Computer Acts funny

[ecaandrew]

this is a follow up to: Topic Title: computer is acting weird

basically i posted a day ago about screen goin sketchy and locking up, and so few agreed that i needed a new graphics card and my GPU went bad. so today i went out and bought a new 128 meg ddr 4x/8x agp Nvidia. and everything worked fine, but my computer randomly restarted after comp had been running smoothly for about 20 or 30 mins. when this usta happen it was because my firewire card was conflicitng with my un-updated bios. so recently we flashed the bios and i never saw that issue again. but just today i re-formatted for the new graphics card. does re-formatting mean i will have to re-flash bios? what else could be the issue? i have a 400 watt "dyna-power" power supply. - that answers a few previously asked questions. any suggestions? do i need to re flash bios? what should i do?

 

[mechBgon]

I would get a high-quality power supply like an Antec TruePower430 or a similar Enermax or Fortron unit.

 

[Sonic587]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
I would get a high-quality power supply like an Antec TruePower430 or a similar Enermax or Fortron unit.

:thumbsup:

 

[Chompman]

Or get a priest and have him remove the demons from the computer to get it working.

Or just do what I do and smack it till it's either fixed or in flames so you have a reason to buy something new

 

[ecaandrew]

ok well i just got the computer back up and running by luck, i windows updated, and then both monitors wouldnt respond, and so i system restored, and not they work again, but computer smells like burning, and both cpu fans are running fine, i havnt checked their temp in bios yet, im gunna let them cool down over night, but i think the smell is commen form the power supply, but the fan on that is working fine too and it doesnt feel too hot. the monitors when starting up and loading windows flicker black, and then comp starts, i can hear the windows sound, but monitors stay black. so i dont know waht the deal is please help asap - do i need a new power supply? what else could it be?

 

[Sonic587]

Ok, I checked your other thread. Dual MPs running on that generic junk? Now you smell burning coming from your PSU? Definitely take mech's and my advice and spring for a new NAME BRAND PSU.

What's your budget here?

 

[mechBgon]

Never mind my advice about getting a new power supply, I like Chompman's suggestion better! :evil:

But if you cannot find a computer priest right away then you might, just MIGHT, want to try a nice Antec TruePower430, which you can buy locally from CompUSA tomorrow, if you're in the US, or probably from Best Buy, Fry's, or online from Newegg.com or just about any other online store too.

*leads horse to water... and pushes it right off the bank* :evil:

 

[capricorn]

Originally posted by: Chompman
... smack it till it's either fixed or in flames ...

That's called "percussive maintenance."

 

[ecaandrew]

could this be a motherboard or memory issue? im about to go drop more money into a new psu and what if that doesnt fix the issue? wahts the next stpe, besides returning my new graphics card and psu because i can afford all this.

 

[Lytech]

Quote: could this be a motherboard or memory issue?

There are no Guarantees in life, but it is highly likely that mech and sonic are on the most logical track here. It has been my experience that if the computer shuts off for no reason, you suffer from Scotty's Disease.... There's just not enough power. (sorry for the really bad pun here)

At the very least, video cards take a lot of power, and if you got a better one (video card) than you had, then it is extremely likely that it takes up more power, and now you need a better power supply. If that isn't the issue, a better power supply will ensure fewer troubles future anyway!

 

[ecaandrew]

well it doesnt make sense that its the power supply. or atleast does it? i mean right now the comp has been running for a good hour and no issues yet. but when i started it up it smelled like burning rubber again, and i took teh side of the case off just to insure that its getten enough air. maybe thats all there is to it? i have a mid tower, but i have a side fan pushing out and 2 back fans, and one front fan. so ok im about to go blow another 70 on a 500 watt power supply, it has good reviews and the price fits. but if it still has issues i will have to return the graphics card and psu for enough to buy a nice stick of ram. so could this be a ram issue? or are you convinced its a psu issue?

 

[trexpesto]

70 on a 500W PSU? Then you are not getting an Antec TruePower or Enermax???

 

[ecaandrew]

http://www.atruereview.com/aspirepsu/index.php

that is waht im goin to go get, its all i ca afford, it would atleast tell me if the issue was a power supply or not

 

[joecool]

does it do standup?

 

[Sonic587]

Ahhhh!!! What is with EVERYONE picking out Aspire PSUs lately? They are JUNK!

ecaandrew, can you please tell us all of your specs in detail? Also, do you know if your motherboard needs any special connectors?

 

[trexpesto]

You get what you pay for, mostly. Read the reviews? Better to get a 400W that will actually do what it says it does.
Anyhow good luck.

 

[Cerb]

Dual MPs? WTH?

If the motherboard takes a normal PSU (no separate 8-pin connector), you can afford better than that Aspire 500w. Newegg has a Enermax Noisetaker 320w for $55.50 shipped, a Silverstone 400w for $56 shipped, an Enlight 420w for ~$47 shipped, a Fortron 350w for $47 shipped, and a Silverstone 360w for $42 shipped. That's just over three pages (4-6) of the detail view, not looking for deals or anything. Any of those PSUs should be much better than the Aspire.

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: ecaandrew
http://www.atruereview.com/aspirepsu/index.php

that is waht im goin to go get, its all i ca afford, it would atleast tell me if the issue was a power supply or not

Heh. :roll: I'm done here.

 

[ecaandrew]

hey guys i bought the new power supply, ok and so i told you i smelt burning rubber commen form my power supply. well it turns out when i went to take that piece of crap 400 watt off that i had it ended up being melted to my mother board, so i spent 3 horus with a needle and a croche hook and a lighter getteing it all off, and i installed a new 500 watt psu that weighed about 3 punds its a vigor 500 - its probably nto thtat great but it seems to do the job just fine. i have had no random restarts yet, but when i start up the screen will randomly flash black right after windows loads, then once my desktop is loaded it flashes black one more time, and then it works fine - is this an issue? is that normal or what could that be? other than that everything runs smooth now, well so far.

 

[ScrapSilicon]

Originally posted by: ecaandrew
hey guys i bought the new power supply, ok and so i told you i smelt burning rubber commen form my power supply. well it turns out when i went to take that piece of crap 400 watt off that i had it ended up being melted to my mother board, so i spent 3 horus with a needle and a croche hook and a lighter getteing it all off, and i installed a new 500 watt psu that weighed about 3 punds its a vigor 500 - its probably nto thtat great but it seems to do the job just fine. i have had no random restarts yet, but when i start up the screen will randomly flash black right after windows loads, then once my desktop is loaded it flashes black one more time, and then it works fine - is this an issue? is that normal or what could that be? other than that everything runs smooth now, well so far.

that's one tough mobo ..and yes the start up the screen will randomly flash black right after windows loads, then once my desktop is loaded it flashes black one more time, and then it works fine is ok

 

[ecaandrew]

ya no joke, im beggining to like my comp for the first time in the 4 yrs i have had it, ever since i have gotten it; it has been nothign but issues, but hey if it acts up again ill be sure to let yall know, so thanks for all the help and keep it real - if you even need a website or hosting check us out

www.ecastudios.com
www.ecahosting.com

also a few new sites we are working on:

www.gfxcom.com - graphics community, tutorials, plugins. reviews, and more
www.goodcds.com - cheap software ( wont be up until later this month )

thanks again, you guys helped alot!

 

[Cerb]

I must second ScrapSilicon: that's a tough motherboard!
And yes, the black screen is normal. Amazing what oddities you're oblivious to when you aren't looking for them.