Dead/Nearly Dead PC

[red268]

Hi all,

Very sad news. My PC is dead, or very close to it.

About a week ago, I was happily sitting using the internet as normal when everything froze. My music kept repeating the same half second of music and nothing would happen on screen at all.

So I tried to restart, but it just kept going to the 'Windows did not shut down properly ....' screen. I tried all the options, e.g. starting in safe mode, last known good configuration, start Windows normally, but none worked. I tried to start from scratch, installing Windows again, and it worked for a few minutes before getting the same problem again.

Since then, the hard drive is now making the 'click o' death' and I've given up on it. But I've tried two other hard drives and when I try to instal Windows on either, I get the Blue Screen o' Death .... seems my computer is all about death at the moment!

I've tried using each stick of RAM seperately incase it was something to do with those, but I still get the same problems. I've tried using different SATA cables with the drives as well, which worked for me in the past, but not this time.

Any ideas what the hell is wrong with it? If you need any other info (All details about the PC are in system specs and sig) let me know!!

Thanks

 

[InTeL-iNsIdE]

possibly motherboard if you tried all the ram sticks and different hdd's either that or the cpu, whats the error code the bsod gives you ? that might point you in the right direction

EDIT: what make psu do you have ?

 

[red268]

I'll get the error code shortly. The PSU is a generic one that came with a pre built PC. It's 550 Watts.

 

[PaulieG]

Power supply or motherboard. I suspect it's unstable rails on the power supply. Do you have a multimeter and know how to use it? You should never use a generic psu, ever. It needs to be the foundation of your system, not an afterthought. I'd get it the hell out of there before it kills anything, if it hasn't already.

 

[red268]

People have always said that, but I've only ever had generic ones, and never once had a problem. I'm not saying you're wrong though! Far from it, and I do appreciate the help.

How likely is it that a PSU would suddenly die like that? It wasn't getting stressed at the time of the first crash.

 

[kyle2020]

+1 on what paulie just said. Generic PSU's can go pop and take a chain of things down with them, so that would be the first thing to sort out.

 

[TheLaughingMan]

Regardless of past experiences, this is obvious going to be a hardware issue. The only way to figure out what is wrong is testing. As a buddy to bring their rig by and swap out the PSU to see if the problem continues. The only other issue is the SATA plugs are bad on the Mobo.

Have you recently added new stuff to your system?

 

[Studabaker]

Agree on the mobo or PSU. It's fairly likely that a PSU would die just like that, happens all the time.

 

[phanbuey]

Power supply or motherboard. I suspect it's unstable rails on the power supply. Do you have a multimeter and know how to use it? You should never use a generic psu, ever. It needs to be the foundation of your system, not an afterthought. I'd get it the hell out of there before it kills anything, if it hasn't already.

It sure sounds like a gimped MB due to a power spike...

 

[red268]

If I thought it appropriate to swear on these forums, I'd be doing lots of it right now. Not aimed at you guys! But aimed at my PC.

Since several hard drives won't work and I think I've ruled out the RAM, sounds like you guys are right. PSU or Mobo .... so what's the best option here? Get a new PSU and hope that solves it? If it still doesn't work, then replace the mobo too?

This has come at a terrible time with a rather annoying lack of money. So, if you guys think what I have said is the best option, can you give me ideas about which PSU and possibly mobo to buy, bearing in mind I don't want to be spending a fortune on them. Or, of course, any other options?

 

[red268]

Oh, horrible thought. We've been getting some power cuts recently, and my PC was on during one of them. Could this have damaged anything?

 

[Studabaker]

Oh, horrible thought. We've been getting some power cuts recently, and my PC was on during one of them. Could this have damaged anything?

No surge protector? I've always used crappy surge protectors and never had a problem. Well, there was the one time that my SB Live got shocked hard enough to destroy the PCI slot, but the good old Abit BM6 didn't flinch, I just couldn't use that slot anymore.

 

[Velvet Wafer]

wth? psus can make problems even when in idle...im writing with a bitching,dying psu atm... had to back off to 1,168vcore and 2400mhz to not crash...(massive undervolting and underclocking) does sound like my experience: from one moment to another, everything fails...

try other psu, if that dont helps, rma board. seems to be very clear in this case

 

[kyle2020]

If I thought it appropriate to swear on these forums, I'd be doing lots of it right now. Not aimed at you guys! But aimed at my PC.

Since several hard drives won't work and I think I've ruled out the RAM, sounds like you guys are right. PSU or Mobo .... so what's the best option here? Get a new PSU and hope that solves it? If it still doesn't work, then replace the mobo too?

This has come at a terrible time with a rather annoying lack of money. So, if you guys think what I have said is the best option, can you give me ideas about which PSU and possibly mobo to buy, bearing in mind I don't want to be spending a fortune on them. Or, of course, any other options?

Well Id say PSU first as you should really scrap the generic unit either way - if that doesnt solve the problems then I can only assume that the power cut coupled with the psu could have toasted your mobo a bit.

Suggestions wise, Id say a P5Q Pro Motherboard (you were going to buy one not long back, take the plunge now you have an excuse ) and PSU wise anything from Corsair, PC Power & Cooling, Thermaltake or Be Quiet!. Specific models would be the Corsair TX / HX 620, the PC P&C Quad silencer, any ToughPower unit from Thermaltake and the Be Quiet! Dark Power series are excellent too.

 

[erocker]

Whether the PSU is faulty or not, it should be replaced. Unless you are using generic, substandard components in your build, a generic substandard PSU shouldn't be used. The PSU should be the best, most quality, and reliable component in your case.

 

[Velvet Wafer]

seems so, its the part thats supposed to live the longest time in a build..

 

[phanbuey]

seems so, its the part thats supposed to live the longest time in a build..

Longer than the case !

 

[Velvet Wafer]

i had 3 cases in my life... one old lying-stile pentium1 (used 4 years), one from my first xp computer(used 6 years), and a cheaply bought thermaltake shark (current)... i had one 350watt psu (6 years),one 400(3 months),one 550( later i bought an am2 system and reused psu in it) 2 years,then another 500 (1,5 years)... all generic, each died a different death (or dies it atm^^). no one ever damaged a component (hope it stays so). man i had luck till now^^ i will never buy a generic again, cant wait for my soon-to-be ocz..

 

[Studabaker]

My first build was in a big ugly beige full tower chassis that was all sorts of wobbly. After a few years of that I bought my first new case from Enlight for my Celeron 366@550 in 1999. It is plain but is well-featured for what it cost. Then in 2003 I bought a crazy acrylic panel case with these annoying blue LEDs in the front, and sold that thing after a couple years and went back to my old Enlight vanilla case from 1999 til this year when I bought this new Ultra X-Blaster. My Enlight case is still sitting behind me, waiting for the possibility of a 2nd system being built in it.

But say hey, when did this become a thread about the history of the cases we've had?

 

[Velvet Wafer]

when phanbuey said, a psu is longer used as a case... it was more a comparision^^

 

[TheLaughingMan]

My first build was a box of spare parts my high school was going to throw out. It was crap, but it was my first PC and I still have it. It even, kinda still works.

We are losing focus people on memory lane. The guy asked for suggestions.

On a budget, here is one from me.

Rosewill 600 Watts Active PFC

 

[Velvet Wafer]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341016

this seems nice to me

 

[kurosagi01]

he lives in Uk so i think you should reconmend UK links
heres what i had in mind a 450w corsair £53:
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/450W-Corsair-VX-Series-PSU-ATX-PS-2-UK-Version-80-PLUS-certified

 

[boomstik360]

My first build was a box of spare parts my high school was going to throw out. It was crap, but it was my first PC and I still have it. It even, kinda still works.

We are losing focus people on memory lane. The guy asked for suggestions.

On a budget, here is one from me.

Rosewill 600 Watts Active PFC

Good choice. I've had a rosewill 600 watt before. It was a solid PSU worked great and Rosewill has amazing tech support they will get back to you in a day at most but ymmv. I vote +1 for another rosewill PSU

 

[kurosagi01]

maybe a strider silverstone 500w?
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/500W-Silverstone-ST50F-Silent-PSU-120mm-Fan-Dual-plus12V
reconmend UK links since his from UK