Need Help Locating Error!!!

[sillyfishyboy]

Hiya, I seem to have had a major meltdown .. my pc started freezing and randomly powering off, I have found that my main hdd has a couple of errors which could explain the freezing, however am unable to do a long memtest test as the pc crashes, also borrowed a copy of spinrite, but seemed to freeze when trying to gather disk information. My problem now is, how do I identify what is causing the pc to power-off .. first thought is the power supply, but havnt smelt any burning and it always turns right back on once it crashes, so with my limited deductive skills, my main culprit is the motherboard/processor .. but dont want to buy a new set only to find that it was the ps. how can I check, unfortunately I have no backup power unit to swap out .. is there any other way?

Also does anyone know how long spinrite is supposed to take to gather disk info? maybe I am turning it off too soon.

many thanks
Sillyfishyboy

 

[sillyfishyboy]

have just been looking at my psu calculations etc, when I originally got it, I calculated that I would be well within the limit with a 450 watt psu, however calculating now im not too sure, some are telling me 350 watt, but a couple are recommending 500+. the one at eXtreme Outer Vision - eXtreme tools for computer enthusiasts (which seems more precise than most) is just below 500, I am also aware that my psu isnt from one of the best makes (meaning that I should add about 30-50 to my calculations) .. could this be causing the problems .. well I know that potentially it could casuse these problems, but is it likely? And I guess the real question is, if I replace my psu will it resolve many of the issues, or will a potential psu issue have damaged my motherboard, graphics etc. (have been using this for about a year)

 

[Big B]

Well, what's your specs including the power supply? It's a little early to conclude either way, but my first guess is it's either a power supply or a CPU.

Ultimately, you probably will have to try one or the other with a new component, as it's going to be difficult to determine the culprit without swapping out some parts.

The first thing I would do is (with the power off) remove the CPU heatsink, clean it and the CPU off with isopropyl alcohol. Then apply a paper thin layer of thermal paste on the CPU core or heatspreader (the heatspreader will cover the entire surface of the CPU, the core will be sticking out in the center of the processor package) and reinstall the CPU. If it's dusty, blow it out with some compressed air first.

As far as the PSU goes, even if your system only asks for 450W, doing this long term is not a good idea. Would you run your car's engine in the red all the time and expect it to last a long time? Probably not, and if you did, you're fooling yourself. A good PSU is an investment in your system, so I'd highly encourage you to seriously look at an upgrade either way. A bad PSU can damage the rest of the system, provide insufficient power and take parts with it when they die. The health of your system starts with the power supply, so while the up front cost may be a little hard to swallow, you'll be better off in the long run.