[spoxox]

Problem:
I changed the power supply on my upgraded (RAM, HDD, video) Gateway 500GR (because the stock PSU's fan rattled at high RPM). (This is my first PSU swap.) It would not boot after; hanging on "Gateway" screen with CPU fan on high. The new PSU is FSP Saga+ 450R. The stock PSU is 305W.

Question:
What do I do next? Is there a step-by-step guide? (I have looked at the very cool Intel NoBoot troubleshooter, but I'm off their path.)

What I have done:
I did not replace thermal grease (originally; did later) although I had to remove the CPU fan to remove the PSU.

Tried swapping RAM with some temporary success - booted once only. Swapped RAM again (lots of old DDR on hand). In several attempts, got a little success twice.

Reinstalled the old PSU. Applied thermal grease.

I have removed everything (RAM, expansion cards, HDD, optical drives, other media) and powered on. Three beeps, which the board manual identifies as memory error. So I guess the board is alive, and hopefully well.

 

[dai]

you need to start here,could be higher depending on what the video card is

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139004&Tpk=corsair+550w

make sure the ram is seated don't just rely on the clips clicking over as it does not mean it is seated

 

[spoxox]

Thanks, dai, but I'm not sure what your message is. I did upgrade the PSU from 305W to 450W (which I bought from newegg). I spent a few days researching a PSU that matched my board (ATX12V, with 24-pin output and additional 4-pin 12V output).

I'll try again with careful attention the RAM and post results.

 

[dai]

you need to be up here power wise

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139004&Tpk=corsair+550w

 

[spoxox]

Sorry I left out some info earlier.

The configuration before the PSU upgrade was stable for months using the 305W PSU. The current video card is an ATI Radeon HD 3450 (1 DVI). Previously I had a NVIDIA GeForce 7600 (2 DVI). Both are 256MB. This configuration ran unchanged for a few years.

Looks like my CPU and mobo were built in 2003.

Is my 50% increase in PSU capacity (300W - 450W) really insufficient - especially given that it ran fine (until I messed with it)?

 

[spoxox]

NB restart with carefully seated RAM worked fairly well:
- had to update CMOS time and date (having removed battery last night).
- XP chkdsk fixed a few problems, and restarted on its own. (Saw this before.)
- XP started OK (slowly).
- BSoD when I shut down a startup program: PAGE_FAULT_IN_NON_PAGED_AREA. This is a recurrence of an old problem that is, I suspect, driven by the RAM. I'm probably using the old RAM again. Thinking about changing RAM and restarting.

 

[Tyree]

The increase in PSU power was a good thing but the quality of the PSU you chose is suspicious.
That's why dai was directing to you the Corsair PSU. If you do go with the Corsair you might as well go with the 650W. Same price.
Don't get too excited about the rebate. It comes in the form of a credit card good for the purchase of Corsair products only.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005

 

[spoxox]

I picked the FSP PSU because it was one of the few available through retailers I know that met my board's requirements and received very positive reviews at the retailer site. (I didn't notice the Corsair could switch from 8pin to 4pin 12V or I would have started with it.) Have others had bad results with FSP? It's a nice, heavy metal construction.

This box won't be overclocked or heavily used.