A month ago I installed an internal secondary Seagate Barracuda 7200.10
drive for file storage. For the first few days it was installed, the
computer wouldn't reach the BIOS screen when starting up after being turned
off for several hours (i.e. in the morning after being off all night). It
gave a high pitched whine until I hit the reset button, then it booted and
all seemed fine. It was always booted fine when the drive had been used
within a few hours. I left it running a few days and it seemed to
"break-in" has booted normally since.

A few days ago, it started in again, only this time the reset button does
nothing. I have to press/hold the power button to do a hard off, then start
up again. The harddrive indicator light on my case is solid on, but I'm
pretty sure it's tied to my primary (bootable, Windows) drive (the LED on
the primary drive is solid on as well). The computer seems to boot fine
once it's been on even a few seconds, and then is restarted.

In getting this new Seagate drive, I had one previous that acted similarly,
so I returned it for one that came DOA. This is the third drive and it is
acting like the first. Is this typical of Seagate? I've only had older
Maxtor and WD drives.

I'd appreciate some help. Not sure if this is related, but I've been
getting an Error code 000000d1, parameter1 00000008, parameter2 00000002,
parameter3 00000001, parameter4 f76ef4af, but I think this might be related
to a wireless card issue. Maybe it's not- I'm not sure.

Has anyone have any idea what might be happening?

Thanks!
-J

JD wrote:
> A month ago I installed an internal secondary Seagate Barracuda 7200.10
> drive for file storage. For the first few days it was installed, the
> computer wouldn't reach the BIOS screen when starting up after being turned
> off for several hours (i.e. in the morning after being off all night). It
> gave a high pitched whine until I hit the reset button, then it booted and
> all seemed fine. It was always booted fine when the drive had been used
> within a few hours. I left it running a few days and it seemed to
> "break-in" has booted normally since.
>
> A few days ago, it started in again, only this time the reset button does
> nothing. I have to press/hold the power button to do a hard off, then start
> up again. The harddrive indicator light on my case is solid on, but I'm
> pretty sure it's tied to my primary (bootable, Windows) drive (the LED on
> the primary drive is solid on as well). The computer seems to boot fine
> once it's been on even a few seconds, and then is restarted.
>
> In getting this new Seagate drive, I had one previous that acted similarly,
> so I returned it for one that came DOA. This is the third drive and it is
> acting like the first. Is this typical of Seagate? I've only had older
> Maxtor and WD drives.
>
> I'd appreciate some help. Not sure if this is related, but I've been
> getting an Error code 000000d1, parameter1 00000008, parameter2 00000002,
> parameter3 00000001, parameter4 f76ef4af, but I think this might be related
> to a wireless card issue. Maybe it's not- I'm not sure.
>
> Has anyone have any idea what might be happening?
>
> Thanks!
> -J
>

That whine could be your power supply. Maybe your power supply is
overloaded by the addition of that drive ? Recent Seagate drives,
draw 12V @ 2.5A for the first 10 seconds, to spin up the platters.
Once the disk is spinning, the consumption drops to 12V @ 0.6A or so.

What brand make/model of power supply do you have ? How much hardware
is in the computer (list the contents so we can guess at whether the
supply is big enough) ?

Paul

>
> That whine could be your power supply. Maybe your power supply is
> overloaded by the addition of that drive ? Recent Seagate drives,
> draw 12V @ 2.5A for the first 10 seconds, to spin up the platters.
> Once the disk is spinning, the consumption drops to 12V @ 0.6A or so.
>
> What brand make/model of power supply do you have ? How much hardware
> is in the computer (list the contents so we can guess at whether the
> supply is big enough) ?
>
> Paul

Thanks, Paul.

Based on what I've read online, I wondered if the psu might be a problem,
but couldn't find any way to actually know how much capacity/margin it has
left. If it is a psu capacity issue, is there any way to delay the Seagate
hd spin up until after the initial drain of starting everything else since
it's just a storage (not booting) drive?

Power supply:
Power Man FSP300-60BTV
Max output power: 300W

Pioneer 16X DVD (model 106S2 ?)
HP 8100i CD burner
floppy drive
Ultra Media Dashboard (internal 6-in-1 flash card reader)
Blitzz BWI-715 PCI wireless card
Realtek 10/100 NIC
standard modem
XP 2000+ cpu
Thermaltake TR2-M3 cpu cooler
Radeon 7500 64MB graphics
SB Audigy sound card
2 80mm case fans
Gigabyte GA-7DX+ mobo
2 x 256MB PC-2100 RAM
Maxtor 60GB (6L060J3, PATA)
new Seagate 250GB Barracuda 7200.10 (PATA)
various USB devices (mouse/keyboard hooked up through PS/2 converters and an
SD card reader)

JD wrote:
>> That whine could be your power supply. Maybe your power supply is
>> overloaded by the addition of that drive ? Recent Seagate drives,
>> draw 12V @ 2.5A for the first 10 seconds, to spin up the platters.
>> Once the disk is spinning, the consumption drops to 12V @ 0.6A or so.
>>
>> What brand make/model of power supply do you have ? How much hardware
>> is in the computer (list the contents so we can guess at whether the
>> supply is big enough) ?
>>
>> Paul
>
> Thanks, Paul.
>
> Based on what I've read online, I wondered if the psu might be a problem,
> but couldn't find any way to actually know how much capacity/margin it has
> left. If it is a psu capacity issue, is there any way to delay the Seagate
> hd spin up until after the initial drain of starting everything else since
> it's just a storage (not booting) drive?
>
> Power supply:
> Power Man FSP300-60BTV
> Max output power: 300W
>
> Pioneer 16X DVD (model 106S2 ?)
> HP 8100i CD burner
> floppy drive
> Ultra Media Dashboard (internal 6-in-1 flash card reader)
> Blitzz BWI-715 PCI wireless card
> Realtek 10/100 NIC
> standard modem
> XP 2000+ cpu
> Thermaltake TR2-M3 cpu cooler
> Radeon 7500 64MB graphics
> SB Audigy sound card
> 2 80mm case fans
> Gigabyte GA-7DX+ mobo
> 2 x 256MB PC-2100 RAM
> Maxtor 60GB (6L060J3, PATA)
> new Seagate 250GB Barracuda 7200.10 (PATA)
> various USB devices (mouse/keyboard hooked up through PS/2 converters and an
> SD card reader)
>

http://www.fsusa.com/Product/FSP300-60BTV.pdf

200W max on the 3.3/5V combined rails. 5V max is 30 amps.
The 12V rail is 15A max.

Your board doesn't have a separate 2x2 12V input, so the
power for the AthlonXP could be coming from +5V.

http://www.overclockers.ru/images/lab/03-2002/7dx+.jpg

There are several 2000+ processors. This is the oldest one.

1667 (2000+) OPGA 133 256 12.5x 1.75V 90oC 62.5W

(62.5W / 5V) * (1/0.90) = 13.89A from 5V rail (assumes 90% Vcore efficiency)

Two opticals, take 5V @ 1.5A or so each.

The +5V isn't too much for the supply.

The 3.3V might draw another 10A or so, just a guess, for the motherboard.

Total combined 3.3V/5V is 117W or so.

The video card is about 35W, but again just a guess.

While the estimates don't seem to indicate the power supply
is undersized, perhaps the supply is just getting "tired".
You have to observed the voltage value on the rails (with a
multimeter), to see whether there are any signs the supply
is not happy. If the BIOS has a hardware monitor page, that
can be used to display the voltages as well. But by the time
you get into the BIOS, the spinup interval of the disk could
be completed.

Another test you could run, would be to unplug some hardware
and see if the symptoms change. If the Maxtor is disconnected
(both data and power), are the symptoms the same (the whining
sound) ? You may have to change jumpers a bit, to do the test.

Paul

>
> Another test you could run, would be to unplug some hardware
> and see if the symptoms change. If the Maxtor is disconnected
> (both data and power), are the symptoms the same (the whining
> sound) ? You may have to change jumpers a bit, to do the test.
>
> Paul

I tried disconnecting things this morning with unexpected results. I
unplugged the new Seagate drive (so it was in its previously working
configuration) and it started just fine as I thought it would. The computer
ran for a few minutes, I shut down, plugged in the Seagate drive, and it
still booted fine. No noises, no stalled boot. Again this evening, I
turned it on (both drives connected) and it booted fine with no noises. Any
chance this just changes with the weather?? I'll try again tomorrow morning
and afternoon and will post the results.

I can't unplug the Maxtor because it's the booting drive - there's nothing
but documents/pictures on the Seagate.

Thanks again for your help.

-J

JD wrote:
>> Another test you could run, would be to unplug some hardware
>> and see if the symptoms change. If the Maxtor is disconnected
>> (both data and power), are the symptoms the same (the whining
>> sound) ? You may have to change jumpers a bit, to do the test.
>>
>> Paul
>
> I tried disconnecting things this morning with unexpected results. I
> unplugged the new Seagate drive (so it was in its previously working
> configuration) and it started just fine as I thought it would. The computer
> ran for a few minutes, I shut down, plugged in the Seagate drive, and it
> still booted fine. No noises, no stalled boot. Again this evening, I
> turned it on (both drives connected) and it booted fine with no noises. Any
> chance this just changes with the weather?? I'll try again tomorrow morning
> and afternoon and will post the results.
>
> I can't unplug the Maxtor because it's the booting drive - there's nothing
> but documents/pictures on the Seagate.
>
> Thanks again for your help.
>
> -J
>
>

Tiny things could make a difference to the test results. Like say a
brownout, where the AC line voltage was low. It could even have
been a bad connection somewhere.

If the power supply is about to go bad, little things might make a
difference, like whether the inside of the PSU has warmed up yet
or not.

I'm just guessing here, and all I can suggest, is either measure the
output voltages of the power supply, while the problem presents itself,
or change the amount of loading on the supply. Alternately, just
get another power supply and use it for a while.

In terms of components that fail, failing power supplies are quite
common. Which is why we like to pick on them, as culprits.

Paul

> Tiny things could make a difference to the test results. Like say a
> brownout, where the AC line voltage was low. It could even have
> been a bad connection somewhere.
>
> If the power supply is about to go bad, little things might make a
> difference, like whether the inside of the PSU has warmed up yet
> or not.
>
> I'm just guessing here, and all I can suggest, is either measure the
> output voltages of the power supply, while the problem presents itself,
> or change the amount of loading on the supply. Alternately, just
> get another power supply and use it for a while.
>
> In terms of components that fail, failing power supplies are quite
> common. Which is why we like to pick on them, as culprits.
>
> Paul

Well since yesterday morning, I've had 4 successful cold starts and no
problems. Maybe it was a bad power connection to one of the drives. I'll
see what happens the next few days.

How would I test the output voltages of the power supply? I'm not sure just
I'd hook up a meter...and I don't want to blow something up by accident. My
computer is just over 5 years old now, so I guess there's a chance the psu
is fading.

Thanks again for your help.

-J

JD wrote:
>> Tiny things could make a difference to the test results. Like say a
>> brownout, where the AC line voltage was low. It could even have
>> been a bad connection somewhere.
>>
>> If the power supply is about to go bad, little things might make a
>> difference, like whether the inside of the PSU has warmed up yet
>> or not.
>>
>> I'm just guessing here, and all I can suggest, is either measure the
>> output voltages of the power supply, while the problem presents itself,
>> or change the amount of loading on the supply. Alternately, just
>> get another power supply and use it for a while.
>>
>> In terms of components that fail, failing power supplies are quite
>> common. Which is why we like to pick on them, as culprits.
>>
>> Paul
>
> Well since yesterday morning, I've had 4 successful cold starts and no
> problems. Maybe it was a bad power connection to one of the drives. I'll
> see what happens the next few days.
>
> How would I test the output voltages of the power supply? I'm not sure just
> I'd hook up a meter...and I don't want to blow something up by accident. My
> computer is just over 5 years old now, so I guess there's a chance the psu
> is fading.
>
> Thanks again for your help.
>
> -J
>
>

My voltmeter has the standard black and red test leads on it. I put an alligator
clip on the end of the black test lead and clip it to a screw on an I/O connector
on the back of the computer. By using an alligator clip, that frees up one hand
to make measurements with the red probe.

You can (carefully) insert the red test lead, into the back of the main power
connector, where the 20 wires go into the nylon shell. The metal of the crimp that
holds the wire, can be accessed from the backside of the connector. You don't want
to shove the test lead too far in, just enough to make contact should be OK. The
nylon shell should prevent the test lead, from touching two pieces of metal at the
same time.

If you only wanted to measure +5V and +12V, they can be picked up from a spare
Molex 1x4 disk drive connector. But if you wanted to measure 3.3V, -5V, -12V,
+5VSB and so on, those are on the main connector. (-5V is not on all power supplies,
and the latest specs make that pin optional.) At one time, ATX supplies had a
1x6 connector, for auxiliary power, where you could measure 3.3V, but they don't
come with that connector any more.

ATX PSUs can last for years, or only for a matter of days. There is a wide
range of construction quality in power supplies. The reviews on Newegg, can
give you some idea how long a $20 power supply will last.

Paul