Overshee

So a while back my PSU died, I got a new one from Newegg, a COOLMAX V-500 ATX 500W Power Supply. An electrical surge caused the thing (which incidentally killed my hard drives too T_T) and so I got that PSU (free after rebate (!)) and a new UPS.

Now, four months later, I'm having power supply issues (I think).

My computer randomly shuts down, seldomly getting past BIOS into the OS. I have unplugged everything but the connection to the motherboard (AKA the hard drives, DVD drive, and most of the fans besides the GPU and CPU fans). It still shuts down constantly and doesn't get to the OS.

I don't think it's heat, because it still happens after I let it rest. Also, I think I heard a slight crackling from the PSU, which is unsettling.

The actual stuff in the computer is as follows (no links as they are no longer on Newegg, as I bought the computer in 2005)

1 GIGABYTE GA-K8N Pro-SLI Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce4 SLI ATX AMD Motherboard with 1394b - Retail

1 PLEXTOR Slot Load 16X DVD±R DVD Burner Black IDE Model PX-716AL/SW-BL - Retail

2 Crucial 1GB (2 x 512MB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model CT2KIT6464Z40B - OEM

2 Western Digital Caviar SE WD3200JB 320GB 7200 RPM IDE Ultra ATA100 Hard Drive - OEM (the model may have changed since upgrade)

1 AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ Manchester 2.0GHz Socket 939 Processor Model ADA3800BVBOX - Retail

1 Creative SOUND BLASTER X-Fi Platinum 7.1 Channels PCI Interface Sound Card - Retail

2 XFX 7700 GTs (used to be 6600 GTs, but they died, I RMA'd and I got an upgrade)

EDIT: It also has 2 big fan, 1 little fan (sorry, don't know the measurements) and a squirrelcage fan.

Any help would be amazing as I need a good computer (I'm writing this on a 1.07ghz iBook G4 with 256MB ram, which is painful.)

Thanks
~Overshee

1 g0t 0wn3d

What are your video card ? (they don't make 7700)

Tumbleweed36

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it is most likely your choice of power supplies that is causing this continuing problem. COOLMAX is a very poor quality power supply IMHO.

Please take a few minutes and read the power supply sticky and also use the calculator and add 30% to the total you get in there.

When done, purchase a good BRAND NAME power supply from the list in that sticky and you should be good to go. I would recommend for your rig depending upon what you get with the calculator that you choose something like the Antec Trio Series.

Post back with questions/concerns and further video card information as requested by 1 g0t 0wn3d ,

Overshee

OK, perhaps it's a 7800? I think? I don't remember from the phone conversation with XFX.

Anyways, thanks for the help so far, I'm doing the stickey thing.

Overshee

I looked, an the video cards are in fact 7600 GTs.

Here is the calculations, if you could check them over I'd be happy.

Any particular recommendations?

Tumbleweed36

My recommendation to do the job and permit some future expansion would be the Antec Trio 650 HERE. If you look around, you might find a better price with something like PriceGrabber or Pricewatch. I have seen them recently for around $100 bucks on some sites, but I don't remember where.

1 g0t 0wn3d

http://www.mwave.com/mwave/Skusearch...teria=BA23051\

You will neeed more if you get any upgrades.

1 g0t 0wn3d

No, you beat me.

Tumbleweed36

Hey 1 got....your link doesn't return a result????????? It says: NO Product of BA23051\ is available at this moment

1 g0t 0wn3d

http://www.mwave.com/mwave/Skusearch...iteria=BA23051

Ok, i hope this works it is alittle cheaper.

1 g0t 0wn3d

It was that little \ thing that messed it up lol.

Tumbleweed36

That is a very good price with a decent company. Thanks for that link.

Overshee

So I got the PSU today, but something weird is happening. I used the 'fan only' power connectors (don't know real name, sorry. 4 pins in a horizontal array) for the fans, and hooked everything up etc, but now the fans are spinning very slowly and not too well. If I stop one with my hand it doesn't even start back up itself, I have to start it going again. It isn't worrying me yet, speed fan verifies that the case isn't too hot yet, but any input would be nice.

Overshee

NVM, put it into the non fan only ones and it started working!

Tumbleweed36

Great that you are up and running. I will mark this one as resolved. Make sure you stick around and enjoy the forum. We will look for you around here and have a great evening.

Overshee

Yeah, I'll definitely use this forum in the future.

Also, I find it funny that when I removed my squirrelcage fan from the system my machine got about 4 times quieter.

Tumbleweed36

Darn thing probably vibrating. You might solve that if you want to put it back with a rubber bushing between the metal of the cage and the case where it fastenes on. Whatever works best for you and I certainly understand, because I hate noisy computers. That is exactly why I use Seasonic power supplies in my personal rigs. I also sell many to my customers who don't mind paying a tad more for a quieter and better quality power supply.

Overshee

Yeah. Now I've just gotta pretty up my case a bit more and it can go to LANs again. Also, NEVER USE TWIST TIES in your computer. I had tons and I accidentally cut a fan wire. Good thing I had an extra fan.

Tumbleweed36

Never did that one (cut a wire like that one), but also don't use twist ties. I do use cable ties, but always buy these exotic rainbow colors so can't mistake it for a cable. Have a great evening and thanks for the laugh about the cable ties.