Power Supply 2.3v on 12v line

[direrage]

I am using a MSI NEO Plat motherboard with AMD64 3400+, 9800pro, and a superflower 450w.

I have been having some significant crashes lately and mobo failures. I think I have traced the issue down to the power supply, but im unsure.

MSI has a program that tells me the power output of the power supply. It lists the voltage for the 12v at 2.3v and sets off the programs built in alarm when XP boots.

I have seen in tom's reviews of the 12v line dropping to 10 and that being a problem, im just unsure of how anything is operating at 2.3v.

Anyone know of how to test the power supply or any other issues that could be causing this?

 

[poly4life]

2.3V sounds TOO off. To my knowledge, the voltage monitor is on the mobo end and therefore, in theory, it's possible a relatively clean voltage is supplied from the PSU, becoming dirty on the delivery end - in other words, a mobo issue. That doesn't mean the PSU is not suspect. Assuming you don't own or know how to use a DMM, I'd connect a PSU tester. The 12 volt line may or may not sag; it may require a larger load for further testing. I'm hesistant in recommending this next tip, so take it with caution: Open the computer, blow the largest fan you have (much larger than a 120mm fan!), turn on the computer, load the BIOS setup, observe and record the voltages and initial temps, then shut it off. The reason I caution this tip is if a voltage of around 2 volts is true, some serious damage may occur. If it were my system, I wouldn't take the chance.

 

[Crashman]

Easy answer, the program is wrong. It's reading the wrong sensor, or calculating the wrong value.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[poly4life]

Not necessarily. There may be more to it than that. Direage, can you give an example of an incident where it crashed? Did it freeze? And what do you mean by mobo failure? In Windows, even if the monitor is reading the wrong value, that doesn't gurantee the system will stop responding. As long as the voltages are correct and the temperatures are set at appropriate values, no matter what a arbitrary monitor reports - unless its equipped and granted enhanced priviledges such as powering off the system in case of a threshold breakage - it should have no bearing on the integrity and stability of the system. If the sensor is busted, and his rig is acting strange, there's a possibility an external event, directly related to the crashing, ruptured the sensor, rendering it unusuable.

 

[jammydodger]

What the hell are you talking about? All crash is saying is that there is no way the computer would work if the 12v line was at 2.3v . Therefore the only logical conclusion we can come to is that the sensor or the program isnt working at it should.

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by jammydodger on 09/08/05 01:08 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[poly4life]

Yes, I totally agree with you and Crashman on that. The not necessarily portion is becaused I assumed Crashman was stating the sensor is solely responsible for direrage's computer troubles. Given his track record, he probably meant otherwise. However, I feel its disrespectful to speak for him and I'd much prefer him to clarify his position and look foward to any other insight he may have in helping direrage.

 

[jammydodger]

Easy answer, the program is wrong. It's reading the wrong sensor, or calculating the wrong value.

Thats a quote from crashman, I fail to see where he is "stating the sensor is solely responsible for direrage's computer troubles".

 

[poly4life]

Like I said, I made an assumption and it's wrong. I'm trying to be a gentlemen about it and I don't intend to speak for others. How about we drop it and get back to helping direrage's crashing dilemma?

 

[poly4life]

huh?

 

[direrage]

Thanks for the input guys. Anyone have any advice on performing some tests to narrow down where my problems on the mobo are? Any diagnostic software?

Problems:

1. On boot windows some times does not recognize the mobo (bios) and fails to load all msi mobo applications.

2. Water cooling pump not operating. On boot it begins pumping and then cuts off. Unplugging it from the power supply or mobo power will get it to cut on briefly but then it cuts off again.