PC re-setting repeatedly before BIOS flash screen appears

[gobrun]

Hi,

This is my system: https://www.overclockers.co.uk/showp...odid=FS-065-OE With this graphics card: Asus ATI Radeon HD 5850 DirectCU 1024MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card. The only exception is that it's a 650W PSU not the 750W listed.

I'm running Vista 64 with whatever the latest service pack is. I also have a second HDD installed as a slave for storage only (no o/s).

It's been running hunky dory since June with no problems what so ever. Today however, when I got home from work and turned it on it initially froze during the Windows loading screen (the one where the bar scrolls across with the Windows logo above it). Thinking nothing of it I reset the computer...
This time, after pressing the power button, the computer powers on briefly before turning off again, it does this twice with what sounds like a slight grinding sound (it doesn't get far enough to emit a beep, just a click) although admittedly the grinding sound might always have been there. After it's done this twice, third time lucky it powers up properly (briefly). It emits a single beep and then a click and resets just as the BIOS flash screen appears.

It then repeats this cycle of *beep* > *click* > 'briefly see BIOS flash screen' > start over...

*I don't have a chance to enter the BIOS.

*I've eliminated the GPU as the culprit by checking a different lesser power hog of a card.

*There are various 'phase' lights on this motherboard, a row of 3 blue lights are the only ones that seem to change during the whole process described above. They're located next to a long row of red lights next to the RAM seating. These green lights turn off and on again every time it cycles and resets. Overclockers didn't send me the mobo manuals when I ordered the PC from them so I have no idea how to interpret these lights.

*I always thought a 650W power supply (albeit a decent one) might not be enough for this system but its chugged along fine for the last few months.

*I've tried briefly re-seating the RAM.

*My suspicion is that the HDD is somehow involved.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Thanks.

 

[gobrun]

Couldn't edit my message but wanted to correct the link to my system:

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=FS-065-OE

Thanks.

 

[smokie23]

Hmm not want to cheap out on power supply. If the power supply isn't big enough the computer would probably just crash and shutdown. Lost of freezing and other unexplained problems will occur to if it's not big enough. You can also damage the components. I have a the same mobo and the manual says this for the lights.
The LED lights beside the RAM slots are (from top most right set working down). The upper most LED's are freq. LED (5 LED's). These are blue LED's that display the OC. The higher your OC the more blue LED's will be lit. Under those are Phase LED's (6 LED's). The number of lighted LED's indicates CPU loading. This option is turned off by default. Theres a set below those right along side the RAM. 7 LED lights. The top is the DDR voltage LED. Under those are teh DDR phase LED and the bottom LED is NB Phase LED.
Now the blue LED's you see are probably the overclock LED's or Freq. LED's. I didnt OC my system as OC can bring problems...especially if your not really use to playing with those settings. Considering you have a OC system and your cheaping out on your PSU then I dont think the computer is getting the right voltage its setup for. The only way I know to reset OC settings if your system becomes unstable was to jump into BIOS from boot and reset the settings in there. Have you tried to boot from a system disk? Safe mode?
In the end I really dont think its was good idea to OC with smaller PSU then recommended.
What were you doing last on your computer before you shut down? Was it intense gaming or graphics or rendering?

Note: Just reading manual a little more and it says that the Overvoltage LED's (CPU, DDR, NB, SB) Off = Normal. Level 1 = Slight,green. Level 2 = Moderate, yellow. Level 3 = High, red.

 

[gobrun]

Hitting the handy CMOS reset button on the back solved it!

Lucky too because it wasn't even booting as far as the BIOS entry screen.