Something popped...what could it be?

[Category 5]

System was running fine. Configured as follows

P5WD2P Asus Board
Pressler 930 PentiumD 3.0Ghz (running stock)
1GB (2 sticks) OCD DDR2 800 Ram (4-4-4-10)
2 Seagate 7200.7 Drives (7200) rpm.
Fortron Blue Storm Ax500A
2 CC lights/CPU fan (stock)/1 80mm and 1 120mm fan

All seemed well, and then I added a Maxtor SATA/IDE card so I could install a couple more drives.

I also installed 2 more drives, one a maxtor diamondmax 10 250 and another Seagtae 7200.7 but this one 160gb

I turned on and apparently windows tried to boot from one of the new drives (the 160 had an OS on it) and crashed since I didn't have the drivers for the interface installed in that OS. I proceeded to reboot and go into the BIOS to set the boot drive correctly.

System POST, Maxtor IDE card recognizes drives, and then the system freezes at the ITE (onboard IDE) drive recognition.

I restart, and get power to fans, MB, drives, etc, but no video at all. No beeps.

I checked all cables and they are fine. I swapped video cards for another known good one and got nothing.

Does this sound like the PS? Memory was good for 24hr memtest last night, so unless it decided to melt I can't see that being a prob. CPU has stock cooler with AS5 and temps were 41/58 idle/load.

I checked the rails with a voltmeter and 12 seems pretty stable, going from 11.98 to 12.15 but 5v seemes to bounce low like from 5.12 to 4.7. It was fluctuating much more quickly. Before I go after another PS I thought I'd ask here. I alwaya worried about the AX500-A with the Pressler. I am guessing adding the 2 extra drives put me over the edge.

Thanks!

 

[orionlion82]

running stock like you described, the bluestorm should handle it.
Drives dont pull much.

this sounds to me a symptom of a dying power supply and not an overloaded one. sounds like the regulation and the voltage swinging around is the tip off.
but thats gonne be pretty rare for a bluestorm. they are gettin old though.

i will say its still within spec from what i remember. for a stock rig, i think 11.8 to 12.3 is fine.

i would keep the bluestorm and troubleshoot for lack of video.
its time to get a new PSU when the voltage not only is unstable, but out of spec low no matter what.

keep an eye on it, but chase the video down first...