Is this problem due to Power Supply failure?

[TerryMcDaniel]

Hello all...

I have been using my Gateway computer (Win98SE) with a home audio
recording card (Digi 001 with ProTools) which I installed myself.

Now, the problem I have is that sometimes, my computer will SHUT OFF
without any warning (as if someone PULLED THE PLUG from the wall) and
turn right back on, but losing any unsaved information.

At first, Gateway told me it's a virus (tried every antivirus)... then,
they told me I need to reinstall my system (which I did, foolishly...
still not fixed).

Then, I began to wonder if its my PSU? I've tried cooling my computer
tower (side door open) with an external fan. But, that even fails.

Now, I'm wondering if the PSU that came with the sytem (145W) is the
problem because the card that I installed (Digi001) is sucking up too
much power?

I am NOT computer savvy, so any suggestions/advice are welcome!

Thanks in advance!

 

[Ruel Smith]

Hello all...

I have been using my Gateway computer (Win98SE) with a home audio
recording card (Digi 001 with ProTools) which I installed myself.

Now, the problem I have is that sometimes, my computer will SHUT OFF
without any warning (as if someone PULLED THE PLUG from the wall) and
turn right back on, but losing any unsaved information.

At first, Gateway told me it's a virus (tried every antivirus)... then,
they told me I need to reinstall my system (which I did, foolishly...
still not fixed).

Then, I began to wonder if its my PSU? I've tried cooling my computer
tower (side door open) with an external fan. But, that even fails.

Now, I'm wondering if the PSU that came with the sytem (145W) is the
problem because the card that I installed (Digi001) is sucking up too
much power?

I am NOT computer savvy, so any suggestions/advice are welcome!

This could be the power supply, but it sounds more like the CPU temperature
is getting too high and the motherboard it shutting itself down to avoid
damage to the CPU. Your heatsink may be improperly seated, which is usually
the culprit. Do yourself a favor and hit the 'delete' key when you turn your
computer on, and get into the BIOS. Then look for a section about PC Health
Status, or something similar and find where your BIOS is reporting your CPU
temperature. Let the system sit idle for about 10 minutes and check the
temperature. If it's something high like 65c or something, you've probably
got a cooling problem like I described.

When a power supply is the culprit, it usually masks itself as somethig else
and is very random in nature. Your computer will freeze, crash, or whatever
when the demand for power gets too high. I've never had one just shut down
because of a power supply, though.

 

[TerryMcDaniel]

Thanks Ruel...
I will give that a shot and report back!

 

[DaveW]

Yes, the 145 watt PSU is WAY TOO SMALL! You should be using a MINIMUM of a
300 watt PSU.

 

[TerryMcDaniel]

Thanks for the help, Dave...

A few questions:
(1) are you basing the watts on Pro Tools/ Digi 001 or are you saying
that 145 Watts is small, in general?
(2) What kind of things should I check for "compatability" of a new
power supply? (meaning as long as it fits, is it ok? Or, are there
specs that I need to match up?)

Thanks again!

 

[David Maynard]

Thanks for the help, Dave...

A few questions:
(1) are you basing the watts on Pro Tools/ Digi 001 or are you saying
that 145 Watts is small, in general?

He's basing it on nothing because with no description other than "gateway"
it's impossible to determine that the PSU it CAME with is "WAY TOO
SMALL!" much less that it needs to be 300 watts.

(2) What kind of things should I check for "compatability" of a new
power supply? (meaning as long as it fits, is it ok? Or, are there
specs that I need to match up?)

Odds are that with a 145 watt PSU you've got a mini tower with a mATX or
FlexATX form factor PSU. And in what is often called the 'emachines' PSUm
because they made so many of the things but it's the same with HP and
Compaq mini-towers, there's two versions... one with the fan fully enclosed
in the PSU case and one with it 'bumped' out of the PSU a bit to make room
for more guts inside under the fan. The 'bump up' leaves less room in the
CASE, however, so if your case is tight in there (typically the
CPU/heatsink is under it) it might not take it.

 

[TerryMcDaniel]

He's basing it on nothing because with no description other than "gateway"
it's impossible to determine that the PSU it CAME with is "WAY TOO
SMALL!" much less that it needs to be 300 watts.


Odds are that with a 145 watt PSU you've got a mini tower with a mATX or
FlexATX form factor PSU. And in what is often called the 'emachines' PSUm
because they made so many of the things but it's the same with HP and
Compaq mini-towers, there's two versions... one with the fan fully enclosed
in the PSU case and one with it 'bumped' out of the PSU a bit to make room
for more guts inside under the fan. The 'bump up' leaves less room in the
CASE, however, so if your case is tight in there (typically the
CPU/heatsink is under it) it might not take it.

 

[TerryMcDaniel]

Thanks David...

Of course, like an idiot, I just realized that my PSU has a max wattage
of 250W
(it's similar to this one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Gateway-Dell-NP...ryZ44948QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Just to clarify...
Do you agree that I need more Watts?
And, if so, how many watts?
Also, as long as the PSU "fits" my mini-tower, will it be compatible?
If none of the above... do you have ANY other suggestions?

Many thanks!

 

[Ruel Smith]

Yes, the 145 watt PSU is WAY TOO SMALL! You should be using a MINIMUM of
a 300 watt PSU.

Well, Gateways, Dells, Compaqs, etc. all ship with small power supplies like
that. They only provide enough power to support the installed options and no
more. It's one of the dozens of ways they cut corners, even though they
charge you quite a bit for the componentry you get.

Anyway, immediate shut off doesn't sound like a power supply problem, at
least I've never encountered it. Sounds like a CPU temp problem to me.

 

[David Maynard]

Thanks David...

Of course, like an idiot, I just realized that my PSU has a max wattage
of 250W
(it's similar to this one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Gateway-Dell-NP...ryZ44948QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Is yours the same model number or are you just assuming it's 250W because
that one is and yours looks like it?

That's a micro/FlexATX power supply (with the 'bumped up' fan I mentioned),
btw, and not a standard ATX.

Just to clarify...
Do you agree that I need more Watts?

No, because I still how no idea what 'Gateway' computer you have and, so,
have no idea how much power it needs.

And, if so, how many watts?
Also, as long as the PSU "fits" my mini-tower, will it be compatible?

As longs as it 'fits' and has an ATX connector compatible with your
motherboard and a power rating sufficient to power your system.

If none of the above... do you have ANY other suggestions?

Check your system and processor operating temperatures, and your fans,
because it sounds like a thermal shutdown.

 

[~1Alex~]

I had the same symptoms once, and it was happening
because I had installed the heat sink on the CPU wrong.

 

[Ruel Smith]

I had the same symptoms once, and it was happening
because I had installed the heat sink on the CPU wrong.

This is what I suspect, too. I'm not as experienced as some in here, but
whenever I've encountered the problem the OP described, I reseated the HSF
and everything turned out well.

 

[TerryMcDaniel]

This is what I suspect, too. I'm not as experienced as some in here, but
whenever I've encountered the problem the OP described, I reseated the HSF
and everything turned out well.

Can anyone help me out with that?
What and where is the "Heat Sink" Fan?
And how would I go about "reseating" it?

 

[TerryMcDaniel]

Ruel...

I tried your suggestion with the CPU temperature check. Although I
could not find it in my Win98SE BIOS, I downloaded a temp monitoring
program (SpeedFan 4.2) and, according to that my temp (which was
initially 44C) climbed to 52C and stayed there for 30 mins before it
did the "out of the blue" shut down again.

Now, 2 things to add:
(1) I have 2 removable hard-drives (the drawer kind that slides out).
One hard drive is the Win98SE with my audio program (which shuts down
regularaly) and the other is WinXP. Interestingly, the XP also shuts
down (but once in a blue moon).
(2) For a while, I actually opened up my tower case and put a regular
room fan right on it to cool it off. That didn't do anything.

I don't know if any of the above means anything to you (or anyone
else)... but ANY suggestions are more than welcome!

Thanks Sincerely!