[SOLVED] New build is dying.

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tlawren300

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Feb 10, 2013
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I just upgraded my main computer at home three weeks ago and it is now starting to die on me. Specifically, the video just blacks out at random times during operation. The box will maintain power (fans still running, LEDs on, etc), but there is no video. Also, after the screen goes black, I can not perform a hard reset or shut down, so the only way I can kill the power is to pull the plug in the back. The first few times this happened, I unplugged everything and let the box sit for about 30 minutes and then it booted up normally. After it was up and running, everything appeared to work normally. (Well, USB support was broken on my Win7 partition, but Linux ran fine). I could also perform hard resets and shut downs too. This morning, however, the machine blacked out and I haven't been able to get it back up at all. It doesn't even make it to the BIOS. Does this sound like a motherboard issue? Could it be something else? The video card has worked solidly for a while now, so I don't think it is the video card.

Because I'm still within my 30 day return window, I'm in the process of taking apart the machine, so I can return the parts. The components I upgraded were the cpu, motherboard, memory, and power supply. I also added a new SSD too. What parts should I return?

SOLUTION - I'm not 100% sure I've found the solution, but I am pretty sure that I have. Basically, I had a weak PSU, so I upgraded to a new unit. My original PSU was a Thermaltake 430 W. I was recommended that unit by a few people, because they had had success with it. It did not work for me though. At random times during operation, my system would essentially die. The video would go blank, the sound would stop, and the power/reset buttons on the case would become non-responsive. The motherboard, fans, and LEDs, however, would continue running as normal. After switching to a Corsair CX 600 W PSU, I haven't had any of these issues, and I've been running with the Corsair unit now for longer than I used the Thermaltake.
 
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Greatatlantic

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Mar 17, 2013
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A listing of your parts might be helpful.

I suspect PSU, or rather a PSU unable to fully power the system. The trick is to remove parts that you don't NEED (GPU, more than one stick of RAM) to see if the failure still occurs, then you can know which parts probably aren't the problem.
 
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tlawren300

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Feb 10, 2013
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New parts include:
AMD FX 8350
Gigabyte GA-970-AD3
GSKILL Sniper 8 GB (2x4)
OCZ Vertex 4 128 GB
Thermaltake 430 W
Coolermaster Hyper 212 EVO

Old parts:
SAPPHIRE 100296HDMI Radeon HD 4670 (Bought late 2011 and used in previous build)
250 GB HDD (7200 rpm)
320 GB HDD (7200 rpm)

Machine worked great for about a week or two. Since then, I've been experienced three crashes. After the first two, the machine booted back up normally after letting it sit for about 30 minutes. After the third one, the machine seems to be just dead. It powers up, but it never reaches the BIOS.

I didn't see the first crash. The second one happened while I was logging in... the screen just blacked out. The third one that happened this morning, the screen blacked out and the sound went away. It was as if the machine had been shut off, but was still running.
 
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tlawren300

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Feb 10, 2013
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I attempted to check the PSU by using my old unit, but my old unit doesn't have the right plug to supply to my motherboard. Thus, I can't check the PSU. I got the specific Thermaltake unit, because it was highly rated on Newegg.

After attempting the PSU check, I tried once again booting the machine up normally, and wham, it came up just fine. Something is obviously messing up, I just don't know what. Because I've got about 5-6 days to return the items for full refund, hopefully I can figure it out. To me, it seems like a motherboard issue, because the video, sound, and I'm assuming other peripherals die but the power stays on. And, the fact that I can't do hard shutdown or boot back to the BIOS.

If anyone's got anymore suggestions, I'm all ears. Thanks.
 
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Computer-DOC

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Mar 28, 2013
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I think your PSU is rated too low. You need at least 550Watts I think. The problems you describe sound very power supply related..750W would be idead with plenty of head room for sli and lots of disks and fans.

1000+w psu's are the norm for really hot/loaded systems these days.

420W PSU's are from the past and would struggle to power a slightly warm pentium 4 of the day with sli and the old cards you used to get that used as much power as an electric fire each!...no chance
 
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jnkweaver

jnkweaver

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Nov 11, 2011
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It should be for your system. The 4670 is a real low draw for a GPU.

the problem with Newegg ratings is the user may or not know if he got a bad part. If it is DOA it is straight forward but what if your PSU is only outputting 250W and your system is 200W draw? It may take you 2 years to figure that out.

I would memtest your memory and stress test your system with furmark95.

Also use a different video cable if you have one.
 
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tlawren300

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Feb 10, 2013
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Because people suggested my issue might be with my PSU, I went out and picked up Corsair CX 600W earlier today. So far as I understand, the Corsair unit should be better than the Thermaltake, so I'm just going to return the Thermaltake. Hopefully, this will resolve my issue.

I will try different memory and video cables later in the day. I've got some spare memory on the shelf.
 
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jnkweaver

jnkweaver

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Keep us updated on the result. The Corsair is alot better than the Thermaltake.
 
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tlawren300

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Feb 10, 2013
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I marked this post as solved, because I'm pretty sure the issue was with the PSU. I've been using the Corsair CX 600 W now for longer than I used the Thermaltake and I haven't had any "dying" issues with the Corsair. Because I can't test everything though, I don't think I can say that I'm 100% sure that the issue was the PSU.

Thanks to all who replied. Swapping PSU's was a lot easier and quicker than exchaning motherboards would have been.
 
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