Snarkpit Forum Index » General Banter » Meltdown!
Meltdown!
1
Post Reply
Quote
 Re: Meltdown!
Posted by SpoolE on Tue Nov 1st at 6:15pm 2005

The last week or so my PC had been freezing all the time. It would freeze suddenly (About 4 times a day) for no apparant reason. So I opened up the box to find... the fan on my Power Supply has packed up! The heat immited from the power supply was so intense it caused the voltage to drop so low and the PC just froze, not enough power to supply the proccessor. So I took a old power supply, ripped out its fan and shoved it into my Power Box. Fixed! Very happy about this now, but it was a very dangerous thing to do, opening up a power supply. Huge damage could have been caused if I hadnt fixed this problem! May this serve as a leason to all of you, so you on a regular basis check your PC's health, such as checking all fans are working etc.




Quote
 Re: Meltdown!
Posted by satchmo on Tue Nov 1st at 6:18pm 2005

That's why it's a good idea to monitor the system temperature every now and then.

Glad you fixed the problem before it's too late.




"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." -- Toulouse-Lautre, Moulin Rouge



Quote
 Re: Meltdown!
Posted by SpoolE on Tue Nov 1st at 6:23pm 2005

Thanks! I never thought of doing the PC health check thing, though I will moniter it with a keen eye from now on! Dont want any expensive mistakes!



I would love to change the world, But they would'nt give me the source code.



Quote
 Re: Meltdown!
Posted by Crono on Tue Nov 1st at 7:08pm 2005

A friend of mine changed to fan in his power supply, he put it in backwards, so it spun the wrong way.

Yeah, that wasn't good.

But, overheating the power supply shouldn't effect the rest of the system ... unless you blow a resistor ... but then I'm prone to think the power supply would just die instead of providing too much current.


Blame it on Microsoft, God does.



Quote
 Re: Meltdown!
Posted by Pvt.Scythe on Tue Nov 1st at 7:10pm 2005

Heh. I revived my Radeon 9800 pro when it's fan blew off(really weird thing, I've never encountered this before). I added an 8cm fan with 12V input. It stays cooler now... And yes it's a good idea to take a peek inside the comp every now and then...



''Everyone wades in s**t until they're competent enough to walk on it. Jesus style.''
Dystopia - Empires



Quote
 Re: Meltdown!
Posted by Y2kBen_2000 on Wed Nov 2nd at 12:15am 2005

I still remember a great many years ago, before I new as much about computers as I do now, my mother needed a quick fix to an old computer given to us by my uncle. (He's the hardware guy in my family; yea, he's got one of thos super huge, tv size monitors that would be great for gameing at super high resolutions.) But anyway, the computer was out dated and underpowered, so we went and got a new prebuilt computer from the store, brought it home and set it up. (I can't even remember what brand it was.)

The mistake was buying pre built. Latter that night, the computer just got all stressed out and decide it needed a smoke. (ha haa, get it) It had been smoking for quite a while, I didn't even notice it necause my eyes were glued to the screen. About four hours latter I just happened to look away and notice the plumes of electrical smoke clogging the air.

As a lesson to all; don't get pre-built, go post-built.



You know, I've actually got nothing to say



Quote
 Re: Meltdown!
Posted by wil5on on Wed Nov 2nd at 5:36am 2005

Checking my PC temps, I see no PSU thermometer... would it heat the machine up enough to be noticable on the motherboard/cpu meters? (This isnt a problem for me, I'm just curious).

I agree with Crono, I cant see how a PSU overheat can make you lose volts. If a resistor blew, it would break a circuit and just shut off completely. It could be that certain other parts were overheating...




"If you talk at all during this lesson, you have detention. Do you understand?"
- My yr11 Economics teacher



Quote
 Re: Meltdown!
Posted by Loco on Wed Nov 2nd at 8:15am 2005

Good job fixing the PSU. I'm so lazy I'd probably get a new PSU myself. <img src=" SRC="images/smiles/icon_smile.gif">

I've been having trouble with the temperature of my PC lately. The processor tends to stay around 50 degrees, the case at between 30 and 40, and the graphics card between 40 and 50. I'm not overly pleased with these temperatures (I'm fairly sure that playing Lost Coast is pushing the 9600XT a bit hard at those temperatures), and I've just ordered an exhaust fan.

I'm thinking of getting one of those temperature monitor/fan controller panels - they're fairly cheap for a bit of PC kit at between ?15 and ?20.



My site



Quote
 Re: Meltdown!
Posted by Gorbachev on Wed Nov 2nd at 8:31am 2005

PSUs that overheat can do a myriad of weird stuff. Hell, cheap PSUs can do a myriad of weird s**t on their own.

My system is pretty cold, but 8 case fans will do that. I wish I had a temperature sensor on my 9800 Pro, didn't luck out on that. I've got an Antec PSU that has both a fan sensor connected to my motherboard as well as it regulates itself. I have 2 fan controller panels, but neither are temp sensors. They're both just glorified potentiometers.




Quote
 Re: Meltdown!
Posted by SpoolE on Wed Nov 2nd at 4:10pm 2005

When electrical wires get hot they convey less current/voltage (Science?!),, and I suppose the voltage dropped to low for the CPU to operate. Another thing that could have caused it is that there was a piece of metal leading from my CPU and it wass touching directly onto the Power Supply! So I now put a thick piece of cardboard to separate it <img src=" SRC="images/smiles/icon_smile.gif">



I would love to change the world, But they would'nt give me the source code.



Quote
 Re: Meltdown!
Posted by Loco on Wed Nov 2nd at 4:30pm 2005

? quote:
I wish I had a temperature sensor on my 9800 Pro, didn't luck out on that.

Really? I've got a 9600XT, and if I go into the ATi Control Panel thing (Display Properties -> Settings -> Advanced), the overclocking thing (Overdrive or something like that, I can never remember) displays the temperature. Try that.



My site



Quote
 Re: Meltdown!
Posted by Y2kBen_2000 on Wed Nov 2nd at 5:07pm 2005

I just remembered an interesting fact about my main computer, it's a death trap.

Any way, several months ago, I had to open it up to put in a new video card, when I noticed a strange tingle throughout my body. As soon as I strated twitching I ran.

Wasn't touvhing any wires or circuits, just the case. Turns out that the case is collecting electrons somehow, because its not coming from the powersupply. I mean seriously, that supply has been swaped out so much, and the problem still persists.

Well anyway, it could be a good practical joke to hav someone feel the finish.

in short: Comp case is a giant battery, an evil battery trying to slowly kill me.



You know, I've actually got nothing to say



Quote
 Re: Meltdown!
Posted by Gorbachev on Thu Nov 3rd at 3:10am 2005

? quote:

? quote:
I wish I had a temperature sensor on my 9800 Pro, didn't luck out on that.

Really? I've got a 9600XT, and if I go into the ATi Control Panel thing (Display Properties -> Settings -> Advanced), the overclocking thing (Overdrive or something like that, I can never remember) displays the temperature. Try that.


No, I know how to test stuff like that. Mine doesn't have the diode.

Ben, it's possible that a power lead of lesser strength is grounded to the case. It's a far stretch but possible. I've had my case be charged once when I had some cheap cable laying on top.




Quote
 Re: Meltdown!
Posted by wil5on on Thu Nov 3rd at 3:13am 2005

SpoolE: True, but I dont think the increase in resistance from that would cause enough power loss to halt your CPU. That metal from your CPU was probably your heatsink, it shouldnt make a difference if its touching your PSU (PSU box should be grounded, and there should be no electrical contact between heatsink and cpu). Probably not a good idea to have cardboard in there, since if this happens again itll catch fire.

Loco: I think only the XTs have temp sensors, my 9600pro doesnt. It could also be the manufacturer, some might put sensors on and some might not.

Y2kben: Theres something seriously wrong with that. The case should be grounded. There could be something loose in your PSU, or some wires touching the case. Turn it completely off (unplug it), discharge the case somehow (connect it to ground, touch it yourself if youre game) and look for loose connections. Most likely its in your PSU tho, which means you may need a new one.




&quot;If you talk at all during this lesson, you have detention. Do you understand?&quot;
- My yr11 Economics teacher



Quote
 Re: Meltdown!
Posted by Y2kBen_2000 on Thu Nov 3rd at 6:39am 2005

Truth be told, you only feel the slow shock if you touch one of the corners were the coating has degraded or an exposed metal. And ya, no one in my family knows what's charging it, and, ironically enough, no parts are actually touching the inside of the case, except screw.

Basically nothings wrong, and there's no interference with the computer; minus some of the other strange this that happen.

But, we all just ignore it. Oh, and try not to hold the case panals in the wrong spots.



You know, I've actually got nothing to say



Quote
 Re: Meltdown!
Posted by wil5on on Thu Nov 3rd at 6:55am 2005

Well, theres definitely something charging that case. Check your PSU, that things a fire hazard.


&quot;If you talk at all during this lesson, you have detention. Do you understand?&quot;
- My yr11 Economics teacher



Quote
 Re: Meltdown!
Posted by Gorbachev on Thu Nov 3rd at 7:36am 2005

Could be poor grounding on the part of the case and some of the components (Motherboard could have a connection somewhere to the motherboard plate as the screwholes are also grounding pads and thus could make a connection if a powered component were touching it.) You're body might just be the path of least resistance.




Quote
 Re: Meltdown!
Posted by SpoolE on Thu Nov 3rd at 2:40pm 2005

? quote:
since if this happens again itll catch fire.
Yeah, my brother warned me of that! When I felt the PS after fan was shot it was so hot in burt my finger, as if I had just touched a red hot poker!



I would love to change the world, But they would'nt give me the source code.



Quote
 Re: Meltdown!
Posted by satchmo on Thu Nov 3rd at 6:07pm 2005

Inspired by this thread, I opened up my case and did a thorough cleaning. It's amazing how much dust has collected on the case and around the vent in just eight months.

In addition, my computer occasionally makes a strange noise when it boots up. I believe it was the case fan on the side panel that's vibrating the SATA cable right next to it. So I re-arranged the innards of my computer, and I hope the noise will never come back.

Ahh, I feel clean now, and I didn't even take a shower.



"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." -- Toulouse-Lautre, Moulin Rouge




1
Post Reply