Please Help Me

[Pitspawn]

My computer is possessed. I thought I knew a lot about computers, but after today i realise i know nothing. I need your help and advice on what I should do. My main computer is not working, so I am writing to you on my other (lesser) machine.

A while back, about 5-6 months ago i decided I needed a new mobo/cpu/ram. I bought a 1.4Ghz TB 512Mb Crucial and an Epox 8K7A. After blowing an old 300W PSU up i decided i needed a better PSU. I bought an Enermax 465P-VD. My voltage scores were excellent, at 5.05v and 4.98 when i was running at 1596mhz.

The thing is recently my computer has become unstable. Damn unstable. My voltage scores are bad. They hit 4.6v and I took the ATX connector out and dusted it. The voltage scores went back up. My pc became stable. That was about a month back. Ever since then my voltage scores have been dropping and dropping. I keep dusting the connector, and checking the wires, the voltage goes up but has now got to the point where i can physically see it go down from 4.9 in 0.03 steps. When it gets to 4.53 my system locks up.

I now cannot get my computer to POST correctly. It is really messed up. I need advice.

What is causing this?

I think its either the motherboard or my PSU. Both are very new, so it maybe another cause.

What do I do?

a) Send the PSU back (if i can, its been 4 odd months)
b) Send mobo back (been even longer)
c) Something else???

Please please please help me. I really need my comp. I know you guys can help. Another problem is money. I've recently spent a lot on getting new ram, a new hard-drive and repaying a 500 pound phone bill. I cannot afford anything to expensive. But saying that I will pay anything to get my comp working again.

Also my sig is a bit out of date, so dont go entirely by that.

 

[Pitspawn]

I just put my enermax into the machine i wrote the last message on. Its working better than it did before. The voltage is fine. This means that it is NOT my PSU that is causing the problem.

This leaves one thing........My motherboard.

Does anyone know if it is possible to return the motherboard if its been 5-6 months since i bought it?

Or might there be some fix i can do to my motherboard to stop this problem. (Also i looked at the ATX pins on my main pc mobo, one of the ones in the center is black which is strange)

I also noticed that the ATX connector head gets very hot when in my main pc.

 

[Ridenow]

First thing is, when the problems get weird, pull everything that is not required to boot, pull all cards except video.

The strangest problems are usually caused by software, psu, motherboard or memory. I don't think you have a software problem. Memory should not cause the voltage changes, but it is possible. I would not totally rule out PSU, it is the most likely. However, you tested the PSU in another computer. As long as you did a proper extensive test I would say look at the mbo as the problem.
I don't know what warrantee Epox has, but 1 year is not uncommon with good brands. You might want to look on their website.

 

[Godfodda]

Note the Hoot-meister's article here. That black pinhole in the motherboard ATX connector sounds like something he describes.

 

[Pitspawn]

Ok, its clearly the motherboard. I cant see it being my processor or ram. Its all new, especially the ram. Unfortunately, i cant even get a replacement because...

1...I ordered it through phone so i didnt save the invoice as i normally do.
2...The email invoice has dissappeared off of microsoft outlook somehow.
3...The letter receipt i got has also vanished.

Now, im actually very careful with receipts. I can saftely say i have every receipt i've had for 3 years in a box. But strangely the epox order isnt in there.

I've just sold my hsf to my mate, as his is a thermo 80mm and mine is blatently quiter with better performance.

So what im going to do now, is buy a new motherboard and get a hsf. I DONT want a 80mm hsf, i detest them.

I am looking at the swiftech MCXC370-B and maybe the new Iwill 333. Is this a good idea?

 

[Stick00]

i like the iwill boards good stepping for the 1.4

 

[Pitspawn]

Sweet. The reason im so interested in the swiftech hs is because according to overclockers it has a cw rating of 0.32 while my sk6 had a rating of 0.36 I think that would make a lot of difference, as I used to be able to run my main machine at 1600 for hours on end but there would be a hint of instability on hot days. Thats why i took it down to a lower speed.

I doubt i will be dissappointed with the motherboard. I just hope it doesnt die like the epox did. Could it be the enermax that killed the epox maybe through trying to put so much power through the connector?

Hmm, just noticed that clock your running at stick00, well done that is fast. I wont be able to reach that though because i'm not watercooled like you are.

 

[Kendan]

Have you tried putting the other PSU in the epox? That would rule out the power supply.

 

[Gnufsh]

I've heard of Enermax PSUs having problems with Epox Mobo's.

 

[Pitspawn]

Ok, i think i mentioned my experience with 300W PSU's in my main pc. If i didnt, basically if i put a 300W into my main pc, it will blowup. I need at least a 350 for my main rig.

Secondly, enermax psu's may have a problem with epox boards but mine was working perfectly for 1-2 months. Only recently has it got to the point where i cant post.

Anyways. Just read the review on the IWill XP333. Not sure if i should be pleased, it sounds like its even more tempermental than my epox was. I did like the fact that the guy reviewing the board hit 188mhz without modding the mobo though. I could only get to 151mhz on my epox and that was after upgrading the cooling for the northbridge.