OS: Windows XP Home Edition
Service Pack: 3
Video Card: PNY GeForce 8800 GT 512 MB
PSU: Antec Basiq Power 500 watt
Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Quad-Core Processor, 2.40 GHz
1 DVD Drive

I built this PC months ago--Sept/Oct somewhere around there--and it functioned perfectly til recently. A few days ago I decided to install Neverwinter Nights 2, having not played it much. I knew that the game tended to push hardware ,but I figured it was fixed by now by patches. With the issues my computer had a few days after playing it occasionally, wish I hadn't.

I fired up NWN and left the room for what must've been two minutes to get a drink. I come back to my computer hard locked, the screen's power light turned amber, and the fans running. Figuring it was a random crash at the ever-buggy NWN, I held in the power and reset the system. The system POSTed, booted to the login screen. I clicked on my username and entered my password. Instant hard lock.

Started by rebooting a few times. Froze at login. Once or twice the computer made it to the desktop and lingered for two or three minutes before the same thing happened the moment the computer seemed to "get started" and load things: black screen, fans running, as if the supply couldn't power the card for display. I started to think that it was the power supply crapping out, only able to push itself because of the frequency of the restarts.

Decided to try to boot to the recovery console and run chkdsk. Nothing wrong. I entered fixboot and fixmbr, rebooted the computer, thinking maybe the hard drive was going weird. The system then refused to fully boot, and then stopped right after the green loading bar with the Windows XP splash over it. Any attempts to boot into Safe Mode or Last Good Settings ended with the PC freezing and a continuous beep, and the PC freezes seconds after BIOs is accessed, so it's difficult to change settings.

Reseated the graphics card. Reseated the RAM. Reaffirmed the connections from the PSU. Cleared the CMOS. The inside of the PSU has a weird smell, sort of burned but I can't explain it, that worsens when air is moving inside the unit. (Tried vacuuming the dust out and the smell was pretty horrible) This has lessened since it's been sitting and not powered up. In case the PSU is, in fact, the problem, I inquired about an RMA and it's been accepted.

After all this happened, I decided to hook my HD up into another computer and drag my data off before the hard drive had a chance to crash completely and take tons of files with it. There's no issues accessing the drive or moving the files, and it continues to run.

Anyway, after all of this, I'm stumped and frustrated. My first thought is a mix of a failing power supply, blown video card, and maybe some errors in XP's system files from tampering. Or is it software-related and my OS is causing these issues? I do have Daemon Tools installed to run backups of very old CDs, could SPTD.sys be causing the lockup, combined with NWN2's SecuRom? it asks during Safe Mode's boot to disable the file. Any sort of feedback or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hi there

I am no hardware wizard, but stripping away all the symptoms, one strikes me, the awful smell.

That usually only occurs when either the PSU is burning out or a capacitor is leaking.

A third option could be actual burning hazard from the PSU. From dust inside of it, exposed
wires, etc.

In any of the above circumstances, it is not something that can be fixed here. It would be better
to have a on-scene technician look at it, that means in a PC repair shop.

And welcome to WTT btw. altho one could wish for happier circumstances.

Regards

This post has been edited by Abydos: Jul 10 2009, 02:52 AM

Hi Evalli.. You can eliminate software as being the primary cause of freeze ups because your system freezes up in the BIOS too.

You've done everything I would've suggested you to do to try and troubleshoot the problem. I'm confident you are on the right track replacing the power supply under RMA. You aren't out anything doing that.

However, you might also make sure your CPU is being cooled properly and that the heatsink/cooling fan mount hasn't broken or something causing it to not touch the CPU properly.

Beyond that you could have a bad video card or motherboard.

As Abydos says, if the power supply really stinks then it has probably overheated at some point and the insulation on the coils inside the case has started to melt which will cause more shorts and more heat and... well you get the picture. Its a good place to start. I've had a 350W power supply power a computer for months while the original 450W, 480W, and 500W (they replaced it twice under RMA) all burned up. Sometimes companies are just producing junk.

Good luck.

This post has been edited by appleoddity: Jul 10 2009, 09:52 AM

Thanks for your replies.

I considered the CPU as well and removed the heat sink. There's very little thermal compound left, and it's mostly dry. Could that have been causing the issues? the computer was making high-pitched alarm sounds, at one point, though it turned to a single, continuous beep.

At the moment I've got the PSU completely removed from the PC (don't trust the thing ) and the heat sink is removed from the processor. I cleaned out the fan and grills but haven't tried to boot it since, as I'm afraid the PSU will overload the whole thing and fireworks will shoot off.

Is there any way to tell if it's the motherboard, versus anything else? I bought the board through Circuit City and, of course, they're online-only now, ha. It may make exchanging or returning or contacting a bit difficult, though I did have to buy it through their site, as the store didn't have the model. It seems that the problem is the power supply, with the failure being so random, with no warning beeps or screens or anything.

if it should be the motherboard, the smell have to come from leaking capacitors. They will leak a brownish / yellow liquid, almost like rust.

Evalli, make sure you read here: http://forums.whatthetech.com/Thermal_Inte...ial_t95526.html

The old thermal compound must be removed and replaced with new thermal compound now that you have removed the heatsink from the CPU.

Thanks, I really appreciate your replies.

I've inspected the motherboard closely and nothing appears to be blown, charred, or leaking anywhere. I moved the computer to make sure that any lingering smell wasn't from the case. I've since tested the RAM and it powers up another computer without any problems. I'm unable to test the video card, though, as the power supply on this PC doesn't have any additional connectors.

Also, I'll be sure to remember to reapply the thermal compound with additional care, in case it's a contributing factor. I'll try and stay posted with updates, going to RMA this power supply or purchase a new one, as a spare isn't available. I'm now thoroughly convinced it is the problem.

Sorry for that delay in info, been busy the past week. Murphy's Law is in full-effect, though.

I ordered a new power supply Monday, and received it earlier today. I reapplied the thermal compound to the processor, put the heat-sink back on, etc. After checking that everything was plugged in and ready, I turned on the PC and left out my video card to see if that was an additional problem.

The first time, it booted to Windows, and then the repair install I'd left it at. It asked for the CD, so I put the CD in the drive, and everything appeared to be going smoothly. After a few moments I got a BSOD that I couldn't see, as the screen garbled itself in white letters and symbols, then the screen went black. I rebooted several times, but each time it refused to boot beyond the EVGA or POST screen. It looks like the PSU may have taken the mainboard with it.

At this point, is it the motherboard? EVGA requires a receipt for an RMA but, as I bought it through the store and they entered information to have it delivered to me, I have none to supply.

Thanks