<SOLVED> Computer resets at first, then settles down?

[sirelk]

I just installed a DVD-RW drive into my system and it has been going bonkers ever since.

My system stats:

Mainboard : MSI K9NBPM2-FID (MS-7252)
Chipset : nVidia nForce 410
Processor : AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ @ 2000 MHz (65 Watt version)
Physical Memory : 2048 MB (2 x 1024 DDR2-SDRAM )
Video Card : NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GS
Hard Disk : WDC (165 GB)
DVD-Rom Drive : LITE-ON DVDRW LH-20A1L
Monitor Type : MB24W - 24 inches
Operating System : Microsoft Windows XP Professional 5.01.2600 Service Pack 2
DirectX : Version 9.0c (March 2006)
PSU: APEVIA ATX-CW500WP4 500W ATX Power Supply

I had severe problems when I first installed the Lite-on DVDRW drive. Despite having the latest drivers for my motherboard and flashing the DVDRW to the latest bios (as well as the mb to latest bios). I get the following issues:

1. System will hang at the bios screen occasionally after a reset or just powering on.
2. I'll go into the mb bios and after a certain amount of time while still in the bios screen, the system will hang and i'll have to restart.
3. Sometime the pc will boot to desktop just fine but after only a minute or 2 the screen will freeze and either automatically reset the pc or it will just remain frozen forcing me to reset.
4. Once the pc has rebooted a few times... it will boot up fine and then the pc can be left on for hours without any reset. (As though it has warmed up?). DVD's play fine and not a single thing I do on the pc will cause it to abnormally reset at this point.

Prior to getting my DVD drive... I had a CD-RW drive and it suddenly would cause the system to crash when I tried to use it (playing audio cds on it seemed to drive it nuts).

At this point I suspect either the Motherboard has a bad circuit somewhere or the PSU may be having issues (it is more than adequate for this small setup).

Any input or instruction would be greatly appreciated (if I missed anything, I can post whatever info is required).

Thank you,

sirelk


Problem Solved:

Ok. I found the solution.

My last idea was to remove everything from the motherboard (except the cpu) and just check everything over. I even pulled out the PSU housing and took that apart to see if anything might be visibly wrong.

After I had everything removed from the motherboard, I blew off dust buildup on some of the components (it wasn't too bad, but I figured since I had everything out, I might as well do it).

After plugging everything back in... it ran like a dream.

So far I've been running all night and morning without a single reset or power induced issue. I made sure to test this with several restarts and shutdowns. Everything is running great.

I don't know what exactly the issue was... maybe the mainboard connector wasn't plugged in right or the pci-e video card might have been coming out of its socket or the ram wasn't seated right. I don't know.

I'm relieved I don't have to drop $80 on a new PSU.

My advice for issues like this one: Before you give up and try to replace anything, pull the whole thing apart and carefully reassemble, checking all your connections and methodically making sure it isn't one component shorting out the whole system.

(I had an old 386dx40 system that wouldn't turn on or post back in the day, it turned out to be a pc speaker shorting out. Grrrrr!)

 

[Uncle Bob]

It does sound a bit odd... possibly a bad ide cable perhaps? (I'm assuming both the old CD and the new DVD drive are IDE and you're using the same cable)
Is the DVD drive the only device on the cable?

Try running the system without the DVD drive connected for a couple of days and see if you get any of those boot time failures.

HTH
UB

 

[sirelk]

Originally posted by: Uncle Bob
It does sound a bit odd... possibly a bad ide cable perhaps? (I'm assuming both the old CD and the new DVD drive are IDE and you're using the same cable)
Is the DVD drive the only device on the cable?

Try running the system without the DVD drive connected for a couple of days and see if you get any of those boot time failures.

HTH
UB

I disconnected the old CD-RW and I have the DVD drive hooked up thru the sata power and sata data cable.

The hd is on a separate sata cable.

I am pretty much sure that the system will be fine when I disconnect the DVD drive, because I never had this problem previously. I"ll give it a try soon... (I didn't want to previously since I'm doing a free month with Netflix and watching as many movies as I can in 4 weeks hahahaha).

Thanks for your reply!

 

[Uncle Bob]

worth trying another sata cable then IMO

 

[RebateMonger]

The symptoms sound like failing capacitors on the motherboard or power supply.

 

[sirelk]

Originally posted by: Uncle Bob
worth trying another sata cable then IMO

I will give this a go. Thanks for the input, Bob.

Originally posted by: RebateMonger
The symptoms sound like failing capacitors on the motherboard or power supply.

I am thinking you are right. I went ahead and disconnected the sata power and sata data cable from the DVD drive... thinking all would be just fine... but I still had the computer freeze up. Albeit, it's not freezing up as much without the DVD drive.

That makes me think it is a power issue and the first culprits I could think of right now would be the mb or the power supply.

I was in the HW monitor screen in my bios and it shows the 12v rail... that thing fluxuates from 11.5 up to 12.2 every half second. Is that normal?

Anyone have a link to the best way to test whether a power supply is going bad?

Thank you for your input guys. I really appreciate it

 

[sirelk]

Ok. I found the solution.

My last idea was to remove everything from the motherboard and just check everything over. I even pulled out the PSU housing and took that apart to see if anything might be visibly wrong.

I pulled out everything except the cpu from the motherboard and just made sure that everything was connected nice and snug.

After plugging everything back in... it ran like a dream.

So far I've been running all night and morning without a single reset or power induced issue.

This is much nicer than having to drop $80 on a new PSU.

My advice for issues like this one: Before you give up and try to replace anything, pull the whole thing apart and carefully reassemble, checking all your connections.