mother board is well know to go bad. My sister had one in here emachine, same board, only six months old and it died. Mine lasted for 3 years, guess I was lucky, LOL.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Again thanks for the info guys.

I'll look to find a PC today or tomorrow to swap parts from.

Anyway my PC boots up in Safe Mode no problem. Now it's logical to assume that Safe Mode uses less power because you're limited in what you can do in it.

Does the fact that it boots up in Safe Mode fine, rule out some possible problems, or not?
 

medjohnson77

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Well it may not be a bad mother board, and I hope its not, because that would suck. Mine would not boot up at all, so you may just be lucky and it might be your PSU.