Zimmer
Un Moderador
+1,688|7021|Scotland

Yes, it really is. This is not the best time for this to happen to me. Fuck shit fuck fuck shit.

I come home, try to boot up the computer and something flickers in the next room. Then I press the power button and it starts making a "clicking noise", the fans are attempting to start up, but not actually working... the PSU is flashing slightly every few seconds and everything is at a stand still.

I thought it may be the cable, or the socket. Tested in several rooms, it still wouldn't even boot. No power was flowing through the computer.

It's the PSU, isn't it? I can't test if it is because I have no means to switch the PSU... It can't be anything else, right?

I hope to god it hasn't affected my hard drives in any way. If it has, I am well and truly fucked.

What do I do? Should I just buy a new PSU? Or should I ask for a new one from OCZ?

RMA?

Fuck, this is a terrible time for this to happen. So much work and I can't do it now. Not good.
Freezer7Pro
I don't come here a lot anymore.
+1,447|6462|Winland

It's the PSU. Could be the mobo, but that's highly unlikely.
The idea of any hi-fi system is to reproduce the source material as faithfully as possible, and to deliberately add distortion to everything you hear (due to amplifier deficiencies) because it sounds 'nice' is simply not high fidelity. If that is what you want to hear then there is no problem with that, but by adding so much additional material (by way of harmonics and intermodulation) you have a tailored sound system, not a hi-fi. - Rod Elliot, ESP
max
Vela Incident
+1,652|6833|NYC / Hamburg

Freezer7Pro wrote:

It's the PSU. Could be the mobo, but that's highly unlikely.
once upon a midnight dreary, while i pron surfed, weak and weary, over many a strange and spurious site of ' hot  xxx galore'. While i clicked my fav'rite bookmark, suddenly there came a warning, and my heart was filled with mourning, mourning for my dear amour, " 'Tis not possible!", i muttered, " give me back my free hardcore!"..... quoth the server, 404.
steelie34
pub hero!
+603|6646|the land of bourbon
and dont keep trying to turn it on... if it's faulty, it could damage other components
https://bf3s.com/sigs/36e1d9e36ae924048a933db90fb05bb247fe315e.png
Zimmer
Un Moderador
+1,688|7021|Scotland

Should I RMA the OCZ GameXtreem or should I just purchase a new one. I really cannot afford losing so much time without a computer.
Defiance
Member
+438|6936

Zimmer wrote:

Should I RMA the OCZ GameXtreem or should I just purchase a new one. I really cannot afford losing so much time without a computer.
If you need a computer, I'd get a new one, first one you can find that's of reasonable quality, and RMA the one you've got now. Swap em out once you get the good one back.
ghettoperson
Member
+1,943|6914

Buy a decent PSU this time, and RMA old one to get a replacement. Sell replacement on eBay.

Last edited by ghettoperson (2008-12-18 12:18:28)

SpIk3y
Minister of Silly Walks
+67|6404|New Jersey
OCZ makes perfectly good power supplies.  not to say that you didn't get unlucky, but in general OCZ is a reputable brand.  I would RMA for a replacement and make due till it arrives.
FFLink
There is.
+1,380|6956|Devon, England
There is a way to test it's your power supply or not, and it's worth a try.

https://www.duxcw.com/faq/ps/psconnshort.gif

Unplug the power supply, find the MoBo connector on it and short pins 14 and 15 (Stick a bent paperclip between them, but don't hold it with your hands of course). Now turn the PSU on and if the fan doesn't spin, it's broke.

Just a method I've used a variety of times and so far it's never failed me.

If it is your PSU gone, I reccomend RMA'ing and maybe stealing one from another PC for now?
Freezer7Pro
I don't come here a lot anymore.
+1,447|6462|Winland

FFLink13 wrote:

There is a way to test it's your power supply or not, and it's worth a try.

http://www.duxcw.com/faq/ps/psconnshort.gif

Unplug the power supply, find the MoBo connector on it and short pins 14 and 15 (Stick a bent paperclip between them, but don't hold it with your hands of course). Now turn the PSU on and if the fan doesn't spin, it's broke.

Just a method I've used a variety of times and so far it's never failed me.

If it is your PSU gone, I reccomend RMA'ing and maybe stealing one from another PC for now?
That's so utterly advanced. This is how you say it:

Take something from the green wire and put it against the case of the PSU. It doesn't matter if it's a spike, a paper clip or half a VW beetle, as long as it conducts electricity. There is also no danger involved in holding onto it.
The idea of any hi-fi system is to reproduce the source material as faithfully as possible, and to deliberately add distortion to everything you hear (due to amplifier deficiencies) because it sounds 'nice' is simply not high fidelity. If that is what you want to hear then there is no problem with that, but by adding so much additional material (by way of harmonics and intermodulation) you have a tailored sound system, not a hi-fi. - Rod Elliot, ESP
CrazeD
Member
+368|6938|Maine

Freezer7Pro wrote:

There is also no danger involved in holding onto it.
Indeed, it's just a switch.

However that's not a real accurate way to test, because there's no load. And that can even damage it further, running without any load.
Flaming_Maniac
prince of insufficient light
+2,490|6972|67.222.138.85
When my power supply blew in a fairly similar fashion I lost my hard drives.
Jenspm
penis
+1,716|6997|St. Andrews / Oslo

Flaming_Maniac wrote:

When my power supply blew in a fairly similar fashion I lost my hard drives.
lol'd
https://static.bf2s.com/files/user/26774/flickricon.png https://twitter.com/phoenix/favicon.ico
ghettoperson
Member
+1,943|6914

SpIk3y wrote:

OCZ makes perfectly good power supplies.  not to say that you didn't get unlucky, but in general OCZ is a reputable brand.  I would RMA for a replacement and make due till it arrives.
They're pretty crap IMO. There are certainly far better ones out there.
Freezer7Pro
I don't come here a lot anymore.
+1,447|6462|Winland

ghettoperson wrote:

SpIk3y wrote:

OCZ makes perfectly good power supplies.  not to say that you didn't get unlucky, but in general OCZ is a reputable brand.  I would RMA for a replacement and make due till it arrives.
They're pretty crap IMO. There are certainly far better ones out there.
They're not crap, they're higher average.
The idea of any hi-fi system is to reproduce the source material as faithfully as possible, and to deliberately add distortion to everything you hear (due to amplifier deficiencies) because it sounds 'nice' is simply not high fidelity. If that is what you want to hear then there is no problem with that, but by adding so much additional material (by way of harmonics and intermodulation) you have a tailored sound system, not a hi-fi. - Rod Elliot, ESP
Scorpion0x17
can detect anyone's visible post count...
+691|7031|Cambridge (UK)

max wrote:

Freezer7Pro wrote:

It's the PSU. Could be the mobo, but that's highly unlikely.
Or anything really, but PSU most likely, mobo next, then everything else in decreasing likelyhood as you move away from the PSU.
Benzin
Member
+576|6264
I'd buy a new PSU, RMA the one you have and KEEP the second one - JUST IN CASE you ever need a spare.

I mean look at Freezer, he has so many spare parts you'd think his computers were going on an extended deep space mission ...

Last edited by CapnNismo (2008-12-18 21:58:45)

ghettoperson
Member
+1,943|6914

Freezer7Pro wrote:

ghettoperson wrote:

SpIk3y wrote:

OCZ makes perfectly good power supplies.  not to say that you didn't get unlucky, but in general OCZ is a reputable brand.  I would RMA for a replacement and make due till it arrives.
They're pretty crap IMO. There are certainly far better ones out there.
They're not crap, they're higher average.
I know three people personally that have had them die on them. Therefore, I'm staying away.
Bertster7
Confused Pothead
+1,101|6847|SE London

Scorpion0x17 wrote:

max wrote:

Freezer7Pro wrote:

It's the PSU. Could be the mobo, but that's highly unlikely.
Or anything really, but PSU most likely, mobo next, then everything else in decreasing likelyhood as you move away from the PSU.
Zimmer
Un Moderador
+1,688|7021|Scotland

Flaming_Maniac wrote:

When my power supply blew in a fairly similar fashion I lost my hard drives.
Oh. Fuck me. So damage can be done to your harddrives with a PSU failure? y/n?

This would be the worst thing ever. OCZ has already replied and are sending a replacement immediately.

Ok, so the advice, in general, is to get a new PSU altogether.

I have an E6600, 8800GTS 640MB, Gigabyte P35 DS4. Recommendations?
Peter
Super Awesome Member
+494|6667|dm_maidenhead

Zimmer wrote:

Flaming_Maniac wrote:

When my power supply blew in a fairly similar fashion I lost my hard drives.
Oh. Fuck me. So damage can be done to your harddrives with a PSU failure? y/n?

This would be the worst thing ever. OCZ has already replied and are sending a replacement immediately.

Ok, so the advice, in general, is to get a new PSU altogether.

I have an E6600, 8800GTS 640MB, Gigabyte P35 DS4. Recommendations?
That is pretty much my rig there
Bertster7
Confused Pothead
+1,101|6847|SE London

Zimmer wrote:

Flaming_Maniac wrote:

When my power supply blew in a fairly similar fashion I lost my hard drives.
Oh. Fuck me. So damage can be done to your harddrives with a PSU failure? y/n?

This would be the worst thing ever. OCZ has already replied and are sending a replacement immediately.

Ok, so the advice, in general, is to get a new PSU altogether.

I have an E6600, 8800GTS 640MB, Gigabyte P35 DS4. Recommendations?
Corsair HX520 should do the job nicely.

I hope you have ruled out other components first. It doesn't sound like you have. There are numerous components that could cause faults similar to those you describe - it could be, in order of precedence; PSU, Mobo, CPU, RAM, GPU, HDD or ODD.

It is very, very unlikely that a PSU failure will damage your hard drives. It can, but extremely rarely.
Zimmer
Un Moderador
+1,688|7021|Scotland

Ruled out CPU, GPU, HDD and ODD. Disconnected everything but mobo and PSU. PSU still didn't start. The CPU fan was trying to start, but the error beep started and the PSU fan didn't even move. The light flickered a bit, but nothing more. That basically tells me it's the PSU, right?
Bertster7
Confused Pothead
+1,101|6847|SE London

Zimmer wrote:

Ruled out CPU, GPU, HDD and ODD. Disconnected everything but mobo and PSU. PSU still didn't start. The CPU fan was trying to start, but the error beep started and the PSU fan didn't even move. The light flickered a bit, but nothing more. That basically tells me it's the PSU, right?
It's certainly the most likely. Could still be mobo, but unless you have parts to swap in or out you'll never really know.
Zimmer
Un Moderador
+1,688|7021|Scotland

Bertster7 wrote:

Zimmer wrote:

Ruled out CPU, GPU, HDD and ODD. Disconnected everything but mobo and PSU. PSU still didn't start. The CPU fan was trying to start, but the error beep started and the PSU fan didn't even move. The light flickered a bit, but nothing more. That basically tells me it's the PSU, right?
It's certainly the most likely. Could still be mobo, but unless you have parts to swap in or out you'll never really know.
Well if it isn't the PSU, we will soon find out when I have wasted £80 on a new one.

Board footer

Privacy Policy - © 2025 Jeff Minard