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Weird Problem 500w OCS PSU

T

techbob

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jun 26, 2009
Messages
364
For the last few months I was having problems with RAID 1 - one of the drives in the array would disappear, as in not present in the bios. Then it would come back.

here's the system:
* GA-MA785GM-US2H ddr2 4GB (2x2)
* 4 SATA II hard drives (two 320GB raided, another 320Gb and a 750GB)
* NEC DVD

That's it - on board graphics so no video card.

I was swapping out some smaller drives for a larger 1.5TB Seagate SATA, and things were acting screwy. (this 1.5TB worked fine in a different PC) I disconnected the SATA cable on the 1.5TB drive and left the power cable attached. Only after disconnecting the power cable would the system boots into windows.

With 3 or 4 SATA drives this system should have what - 200 watts max? By adding that extra 1.5TB drive it seems like it took it over the top. The OCZ PSU comes with only 3 SATA connectors, so one of the drives has a Molex->Sata.

So without the 1.5TB the system seems stable for now.

Does the PSU sound like it is defective, or just a bad PSU? It's still under warranty. Any advice would be appreciated. It may have caused my other RAID problem, but can't be sure.

specs for PSU:
OCZ StealthXStream OCZ500SXS 500W ATX12V / EPS12V Active PFC Power Supply

Brand OCZ
Model OCZ500SXS
Series StealthXStream

Spec
Type ATX12V / EPS12V

Maximum Power 500W


+12V Rails 2


SATA Power Connector 3

Efficiency
80% @ 115V (Typical load)
83% @ 230V (Typical load)

Over Voltage Protection
Yes

Input Voltage
100 - 240 V

Input Frequency Range
50/60 Hz

Input Current
8A @ 115V, 4A @ 230V

Output
+3.3V@30A, +5V@30A, +12V1@18A, +12V2@18A, -12V@0.5A, +5VSB@2.5A
 
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It's not your PSU. It's the total mismatch in drive sizes for RAID 1. You see, drives that are unequally sized generally cannot be RAIDed together at all. In addition, the firmware of certain Seagate HDDs such as the 1.5TB 7200.11 series has serious issues being run in RAID at all.
 
E4g1e said:
It's not your PSU. It's the total mismatch in drive sizes for RAID 1. You see, drives that are unequally sized generally cannot be RAIDed together at all. In addition, the firmware of certain Seagate HDDs such as the 1.5TB 7200.11 series has serious issues being run in RAID at all.
Click to expand...

I didn't use a 1.5TB and 320GB in the same RAID 1 array, lol. I had two 320GB RAID1 and two JBOD. I got rid of the RAID 1 and only use a single boot drive - 320GB, and the two JBOD. Thanks anyway.
 
techbob said:
I didn't use a 1.5TB and 320GB in the same RAID 1 array, lol. I had two 320GB RAID1 and two JBOD. I got rid of the RAID 1 and only use a single boot drive - 320GB, and the two JBOD. Thanks anyway.
Click to expand...

It's your 1.5TB drive that's to blame. Quality control problems have been fairly rampant on that particular model of drive. However, before I start recommending an RMA, re-test that 1.5TB drive on another system.
 
I used the 1.5TB in a different PC without issue. I'm using it right now with the system mentioned in this post using a Sata to USB adaptor, similar to this.

The SATA cable is connected to the mb SATA port and the power is from the Sata to USB adaptor device, not from the PC's PSU.

BTW to remove the PSU from my case for replacement/testing will require removal of the heatsink, which is a PITA to say the least! Not sure what to do for now but cross my fingers and not add any more drives :)
 
E4g1e said:
It's your 1.5TB drive that's to blame. Quality control problems have been fairly rampant on that particular model of drive. However, before I start recommending an RMA, re-test that 1.5TB drive on another system.
Click to expand...

Not sure I understand how the drive is causing the problem. As I mentioned when it was installed - power cable only and SATA not connected, the system wouldn't boot. I wasted hours on this until I got the idea to disconnect the power from the 1.5TB drive.
 
In this case, if an extra single drive would not even allow the system to POST (even with only the power cable and no data cable connected to that drive), but removing that drive restores operation (and you said that the drive worked in another system), then the PSU most likely has deteriorated to the point that it could no longer reliably provide anywhere near its stated wattage.
 
What would you recommend as a replacement PSU? Does a good quality 500w PSU make sense?

This is the system specs:

here's the system:
* GA-MA785GM-US2H (on board GPU)
* ddr2 4GB (2x2)
* 4 SATA II hard drives (actually 3 since no longer RAID 1)
* NEC DVD
* CPU is currently Brisbane, but will be replacing with Phenom II x4 or maybe x6.
* May use a Geforce 210 with a small fan on it.


Thanks!!!
 
This PSU will be enough for that setup:
$47 - Antec NEO ECO 400C 400W PSU
 
techbob said:
The gigabyte manual says min 500w. I guess they're assuming the wattage rating might be exaggerated?
Click to expand...

Look at the combined +12V rating first. In the case of the NEO ECO 400C, it has a single 30A +12V rail. This is in contrast to your current StealthXStream 500W, which has two +12V "rails" each with an OCP (Over-Current Protection) set at 18A connected to a common source of unknown amperage capacity. (NEVER, NEVER add up the two +12V rails; it does not add up this way.) For these PSUs, a ballpark estimate would be to take the rail with the lesser OCP setting (in this case, 18A), and add 60% to that to arrive at a ballpark combined +12V capacity (in this case, the OCZ500SXS has a combined +12V capacity of only about 29A - and that is if none of the innards have deteriorated). Therefore, the OCZ500SXS actually has less combined +12V capacity than the Antec NEO ECO 400C.

Also, you might be overloading the +12V2 rail on that OCZ PSU: You are putting your system's CPU (which you did not specify) and all of your drives on the same rail (which has a capacity of only 18A). Plus, the FSP-based design does not switch to underutilized rails for extra power, which means that once the 18A OCP limit is reached, the PSU trips.
 
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