Bad PSU ???

[rc23]

I have a problem which i thought was my sound card and modem conflicting somehow. I've tried several things to trouble shoot it and today creative suggested maybe i have a bad PSU. They thought perhaps my PSU wasn't supplying enough power to my system.

I checked in my BIOS's Hardware monitor section and had these values listed.
+3.3 = 3.31v
+5v = 4.91v
+12v = 12.46v
-12v= -12.52v
-5v = *IGNORE*

When I toggled the -5v from Ignore to monitor it was listed as...
-5v = -5.55v (in red)

Also if I left on -5v monitor on I'd get a BIOS warning about it when i tried to boot.

MOtherboard monitor 5.0 software also has some values listed for voltages. It gives these values (which vary slightly moment to moment)...
+3.3 = 3.31v
+5 = 4.89v
+12 = 12.46v
-12 = -1.91v
-5 = -1.03v

My PSU is an Enermax 430w PSU (eg465p-ve)

 

[johnjkr1]

What is the problem that you are having? In general, I would not listen to a thing creative support says about anything.

 

[rc23]

Originally posted by: johnjkr1
...In general, I would not listen to a thing creative support says about anything.

Yea, i had to send 3 replies before they said anything other than "install current drivers".

My problem...

Occationally when booting PC will lock as it loads windows (maybe 1 out of 10 boots here). I can move my mouse, but the windows just hangs as it tries to load up. It can hang at any point while it's loading, it doesn't hang when loading a particular program. Control-alt-delete brings up close program, but trying to close a program will cause the window to lock. If i choose shut down windows will try to shut down, but gives em all sorts of "program not responding" pop-ups and will eventually hang forcing a reset.

Also, the reason I think my modem and sound card are conflicting, when I use my 56k modem i have some troubles. Occationally after I connect to my ISP doing anything that requires a "windows sound effect" may cause my system to hang (examples: windows noises like clicks from the start bar or window menus). Rarely after waiting a bit (10-30 seconds) the sound effect will play and then operates normally. Programs like a game or a mp3 player will not load and are listed as "not responding" in close programs window.

This stuff doesn't happen every time I boot. I am getting the modem in use sound lock-up more frequently recently. I've tried several things to trouble shoot the problem. I've reinstalled windows ME and moved the cards do different PCI slots so they'd have different IRQs (audigy2 is on irq5, modem is IRQ10). Nothing seems to help.

 

[johnjkr1]

What motherboard are you running this on? I would go so far as to say you don't have a power supply issue. Have you tried your computer without the Modem installed?

 

[rc23]

I've got a asus a7m266 (just added my info to my .sig). It's a 2 year old board uses that uses VIA & AMD 761 chipset. I did run my PC for a while w/o a modem. My 1st modem died, bought a new one a few months back. I had the same problem with both modems. They were both USRobo modems.

Anyhow i did run without a modem for a while and I don't recall having any boot up problems then. As for now I am only having trouble rarely when my pc hangs while booting or when i am using the modem. Anyother time my PC is running fine.

I had also tought it was a heat issue, but the problem can pop up when my PC is running cold or hot.

 

[johnjkr1]

You sound like you are having the VIA chipset / Creative soundcard troubles. These were pretty common on earlier VIA chipset motherboards. If you have onboard sound, did you try using that? Have you updated to the latest bios.

Here is a discussion about the problem in general:

http://www.realworldtech.com/page.cfm?ArticleID=RWT042501034500

http://www.realworldtech.com/page.cfm?ArticleID=RWT042201222938

One person made a patch that seemed to fix the problem, but I can't find it anymore. I solved the problem in my pc by buying a turtle beach santa cruz.

 

[rc23]

Those two articles are interesting and maybe the cause of my problems. My board does use a 686b southbridge and I am using two hard drives (Primary: 80g Master/60g Slace and Secondary: DVD Drive). But he also says he tested for erros using a board with the same chipset(amd761) as mine, but didn't get any errors.

The author of those files suggested setting "PCI Delay Transaction" to disabled in BIOS. I don't know if I have an option with that name. Is it anything like PCI Latency Timer ? My PCI latency timer is set to the default of 32, whatever that means.

 

[johnjkr1]

Those articles are very old. There used to be a patch for the problem, but it has been so long I cant find it anymore. I also remember a VIA chipset faq and a santa cruz faq that had alot of info about it. I would recommend you get the latest bios for you motherboard, along with the latest amd and via chipset drivers.

 

[rc23]

Originally posted by: johnjkr1
... I would recommend you get the latest bios for you motherboard, along with the latest amd and via chipset drivers.

I'm running the latest non-beta bios for my board and current 4in1 drivers. I've read the older 4in1's are better for my mobo (4in1 v4.43), as they are optimized for winMe and older hardware. But i never really noticed the difference so i just use the current hyperion ones.

I guess i'll experiment with using onboard sound or pulling my 2nd hard drive. thanks for the info.

 

[Fern]

I've got the exact same PSU, and my -5v rail is futzed as well? It hasn't caused me any probs, but it appears this is somewhat normal for these units.

Just thought this was damn odd...

 

[Gamingphreek]

Sounds like IRQ conflicts to me. I doubt thats your PSU i think what your reading is just a screwed up voltage. Might just be a flaw on that PSU but i would venture to think that its an IRQ conflict. Try moving the cards around in the PCI slots. VIA Nvidia and Creative dont get along well together at all!
Good Luck
-Kevin

 

[LiLithTecH]

What type of modem (model) is it?

Winmodem? DSP Voice?

If it is either of the two, good luck not having problem with it.
(especially using Win9x or ME)

They love grabbing all the resources they can, along with
the audigy card.

Nothing beats a good Hardware modem.

 

[amdskip]

Personally this sounds like a windows ME issue. ME is the worst operating system by far. I would seriously consider upgrading to xp or 2k.