Compy dead!!! Help!!!

[kutuup]

Hey,

Posting from my lappy because I have a serious problem with my new desktop.

It's a homebuilt rig, and today while testing the new SLI setup playing Fallout 3, the computer suddenly shut off...

Now it won't start at all, if I flick the PSU on a single orange light glows on the Mobo, but if I push the power button I either get nothing or a barely noticeable flash from the computer's decorative LED's but then nothing, not so much as a noise

Please tell me the whole compy isn't fried! I've ordered a new PSU presuming the one I have blew but I'm VERY worried that it might be something else and something more expensive to replace...

Any ideas?

PS The psu was 650w with 2 +12v rails at 20A and 24A, not really under the specs for SLI

 

[cmichael138]

What brand/model is your MB? 650 should be sufficient but not necessarily if it's a cheap brand name.

 

[kutuup]

What brand/model is your MB? 650 should be sufficient but not necessarily if it's a cheap brand name.

Its a Foxconn Renaissance mobo, the PSU was some budget label thing with no obvious branding... Have I screwed it all by being cheap?

 

[dndhatcher]

One thing you could try is stripping everything non-essential (just plug in Motherboard, one GPU and the boot HDD) and see if you can get it to run.

It would help to have a parts list with model#s. Its hard to make accurate guesses when you have almost no info. If you are running two high end graphics cards and are overclocking, you could easily be in excess of that 12V rail amperage.

 

[kutuup]

One thing you could try is stripping everything non-essential (just plug in Motherboard, one GPU and the boot HDD) and see if you can get it to run.

It would help to have a parts list with model#s. Its hard to make accurate guesses when you have almost no info. If you are running two high end graphics cards and are overclocking, you could easily be in excess of that 12V rail amperage.

Ok here's the parts list:

Mobo: Foxconn Renaissance
GPU: 2x Palit 8880GT 1GB
HDD: 2x Standard 7200rpm
Fans: 2x 120mm, 1x 200mm
CD/DVD: Sony Generic
CPU: i7 920 (2.77 Ghz) at factory default clocks with stock intel heatsink
PSU: 650w budget label with +12v rails at 20A and 24A

No part of the comp is overclocked

 

[dndhatcher]

An Antec 650W PSU for example has two 22 amp 12V rails and a 25 amp 12V rail. That old PSU isnt really designed for a newer computer with so much riding on the 12V rails, its designed for older systems with alot of 3.3 and 5V components. Its effectively comparable to around a modern 550W design, which you are pushing the limits of.

 

[kutuup]

An Antec 650W PSU for example has two 22 amp 12V rails and a 25 amp 12V rail. That old PSU isnt really designed for a newer computer with so much riding on the 12V rails, its designed for older systems with alot of 3.3 and 5V components. Its effectively comparable to around a modern 550W design, which you are pushing the limits of.

So you reckon I just blew the psu? If that's the case I can just replace it with a proper SLI certified one. Is this indicative of more serious damage or do you think changing the PSU is likely to fix?

 

[dndhatcher]

You could pull one graphics card and see if it runs. Probably safer to get a good PSU first.

Unfortunately bad PSUs have been known to take RAM, motherboard and graphics cards out with them when the spectacularly fail. You wont know until you try. Best to start over with minimal components and test as you add things.

 

[kutuup]

You could pull one graphics card and see if it runs. Probably safer to get a good PSU first.

Unfortunately bad PSUs have been known to take RAM, motherboard and graphics cards out with them when the spectacularly fail. You wont know until you try. Best to start over with minimal components and test as you add things.

That's what I was afraid of... Hopefully I'll get my new PSU tomorrow and all will be well. If not I'm sure you will see another post from me freaking out about which parts to pull and what to test lol. Wish me luck!

 

[kutuup]

That's what I was afraid of... Hopefully I'll get my new PSU tomorrow and all will be well. If not I'm sure you will see another post from me freaking out about which parts to pull and what to test lol. Wish me luck!

Well after failing to get any life out of the rig, I went out and forked over £110 for a proper brand name, SLI certified 750w PSU from HighPower.

Just got done hooking it all up and I'm pleased to report I am now posting from that very comp!

The Mobo light must have been a red herring since everything seems to be working just fine, guess the old PSU just blew and luckily didn't take anything with it!

Any thoughts on anything I should check just to be sure?

Device manager shows no errors and all my RAM and devices are showing up.

Thanks guys!

James

 

[dndhatcher]

Doing prime and memtest for CPU and RAM stability would be a good idea.

Im glad you got it back up and running with apparently no loss.

 

[JewFro297]

Also you generally don't want to buy a power supply with two 12v rails... if you have a 24 amp one and another 24 amp one but you put both cards on the same rail they are gunna stress the crap out of it. Go for a single large 12v rail. Sounds to me like your motherboard might not be happy though, i guess you will find out with the new supply