- Joined
- Sep 9, 2002
- Location
- under the floorboards
Two weeks ago my system (specs as follows):
E2100allendale (was running at 2.8ghz), Abit p35-e, 8800gt Cooler Master Extreme power 650w PSU
started becoming unstable after 1yr of running fine. It started BSODing or rebooting with increasing frequency until it got to the point that it was locking up in the BIOS menu before I could change settings. I put the clocks to stock and was still having trouble. MY CPU voltages were reading way low (1.1 instead of 1.35 where it was set) so I decided to try my backup power supply. It's an ancient (but high quality) antec true control 550. When I pulled the old PSU, sure enough, the caps were leaking all over the place.
Installed the new PSU and every thing went back to hunky dory for another two days. Ran prime95 for a good 6 hrs and survived another 4-5 of gaming. Then, in the middle of playing GTAIV I got the dreaded BSOD. Now, the computer is back to its old ways again and often can't even get to windows before hardlocking. What's weird is that it was like flipping a switch. It was stable, then BAM BSOD and completely unstable.
So, any ideas as to what happened? I have two sticks of RAM, and trying them alternately does not make a difference. Doubt its the vid card since the computer seems no more likely to hardlock in games as opposed to anything else. That leave a few options:
The second PSU is also having problems. Seems like an odd case of lighting striking twice.
The mobo is bad and causing instability. If that's the case, why did replacing the PSU get it working at first?
Somehow fried the CPU with overvolting (maybe the voltage readings were way off?).
Thoughts, ideas? I can't afford to just buy a new PSU/Mobo/CPU and I don't have a spare mobo or CPU to trouble shoot.
E2100allendale (was running at 2.8ghz), Abit p35-e, 8800gt Cooler Master Extreme power 650w PSU
started becoming unstable after 1yr of running fine. It started BSODing or rebooting with increasing frequency until it got to the point that it was locking up in the BIOS menu before I could change settings. I put the clocks to stock and was still having trouble. MY CPU voltages were reading way low (1.1 instead of 1.35 where it was set) so I decided to try my backup power supply. It's an ancient (but high quality) antec true control 550. When I pulled the old PSU, sure enough, the caps were leaking all over the place.
Installed the new PSU and every thing went back to hunky dory for another two days. Ran prime95 for a good 6 hrs and survived another 4-5 of gaming. Then, in the middle of playing GTAIV I got the dreaded BSOD. Now, the computer is back to its old ways again and often can't even get to windows before hardlocking. What's weird is that it was like flipping a switch. It was stable, then BAM BSOD and completely unstable.
So, any ideas as to what happened? I have two sticks of RAM, and trying them alternately does not make a difference. Doubt its the vid card since the computer seems no more likely to hardlock in games as opposed to anything else. That leave a few options:
The second PSU is also having problems. Seems like an odd case of lighting striking twice.
The mobo is bad and causing instability. If that's the case, why did replacing the PSU get it working at first?
Somehow fried the CPU with overvolting (maybe the voltage readings were way off?).
Thoughts, ideas? I can't afford to just buy a new PSU/Mobo/CPU and I don't have a spare mobo or CPU to trouble shoot.