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Flashing power light?

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  • 13-12-2010 10:53pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 7,544 ✭✭✭


    Yet another problem with my new build.
    Everything has been going dandy until tonight.

    I was playing Crysis today and paused it (For around an hour and a half tops). Came back to the computer and it appeared to be in sleep mode (Monitor light was yellow). Went to click the mouse to get it out of sleep mode and nothing happened. Monitor stayed yellow. The computer was still running, all the fans were running etc but i noticed the power LED on the case was blinking (usually it doesnt blink.)

    So i held the power button to turn it off and now it wont boot back up. All the fans etc come on and the HDD spin up but now POST or Beeps. The LED power light is still flashing.

    Any ideas what it could be?


Comments

  • Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 18,377 Mod ✭✭✭✭Solitaire


    Sounds like all kinds of bad things. Fried CPU or GPU, damaged PSU or RAM, screwy BIOS, shorted mobo, loose connectors... the list goes on :(

    Try checking all physical cable connections and reset the CMOS while you're at it to start with.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,594 ✭✭✭Deano12345


    Hogzy wrote: »

    Any ideas what it could be?

    Sounds like it could be your PSU, could be ram too, try booting with only one stick at a time to rule that out


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,544 ✭✭✭Hogzy


    OK. Oddly enough i plugged out the Computer from mains (while it was on and not posting) i plugged it back in again almost instantaneously (1second later tops) and the computer booted up and posted. When i logged into windows everything was as normal. The game was open and still paused. I unpaused it and played it for 5mins just to see that everything was ok. Performed perfectly. No stuttering or anything.

    So I dont think it could be the CPU or the GFX card.
    Im thinking the PSU as it seemed really strange that plugging it out and back in very quickly would start it up. This method worked before too when the computer wouldnt post.

    Any opinions?

    EDIT: Earlier when i flicked the switch on the PSU it didnt do anything and would post. So plugging out and back in quickly seemed to do the trick. VERY strange.


  • Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 18,377 Mod ✭✭✭✭Solitaire


    That means you tripped one of the protection mechanisms in the PSU. Given how dire the coding is in Crysh!t I suspect that pausing the game did nothing to change the CPU/GPU utilization and the PSU slowly overheated and the overtemp protection tripped.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,544 ✭✭✭Hogzy


    Solitaire wrote: »
    That means you tripped one of the protection mechanisms in the PSU. Given how dire the coding is in Crysh!t I suspect that pausing the game did nothing to change the CPU/GPU utilization and the PSU slowly overheated and the overtemp protection tripped.

    No temps were normal. I always have speed fan running and it recorded everything. GPU didnt go above 35 and CPU temps were around 25 while it was paused.

    Would you think the PSU is going?


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  • Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 18,377 Mod ✭✭✭✭Solitaire


    Sounds like it :( What is it again anyway?


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,544 ✭✭✭Hogzy


    Solitaire wrote: »
    Sounds like it :( What is it again anyway?

    Fortron Source Epsilon 1010W

    I bought it in a day where i though more watts was better so automatically assumed 1010W was better than a 650W.

    My knowledge of PSU's has advanced in the last 4yrs though.

    Looks like she might need replacing.


  • Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 18,377 Mod ✭✭✭✭Solitaire


    Epsilon argh!! :mad:

    I didn't even know they made ones that big, the Epsilon platform has issues past the 500W mark! :o


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 688 ✭✭✭Captain Commie


    work in it and anytime we see a pc with a flashing power light it tends to be the PSU is about to fail/ has failed.

    I would get a different PSU into that thing pronto


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,544 ✭✭✭Hogzy


    Q6700 (Stock but will be OC'd)
    GTX 460 1GB
    4 Sticks of 1GB DDR2
    1TB WD Caviar Green HD
    500GB Seagate SATA HD
    Zalman 9700 CPU Cooler
    DVD-/+ RW Drive
    Asus P5Q Pro Turbo Board.

    Would a 650W be sufficient?


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  • Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 18,377 Mod ✭✭✭✭Solitaire


    Yep, get one with a very strong 12V rail (i.e. >=50A) or a good 700W PSU (again >50A) if you intend on OCing both CPU and GPU ;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,594 ✭✭✭Deano12345


    Hogzy wrote: »
    Would a 650W be sufficient?

    Easily, Id say even a 550W would be fine. As long as its a good quality unit you'll be fine


  • Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 18,377 Mod ✭✭✭✭Solitaire


    Deano12345 wrote: »
    Easily, Id say even a 550W would be fine. As long as its a good quality unit you'll be fine

    It would be pushed pretty hard - most "good" 550W PSUs have less than 500W of 12V power and that rig will consume over 250W of 12V running flat-out... at stock :o With a moderate CPU+GPU OC its more like 300W+.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,544 ✭✭✭Hogzy


    Just looking at PSU's. Elara charge 17-20 euro for P&P for an Antec TruePower 650W :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,544 ✭✭✭Hogzy


    @Solitaire:

    Is this a good PSU for my needs?
    Antec True Power 650W


  • Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 18,377 Mod ✭✭✭✭Solitaire


    So long as it doesn't cost crazy money, yes. Excellent units those :)


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