Hello

I bought a Tagan TG700-U88 BZ 700W in May. Since the beggining of July, my computer started freezing and I get blue screens on a daily basis. Because my system crashes soo much, my system files get ruined and I need to reinstall windows every other week.

I tested the ram and hard drives using diagnostic test and they check out ok. So I figured that it is either the motherbord or the power supply that is broken. I have a feeling that the motherbord or PSU has a broken capacitor.

So I would like to know what is the best way to detect a broken PSU.


P.S

As a side note, this is the third power supply I owned this year. My first PSU was the Antec SP 450, which Antec admits is faulty. They said that it had a faulty 5V line due to a bad cap. The second one was an Ultra 500 which I got discounted for $30. It stated acting up after a month. So I finaly decided to get a good durable PSU, so I figured I'll buy something from Tagan.

It looks like I might have found what I'm looking for. Its a power supply tester.

The Rexus PST-3 Digital Power Supply Tester might be my best bet. Since it can test all my connectors.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] ply+tester

That will work for you

Hi

Time to invest in a UPS/ powerline filter??

Not sure that an off load PSU tester will pickup a fault at this stage... But its worth a shot I guess!!

I would substitute a known working PSU to test for system stability. That hopefully pin down a motherboard or PSU issue.

The problem that since you have been using ***** PSUs with the motherboard in the past is that alone can damage components on it.

I would generally run: CPU burn (overnight), 3D Mark 2006, Gold Memory Tester, etc. to test for system stability after overclocking.

You have a good warranty on the powersupply so you should be covered in that respect!!

What motherboard, CPU, GPU and RAM are we taking about??

Bob

Hi

Sorry I didnt respond right way. My computer crashed after writing a response and I think its going to crash again.

I'll try those programs test programs when I get the chance.

Also this is my computer

CPU: Intel E6600
Mobo: Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L
Ram: 2 Gig Corsair 800Mhz 5-5-5-18
Video: Nividia 8800GT
PSU: Tagan TG700-U88 BZ 700W

Ah thats all good parts (all solid capacitors on the MB for example).

Hmmm. Interesting problem!!

I presume your temperatures (GPU and CPU) are OK? (Given the problems started in Summer - with a decent PSU)
The classic test for this is side panel off and large house fan blowing in the side...!!

What's the case you are using and is the airflow OK?

Don't bother running those tests... Your system is too unstable!!

Can you substitute any parts?? Like for example do you know anyone with a decent PSU >450W ??

RAM is going to be standard 1.8V if it is Corsair value RAM - right? Have you tried booting with one stick and then swapping over to the other?

Bob

Hello

Sorry for replying so late. And I feel that I owe you an explaniation, since you were trying to help me. I last replied to on the end of July, which is when I had to visit my parents for a month. On the last day I had to leave, windows just wouldnt start because it crashed so many times. So I was unable to tell you I was not able to reply.

As for things now, I am trying to buy a power supply tester, but eveyone is out of stock. If the PSU is ok, I'll try to see if the memory is broken. If that is ok, it has to be the motherbord (which was once heavily used by a bad PSU)

No worries.

I would think the MB and RAM would be OK. I reckon it's cheap gear that is vulnerable to damage from varying voltage levels from an unstable PSU (ripple or spikes/drop-outs).

Like I said before a PSU tester will generally only tell if a PSU in within the ATX specifications - static conditions - but very short variations from this in the form spikes or drop-outs will not be detected. Also excessive ripple or noise on the voltage rails may not be picked up on. The only reliable PSU testers cost a lot of money and are used by PSU reviewers.

It would be easier for you to get a parameter into the system that is almost 100% a known quantity in the form of a Corsair, Seasonic or PC Power & Cooling PSU. I would also invest in a decent UPS to protect it. Otherwise you are potentially building/testing the whole system around an unstable component at the core. Look on it as an investment to save you time, hassle, protect your system data and to protect your other system components from damage.

Like I said in previous emails the flip-side of ensuring power stability is to ensure that the DC-DC power conversion components for generating the CPU voltage from 12V, etc., etc. (mainly Mosfets) are all cooled adequately (not just the CPU temperatures). A good engineering test is literally just to feel heatsinks and chips with your finger. This is because our anatomy is generally sensitive to temperatures over 45C and so are electronic components!!

If you want post up some pic's of your rig to see if there could be any cooling issues visible in these.

Bob

Hello

Are you saying that I should buy a new power supply?

As a some what relevant point. I lived in a shabby apartment last year...which was probably built in the Victorian Period. The electrical outlets were not grounded. I knew this because my Belkin power bar said so. All of my components except for the Tagan 700 were used in this building. At that time I was using the $30 Ultra 500.

But now I live in a newly built apartment and the electrical outlets are grounded.

And do you think a computer shop will properly see if my Tagan 700 is faulty? What questions should I ask the computer shop to see if they properly diagnose a power supply? So I know that they dont just use a typical power supply tester?

Also my digital camera might have kicked the bucket. I had it since 2002 and it now takes pictures of purple vertical lines in a black backround. So I might have a hard time taking a picture of my case.

Thanks

You say you install windows every other week?

Are you sure your installing the most updated drivers, MS updates, or even patches for games for your system?

When you run software diagnostic tests, that's basically more in a dos environment, rather then within windows, so I think something is overlooked in my opinion.

Might want to look in the event viewer, under systems to see if windows is complaining on drivers for the hardware, especially on a new installation of windows.

Ok so no pictures - heh heh!!

Uhmmm I had a sleep on this problem. Looking at the New Egg reviews of that PSU tester (Rexus PST-3 Digital Power Supply Tester) that would actually be quite a good way to go (especially with the LCD voltage readouts). From the level of the stability problems you are experiencing and the fact that Tagan is a good PSU make it sounds like the problems might be shown by the PSU meter. One way to test for power stability problems is to plug in something with a big load (like a delta fan) and look for drops in the voltage rails.

So I think you are right don't splash out on yet another PSU just yet. BTW is the Tagan under warranty still if you do find a fault with it??

I would still recommend to buy a UPS to try and avoid this kind of problems occurring again in the future!!

Are any components overheating in your rig or anything like that. Whenever I get instability problems I usually start poking around to feel for chips overheating or hot heatsinks!!

You don't know anyone in the area with a stable system that could borrow your PSU to test it for a few days perhaps?

Bob

Hello Grimmy

It might not be a drivers problem. In July, my system froze when I was instaling windows. Also, my system was runing fine for most of February of this year. Then it started crashing alot in the summer.

Hello BobWya

I think you hit the right problem. The season has been changing into fall and I've been leaving my bedroom window open. So the room temprature has been significantly lower. And I notice that my system started acting properly.

I dont get blue screens anymore or any type of system freezes. And my system now runs at performance. Where it used to take 10 minutes for Windows to load. Or very long wait times to install a video game.

I opened my case and touched some components. Among everything, the northbridge heatsink is really hot. I can touch it for a moment before my finger starts to burn. So is this normal?

I also touched the ram, and it was warm but not as hot as the northbridge heatsink.

I also checked my CPU temperature in the BIOS and it idles at 41 C.

Edit/P.S - It got hot this weekend, mostly on Saturday. It caused and I notice that my system crashed alot. So I had to rebuild my OS.

Yeh

I've got a watercooled rig but all my expansion cards slots are full and keep overheating due to me leaving out enough airflow overthem!! I may have to replace the case with one the newer models (120mm exhaust vs 2x 80mm exhaust at the rear).

What case have you got there? Maybe a case upgrade with a model with better airflow? Stagnenet air around the northbridge allows that heat buildup. You want the heatsink to get hot (good = TIM contact is OK) but then you want airflow through the case to take the heat out.

Something like:
http://www.performance-pcs.com/cat [...] s_id=24017
is the daddy!!

Its worth throwing money at good airflow it makes life a lot easier day to day... See I am still not taking my own advice and paying for it!!

Bob

At the moment I left the case side panel open for cooling and it hasnt crashed all day.

Although, it crashed yeasterday and I got this code in the blue screen.

STOP 0x000000 F4 (0x00000003,0x8A3C74C8, 0x8A3c763C, 0x805D1142)

Looking it up its seems like a hard drive or RAM problem. I'm actualy thinking that my hard drive could have broke from formating soo many times.

But my computer has been running non stop since last night and it hasent crahed and is running at performance. And this could be because I left the side panel open.


Anyways I'm probably going to buy this Antec 300 case. It looks like I cant go wrong buying it.

http://www.ncix.com/products/index [...] ture=ANTEC

An idea hit me!

STOP 0x000000 F4 is a RAM or hard drive problem. But cooler temperature seem to solve the problem.

When I touch the ram heat sink it is warm. Perhaps the heat sinks are not doing their job properly.