New build unstable

[HelmutHerz]

I just built my first system and and am having some stability problems. All of my hardware works and is recognized. I was able to install windows and several programs without trouble. I can run intensive software like 3dmark06 without a hitch.

However, intermittently, the system just resets itself with no errors or bluescreens. One minute I will be doing something and the next the system will go dark for a moment, the monitor will lose signal and the system will restart.

I am concerned that my PSU voltages may be too low. When I first start up and go to the bios I see good values on the voltages, but when I enter windows and run Asus's PC Probe II my readings are at the bottom of the 5% tolerance values.

For 3.3 V I get 3.12 to 3.14.
For 5 V I get 4.87.
For 12 V I get 11.58.

The system still runs stable for a good while at these voltages, but in the 2 days since I first powered on, it has failed about 4 times. I have systematically unplugged every power cable in the case except MB and Disk drive power. Nothing has changed the voltages.

Any ideas on why I might be having trouble? Thanks

Specs:

ASUS M2N-E
SeaSonic S12-430 ATX12V 430W
Western Digital Caviar 250GB 7200 RPM SATA (*2)
BFG Tech 7900GT
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+ AM2
CORSAIR XMS2 (2 x 1GB) DDR2 800

 

[phreejak]

While those voltages are not perfect they aren't bad. The Amperage is not the best but is ok (15 amps per rail). It has Active PFC so that is a plus. Since your symptoms seem to be (at least initially) GPU related there are a number of things to look at.

What kinda temps are you getting for your videocard and CPU?
Do you overclock?

Your PSU is from a company with an excellent rep but it is not entirely impossible that somehting could be wrong with it but, I'd look at temps first before I'd consider that. It might be somehting as simple as reseating the heatsinks on your CPU or GPU.

 

[1Tanker]

While those voltages are not perfect they aren't bad. The Amperage is not the best but is ok (15 amps per rail). It has Active PFC so that is a plus. Since your symptoms seem to be (at least initially) GPU related there are a number of things to look at.

What kinda temps are you getting for your videocard and CPU?
Do you overclock?

Your PSU is from a company with an excellent rep but it is not entirely impossible that somehting could be wrong with it but, I'd look at temps first before I'd consider that. It might be somehting as simple as reseating the heatsinks on your CPU or GPU.

Also, what RAM timings are you using, and what voltage are you supplying them?

 

[aristotelus]

First, my native language aint english, so forgive my english.


I had the same problems with this new Asus M2N-E board with DDR2 800 corsairs modules and a X2 processor.

Totaly random resets.


I did the following things and now its rock stable.

upgraded bios from 0103 to 0203 using the awdflash bios update utility.
(before 0203 you are not allowed to use the more modern flashing methods) The 0103 bios can even make it so that in your device manager you will see one core of your cpu having driver?? problems or not functioning at all.

And manually set the DDR 2 800 timings.

The M2N-E board will clock your corsair DDR2 800 at DDR 667 when using auto settings!!
Also the auto timings will cause your system to randomly reset even if manually set at DDR2 800.

So manually set dram to DDR2 800 and set the following timings:

5-5-5-15-2T

After this you should have a stable system.

 

[phreejak]

In conjunction with what aristitelus and 1Tanker said - if you have to manually set the timings then find out what the voltage is for your particular ram - preferable from specs at the manufacturers site. Boards are more apt to undervolt so if you find that the default voltages for your ram are less than manu specs then change it. For example, if your manu specs say hte voltage is, say, 1.95 but your board undervolts to 1.80, change it to 1.90.

 

[HelmutHerz]

Thank you all for the quick responses.

I am not currently overclocked and my CPU temp fluctuates between 39 and 50 degrees depending on load. I've never seen it get much hotter. I'm not sure what my GPU temps are.

My RAM is set to auto with the BIOS. The spec sheet says 5-5-5-12 and 1.9V.

aristotelus-- thanks I will try that.

In the mean time, I managed to kill my BIOS by trying to use the EZ Flash on BIOS version 0103. It hung overnight in the middle of erasing the chip. Now the screen does not respond at all to power on. There aren't even any beeps. What are my options for fixing that?

Thanks again for the help.

 

[aristotelus]

Get a replacement bios chip where you bought the board.....or let them copy

 

[HelmutHerz]

I talked to ASUS today and hopefully that will all be resolved this coming week.

 

[aristotelus]

Well i checked the ram timings again.

It is true what you are saying.
The twinx corsair 6400 will run on those 5-5-5-12-1T timings.
According to corsair, but they also programmed a spd value which is
5-5-5-15-2T. I use the 5-5-5-15-2T one.