No-warning restart:A7N8X:2.0

Been running this mobo w/a 2400 mobile and 2/256 mb Kingston HyperX/3500
at speed of 210X11.5. Synchronous ram/cpu fsb. Conservative graphics card,
no games, on-board sound, no networking, 1 WD h/d 30g & 1 Maxtor, 40g--both
7200 rpm. HP 2410 all-in-one. Good temps: 32F and 36F, max.
Began randomly re-starting with no warning or errors leading up to the
boots, about twice a day. No beeps. No BSOD. Been thinking I needed to
upgrade my PS--OKIA, heavy, 550-watts, 32a on 3.3-v, 40a on 5-v, & 24a on
the 12-volt rails. So, I replaced it with an Antec Truepower 330-watter,
28a/3.3-v, 30a/5-v, & 17a/12-v rails. Lower outputs than OKIA, but truer
IMO--it's much heavier than Okia. Whereas Okia had only 4 'approvals',
Antec has 9.
So far, not even 1 re-start. Was the ps probably the culprit? Blows my
mind that some mfg's seem to put whatever label on their p/s they wish--just
up the labelled specs & up the price accordingly. Am I imagining or is this
factual?
Thanks for any help/ideas. s

sdlomi2;

It certainly sounds like a hardware problem, and if all you've changed is
the PS, and it didn't work before, but it works now, then...
I use Antec TruePowers whenever possible on clients' computers, never a
problem. I usually use the 380 watt version. Yes, it is worth spending more
for a good power supply.

TomC


"sdlomi2" wrote in message
...
Been running this mobo w/a 2400 mobile and 2/256 mb Kingston
HyperX/3500
at speed of 210X11.5. Synchronous ram/cpu fsb. Conservative graphics
card,
no games, on-board sound, no networking, 1 WD h/d 30g & 1 Maxtor,
40g--both
7200 rpm. HP 2410 all-in-one. Good temps: 32F and 36F, max.
Began randomly re-starting with no warning or errors leading up to the
boots, about twice a day. No beeps. No BSOD. Been thinking I needed to
upgrade my PS--OKIA, heavy, 550-watts, 32a on 3.3-v, 40a on 5-v, & 24a on
the 12-volt rails. So, I replaced it with an Antec Truepower 330-watter,
28a/3.3-v, 30a/5-v, & 17a/12-v rails. Lower outputs than OKIA, but truer
IMO--it's much heavier than Okia. Whereas Okia had only 4 'approvals',
Antec has 9.
So far, not even 1 re-start. Was the ps probably the culprit? Blows
my
mind that some mfg's seem to put whatever label on their p/s they
wish--just
up the labelled specs & up the price accordingly. Am I imagining or is
this
factual?
Thanks for any help/ideas. s

"sdlomi2" wrote in message
...
Been running this mobo w/a 2400 mobile and 2/256 mb Kingston
HyperX/3500
at speed of 210X11.5. Synchronous ram/cpu fsb. Conservative graphics
card,
no games, on-board sound, no networking, 1 WD h/d 30g & 1 Maxtor,
40g--both
7200 rpm. HP 2410 all-in-one. Good temps: 32F and 36F, max.
Began randomly re-starting with no warning or errors leading up to the
boots, about twice a day. No beeps. No BSOD. Been thinking I needed to
upgrade my PS--OKIA, heavy, 550-watts, 32a on 3.3-v, 40a on 5-v, & 24a on
the 12-volt rails. So, I replaced it with an Antec Truepower 330-watter,
28a/3.3-v, 30a/5-v, & 17a/12-v rails. Lower outputs than OKIA, but truer
IMO--it's much heavier than Okia. Whereas Okia had only 4 'approvals',
Antec has 9.
So far, not even 1 re-start. Was the ps probably the culprit? Blows
my
mind that some mfg's seem to put whatever label on their p/s they
wish--just
up the labelled specs & up the price accordingly. Am I imagining or is
this
factual?
Thanks for any help/ideas. s

Yep, bad PSUs are very common. I build a lot of PCs and even
though I buy cheap cases (UK£10-12), I throw the included PSU
away and fit a known quality one. In my junk pile of dead bits from
PC's I've repaired, I have about the same number of dead PSUs as
bad hard disks, so you can see just how common this problem is.
HTH
--
Rob

sdlomi2 wrote:
probably the culprit? Blows my mind that some mfg's seem to put
whatever label on their p/s they wish--just up the labelled specs &
up the price accordingly. Am I imagining or is this factual?
Thanks for any help/ideas. s

The current output of a PSU will reduce the hotter it gets. Some
manufacturers will quote the current output at a temperature like 25°C, but
in real life you'll probably find the internal temperature of the PSU is
nearer 40°C.

The current that a PSU can output in short bursts (such as required when the
machine is first powered on) is greater than that which it can sustain
permanently. Some manufacturers quote the peak, and not the sustained.

Weight and price are probably much better indicators of performance than the
numbers on the side. :-p

Ben
--
A7N8X FAQ: www.ben.pope.name/a7n8x_faq.html
Questions by email will likely be ignored, please use the newsgroups.
I'm not just a number. To many, I'm known as a String...

"Rob Hemmings" wrote in message
...

| Yep, bad PSUs are very common. I build a lot of PCs and even
| though I buy cheap cases (UK£10-12), I throw the included PSU
| away and fit a known quality one. In my junk pile of dead bits from
| PC's I've repaired, I have about the same number of dead PSUs as
| bad hard disks, so you can see just how common this problem is.
| HTH
| --
| Rob
|
|

Heh, HDs have much larger MTBF expectancies than cheapo PS's. I have
many dead old PS's, not near as many dead old HDs. Anyone need some
240,500,800,1000 meg Seagate/Quantum/WD HDs? FWIW, it is my
estimation that most PS failures begin with the failure of the cheapo
fan, then the PS overheats and suffers a coronary.

--
Best regards,
Kyle

"Kylesb" wrote in message
...
"Rob Hemmings" wrote in message
...

| Yep, bad PSUs are very common. I build a lot of PCs and even
| though I buy cheap cases (UK£10-12), I throw the included PSU
| away and fit a known quality one. In my junk pile of dead bits from
| PC's I've repaired, I have about the same number of dead PSUs as
| bad hard disks, so you can see just how common this problem is.
| HTH
| --
| Rob
|
|

Heh, HDs have much larger MTBF expectancies than cheapo PS's. I have
many dead old PS's, not near as many dead old HDs. Anyone need some
240,500,800,1000 meg Seagate/Quantum/WD HDs? FWIW, it is my
estimation that most PS failures begin with the failure of the cheapo
fan, then the PS overheats and suffers a coronary.

Yep, and most HDs die from being run too hot in poorly ventilated
cases. BTW, forgot to mention my pile of dead optical drives (mainly
CD-ROM) is now growing at a worrying rate and will soon exceed
both PSUs and HDs. Some of them (Sony, from 1999) have never
been used with a disc although they have been powered for 8 hours a
day, 5 days a week for 4 years (90% failure rate on that batch of 30.)
HTH
--
Rob