Is this a power supply issue?

[LiLRiceBoi]

I have an older computer that I use for my file server (AthlonXP 2800+). Recently the power supply failed, and I got it RMA'd.

I tried the new PSU, but my computer stopped responding several minutes after boot. The screen went blank, keyboard lights off, but all the fans and hdds were still spinning.

I formatted the computer, thinking it might be a non PSU issue. I couldnt even get through format, midway through, same thing happened, screen went blank but the fans and hdds still spinning. I tried booting with a Ubuntu live cd, sometimes it can boot to GUI, sometimes it stops while booting and screen goes blank.

I've tried swapping video cards, reseating the CPU, taking out/unplugging all non essential peripherals (only videocard and optical drive when booting with ubuntu), reseating each stick of ram (and trying each separately in each dimm slot), but nothing seems to work.

I also tried the PSU in a dell optixplex gx270, the mobo light went on, I couldnt power on the computer. I have no idea if the dell requires a proprietary PSU though.

Is this a PSU issue or motherboard issue or something else?

Thanks

Edit: I ran memtest86 for a couple hours. No errors. After running memtest, I was able to boot the live cd to gui and was able to install ubuntu and use it w/o any problems. Tried formatting and installing windows and same problem occurs. I might have posted this in the wrong forum.

Edit2: sometimes ubuntu live cd works, sometimes it doesnt. every time i try to install windows, it always stops while copying files usually around the same percentage. i'm thinking motherboard or psu issue.

 

[dmh1167]

how mutch ram are you using and what version of windows, if its vista and you have more than 1 gig of ram installed or one stick of ram this very issue can happen. Dell used proprietary psu's up til 2004 ? I think it was an atx clone with the wires swapped around. When the 20 + 4 connector came out I think they stopped pulling that carp Id have to check.

Anyhow vista does have an install issue on some boards with more than one stick of ram. Hope this helps. I can get exact with the dell psu thing but ill have to check my books. I avoided having the issue by not using dell.

That is not a slam I just didnt have to mess with it I remember studying the dell psu thing in case it came up.