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Voltage and windows errors

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framarti   04-15-2002 at 04:29:58 AM

I had some strange errors on a 3 day old fresh windows xp pro install. sometimes i got a blue screen that says: IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL, and sometimes the pc just shut down and all the lights were on but i couldn't even get to the bios. The pc was on but like if it was absolutely empty (I hope you understand me i'm foreign).

I noticed with the asus pc probe that the voltage sometimes drops down from +12 to 9.500.

Can the voltage be producing these strange errors on my system.

The errors often appear when i am playing games.

My rig is:
MB asus a7a133
duron 900
128 mb generic ram
innovision tnt2 m64 32 mb
sound blaster live 5.1

Please help me!!

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Zlash   04-15-2002 at 04:40:58 AM
- 0 +

Yes, there is only suppose to be a 10% fluctuation on voltage.

<font color=red>:</font color=red> <font color=white>:</font color=white> <font color=blue>:</font color=blue>

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CALV   04-15-2002 at 11:35:44 AM
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9V is far to low, I'd look at replacing the psu


If they squeeze olives to get olive oil, how do they get baby oil?

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framarti   04-15-2002 at 01:43:27 PM
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but is it the voltage that makes the windows errors?

Reply to framarti
framarti   04-15-2002 at 01:44:25 PM
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i checked my power suply and it is 250 W, should i replace it with a 300 w?

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Zlash   04-15-2002 at 01:55:02 PM
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250 is probably a little low for that system, a good 300 one or a crappy 350 or 400 hehe. Really though i saw some Enermax 430w ones for like 40$ a while ago.

<font color=red>:</font color=red> <font color=white>:</font color=white> <font color=blue>:</font color=blue>

Reply to Zlash
framarti   04-15-2002 at 11:42:22 PM
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I'm searching for a 300 w power suply but,
somebody knows if the voltage IS the cause of the blue screen errors?

Reply to framarti
Zoron   04-15-2002 at 11:52:24 PM
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Good God! Someone please tell this guy YES! Blue screen errors can be caused by bad voltage. :lol:

If there is that much flucutation... then that is the cause of all your problems. Get a good 300W - 400W PSU and your problems will be solved.

<font color=red> If you design software that is fool-proof, only a fool will want to use it. </font color=red>

Reply to Zoron
framarti   04-16-2002 at 12:41:07 AM
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sorry but it is hard for me to understand when you don't say very clear like you did. I'm from Chile and I am a student that doesn't know a lot of english yet.
Anyway, thanks to all the people who helped me.

Reply to framarti
CALV   04-16-2002 at 10:16:03 AM
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no problem! but yes, the psu can, and probably is the problem here.


If they squeeze olives to get olive oil, how do they get baby oil?

Reply to CALV
jihiggs   04-16-2002 at 10:19:13 PM
- 0 +

the monitoring util shows that my 12 volt rail drops to 9 volts for less than half a second, it did that with 2 enermax power supplys, it doesnt do it in the bios readings though, i think the program is crap, when i load it my cpu usage goes up to 99% the whole time its running!

i went to the tomshardware forums and all i got was this lousy signature.

Reply to jihiggs
Zoron   04-17-2002 at 12:06:27 AM
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Which utility are you using? I know some of them are crap, but there are some decent ones out there as well. Best thing to do is look in the BIOS for a similar pattern as you have done. The only problem with that is... the BIOS can also be inaccurate; especially with the system temperatures. These monitoring utilities get their information from the BIOS, so it's reporting what the BIOS would report.

I wasn't saying he should rely entirely on the software, but it is a good place to check as a first step. If the voltage is in fact fluctuating that much... even for less than half a second... it is enough for Windows to barf all over itself with BSODs. Considering this is the problem, I would say the power supply is suspect... especially since it's a 250W. The other problem could be a heat issue... but heat wasn't mentioned.

<font color=red> If you design software that is fool-proof, only a fool will want to use it. </font color=red>

Reply to Zoron
jihiggs   04-17-2002 at 12:11:44 AM
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i didnt mean your diagnosis was wrong, just commenting.

i went to the tomshardware forums and all i got was this lousy signature.

Reply to jihiggs
Zoron   04-17-2002 at 12:18:30 AM
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I understood what you meant. :lol:

I just wanted to make sure it was clear this time since you brought up the software issue and my first post wasn't clear to him. :smile:

A little clarification sometimes never hurts.

<font color=red> If you design software that is fool-proof, only a fool will want to use it. </font color=red>

Reply to Zoron
Zlash   04-17-2002 at 12:34:13 AM
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Can always get out a Volt Meter and measure it the hard way =).

<font color=red>:</font color=red> <font color=white>:</font color=white> <font color=blue>:</font color=blue>

Reply to Zlash
BruceMyers48   04-18-2002 at 05:08:49 AM
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I can vouch for power errors. I had built a system with a K6-3 400, using a 250 watt power supply. The person I bought the caser from said that it was a continues power supply and I would have no problem. I ahd constant illegal actions performed. a friend of mine suggested that it could be the power and that the K6-3 should have aleast 300 watts. He was right, after installing the new power supply all those problem went away.

Is it true that cannibals don't eat clowns because the taste funny?

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