Help 3.3v line (VIO) major fluctuations!!

[schaef]

I just got a new case and power supply (Powermax 500w). using the same hardware otherwise, except fans.

the problem is that the 3.3v (VIO) line is fluctuating from 2.4v to 3.9v. WHAT!!!! this seams very dangerous to me and the whole system is very unstable.

Before i RMA this piece of doot, is there anything that could cause this other than a bad PSU?

has anyone every saw this bad of fluctuations?

HELP ME!!!

[FunkDaMonkMan]

are you using your bios to check these readings? I get extremely wack readings from software, but my BIOS is showing the correct voltages.

[schaef]

no i was using winbond. my old PSU was very stable and i noticed no difference from the bios or winbond. since the system was extreamly unstable that reading looked right.

i put the old PSU back in and.......rock steady, as usual.

i got the RMA for it already, the guy tried to convince me that "those PSU's are great, i've never had one of those returned".

well this one sure sucked, i actually had to restore the OS because the system files were corrupt (god i love XP :p)

it's actually called a Powmax by leadman (500w). i'll never touch one again.

[FunkDaMonkMan]

but... did you ever check the bios readings with the psu that you RMA'ed?

[schaef]

no, the fluctuation in the 3.3v rail was so bad i was afraid to boot it on that PSU after that. As it is just booting it once (at default settings) caused the Os to become corrupt.

since the 3.3v rail supplies the agp, pci and memory, it scared the he!! out of me.

have you seen differences in fluctuations in bios as apposed to software?

i've slighty higher or lower readings between bios and software, but flucuation in the line has alway been the same + or- wise.

[FunkDaMonkMan]

Yes I have seen fluctuations... Every program I use to check voltages tells me that my 12v line is at 4 volts.. and that the 5v line is at 4.5 volts. My BIOS shows me the correct readings though (12.22volts and 5.02 volts).

[schaef]

ya, i get that also.

what i'm talking about is in a 1 second interval the 3.3v rail will jump from 2.4v all the way up to 4.2v and back and never levels out. sending 4.2v through something designed for 3.3v is bad.

it should jump a little like maybe = or - .03. even that is outragous. i should be fairly constant a little over or a little under but surgeing and droping continously no way. If it was a line graph it would look like a heart monitor and it should look like a rippling line.

i was just looking at my system at lunch, looks like i lost a NIC card. :mad:

the 12v line showing as 5v can be corrected, i saw it in the forums somewhere. you need to configure the options on the 12v rail but don't ask me how.