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please help a girl with annoying computer problem

T

tAtibAbi

n00b
Joined
Jun 6, 2004
Messages
6
Hey,
well I posted part of my problem on here earlier, but now it's progressed into something much worse. I'll start from the beginning. I moved into college about three weeks ago, and ever since then my computer has been having problems. First my motherboard voltage sensor has been telling me that the voltage that's supposed to be +3.3 was going down constantly to about 2.8-296. I ignored it for a few days to about a week, when my display started messing up a tiny bit( I'd get little squares or rectangles instead of the mouse for a bit). Then about a week ago I turned on my computer and saw nothing but colorful rectangles. They changed positions and shapes too, but after a while stayed the same. When I went home I changed the video card to a suckier one and everything seemed to work fine. When I got back to college, however, I started having the problems with the voltage going down again, and then yesterday when I turned on my computer the screen just stays black. Everything is powered, but there is nothing I can do besides stare at the screen. I would REALLY appreciate any help. I tried switching a video card, I tried plugging the computer and screen into a different outlet (because the surge protector it was plugged in might have had too many things plugged into it, but then maybe if that was the cause it already ruined my computer for good?), I'm going to try to get a new power supply and see if that's the problem, but when I switch on the computer everything seems to be powered, so I'm not sure if that's the problem. It's been really frustrating, and if any of you guys can help I'll be extremely thankful : -D

here are my specs:
AMD athlon 64 3200+
ASUS K8SV Deluxe
initial video card: radeon 9800 pro 256 megs
one i have in now: geforce 2 mx 100 or something similar
hd: seagate 160 gigs
ram: kingston 1 gig (2 * 512) value select I think
I have a benq dvd and cd burner
and I have an Antec 350W power supply
 
you should get a better psu, like a true 500 or somthing.......just to have that headroom

and most likely its the power in your college dorm.......did you have the 9800 at your house and try to boot with it?

update graphics drivers on the ati card, and what volt moniter told you it was low?

cant always trust bios with that, or other programs.....


soulsaver
 
yeah, the psu might be the problem, since I got it at staples. I"ll definitely order a better one from newegg heh.
I tried booting with the 9800 at home and it was stillmessing up. could it have been the fact that I had the following all plugged into one powerstrip? : monitor, computer, speakers, two lamps, a phone, a phone charger, and an alarm clock. Maybe that somehow messed it up. so maybe if i got a new power supply and rearranged the power I'd be fine (unless there has already been permanent damage dealt).

I updated the drivers for the ATI card while I was having the voltage problems.

the volt monitor that told me about the problem was the one that came with the motherboard, it's called AsusProbe I think. I never had any problems with the voltage before.
 
Sounds like maybe a power issue with the AC at your campus dwelling. If you've got a voltmeter handy see if somethings up there, your money maybe better spent on a UPS with voltage regulation.
 
tAtibAbi said:
any particular one you'd reccommend?
Click to expand...

If for voltmeter whichever one can test 120+ volts AC, 12+ volts DC.

If for UPS I'm partial to APC, Tripplite or Liebert, but any unit that has =<5% voltage regulation and can supply enough wattage for your system will work.
 
thanks! that looks helpful, if I'll need it heh
I wasn't overclocking anything either.

is it really possible that something is up with the dorm power? I could contact them and tell them about my problem, but I guess I'll try a new psu first, and if anything starts getting low again then I'll contact them.

btw, thanks for the fast replies :) I might order a new psu later tonight or tomorrow and see what happens after that. I'll also have some computer genius kid look at it tomorrow heh.
 
Check the ATX and 12v power connectors on the motherboard - it is possible you may find certain pins discolored, indicating a poor connection. Antec/CWT units seem to have this kind of issue most often for some reason, and yours was a little weak to begin with on that system. You may end up having to RMA/replace both the board and PSU if it's bad enough.

I would exchange the PSU with a Fortron AX450-PN or AX500-A, OCZ Powerstream 420w or better, or Seasonic S12 over 380w. If you have any more problems after that, it likely won't be the PSU ;)
 
Oklahoma Wolf said:
Check the ATX and 12v power connectors on the motherboard - it is possible you may find certain pins discolored, indicating a poor connection. Antec/CWT units seem to have this kind of issue most often for some reason, and yours was a little weak to begin with on that system. You may end up having to RMA/replace both the board and PSU if it's bad enough.

I would exchange the PSU with a Fortron AX450-PN or AX500-A, OCZ Powerstream 420w or better, or Seasonic S12 over 380w. If you have any more problems after that, it likely won't be the PSU ;)
Click to expand...
Good advice.

Cheap, but Good PSU's: http://www.hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1027898523&postcount=7
 
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