please help with hardware trouble

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ubamous3

1
Hi, (not sure if i should post here or in the win2k forum)

ihave a recent p4 2.6 mhz with 1 gig of ddr ram and an ati aiw 9600 pro card built for me; just in the last few days, i notice that it becomes dead and unresponsive

when i reboot, it says os not found; after tightening the ide cables, it works again but then after a while it shuts off (while i was not there);after changing the ide cable, it boots up and i found these errors in event viewer in a few occasions

error event 11 (source :disk) - the driver detected a controller error on \device\harddisk1\dr1
and
error event 15 (source:atapi) - device \device\ide\ideport0 is not ready for access yet.
These 2 go one after the other

then last night i happened to be there and i heard intermitten beeps while it was in windows (not during POST); the red light in front of the computer blinks a lot and it just freeezes and screen goes blank

my question is
1/ what device is \device\harddisk1\dr1? is that the second ide device?
2/ what does the beeping during windows n the red flashging light in front of the case mean? that's not the same as the beep codes i have seen people talk about (those r post related right)?
3/ i know i have a very cheap case (big mistake) and i have 5 big drives and 1 dvd burner
ide1 :2 HD's (each having 1 partition only)
ide2: dvd burner as master by itself
i have an ultra ata pci card that accommodates 3 more big drives

the case has 350 watt psu and really cheap as i found out when i learned to add hard drives to it; no 3.5 bays and the whole dont even alight right; i will buy a better case with at least 450 watt power but i have beens shopping around online and it's just so many choices and very hard to pick the right ones; should i spend 150-200 plus on a case and power supply together? if i decide to have 5 HD's on that system? that's the one i use to capture video from tv so it needs to be cooled; i have been puttinga fan next to it and leave the case open for ventilation; i know not ideal but at least it will keep it cool

thanks so much for your experienced input
 
S

scarecrow

1
The cheap case is not such a big issue, but the cheap PSU is, and almost certainly is the source of your trouble- it simply fails to deliver.
Can you checkout on the PSU case the maximum current values it can deliver? (they have to be there, printed on a big sticker). Plz report all of them, on the +12/+5/+3.3 current channels.
Spending money on a bulky PSU (eg Enermax, or if you are in EU Silentmaxx, or Lian Li in Eastern Asia) is probably the best investment you can do regarding your computer.
 
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Duracell

Duracell

1
this it what i have and would recommend it to everyone:
case: Chieftec Dragon DA-01BD (CS-901)
PSU: TSP 450 P5 Ultra Silent - 450 Watt - Triple Fan

Greetings from
Duracell
 
U

ubamous3

1
hi guys,

u dont know how much i appreciate you guys's help;

here's the specs i see on the psu's label (not that it means a thing to me)

L&C switching power supply model:LC-B350ATX
input: 115/230V~, 8/4A

output: 350W
+ 3.3V 28A
+5V 35A
+12V 16A
+5VSB 2A
-5V 0.3A
-12V 0.8A
PS-ON
P.G
(it also has the color for each of the item below output but u prob. dont need that info right?)

i do believe it's the PSU, plus the fact that the case doesnt have any 3.5" bay slot, so the HD's are only screwed to the chassis on 1 side (and not even so tightly b/c the holes dont align iwth the drive cage); i learned about buying cheap stuff the hardway; i got it at 10 dollars (after rebate) and i'm paying for it now

i'm going to the store to buy a new case and psu but since i'm learning as problems arise, i get very unsure of what the best thing to buy,etc....; is it difficult to migrate the system to another case and psu? what other tools do i need? i only have a phillips screwdriver and a bunch of variious size screws; any grease, or whatever else?

edit: i'm aiming to get at least 500 W psu whether it comes with the case or not; what price should i be expecting? 100 dollars or much more?
 
S

scarecrow

1
1. Your current specs are very good- almost superficial for a 350W cheapo.
2. You can get for very little money two metal "rails" which you can screw at the bottom part of the existing bays, and put some of your harddisks there. I will try to find some pictures of that "invention" which is actually used pretty frequently.
3. Of course a gutsier PSU won't harm at all! For example that one seems being top banana, while not being too expensive for what it offers (eg my fanless Silentmaxx 420W PSU costs almost twice as much).
 
L

LTR12101B

1
The 3 major +V rails alone add up to 460w, so if each of those currents is actually possible on it's own, then there is a very heavy combined power (and perhaps more importantly, 3.3v/5v combined power) limit - that is where many apparently well specified cheap PSU's can fall down, and the maximum combined 3.3v/5v ratiung should be stated (not showing it, is the mark is a very cheap and nasty PSU, or an expensive one with fully independent 3.3 and 5v rails).

If worried about drive cooling, I'd be looking at a case with a surplus of 5" bays, so that you could fit the drives that need cooling into bay coolers.

A few cases do have a fan position on the drive bay assembly.


Drive rails seem to regularly go in and out of fashion - some cases use them, some don't, and those that do should have a supply of them in the bits bag, or taped to the inside.

Oops, not that kind of rail - sounds like meccano, the poor man's case-mod for fitting extra drives - never seen a case with no spare 3.5's - my crappy old case has 4x 5 1/4", plus 4x 3 1/2" (of which one is a floppy slot, one has an external plate, and two are internal only)


I've used cases WITH rails, a VERY civilised way of installing drives ... fit the rails to the drive, slide in (attach cables while out, halfway, or fully inserted), click-lock or use one securing screw.

I've used non-rail cases, where there are tabs to support the drive until you fasten it.

I've used cases where you have to support the drive with one hand, while fixing it with the other.
 
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ubamous3

1
hey thanks a lot u guys; it certainly is either the psu or the fact that the slave and master HD r being held to the case by one screw each; after i put the mounting rail on the slave (stil need one for the master) as well as removing 1 HD from the system, it's been working fine since then

to LTR12101B
a lot of what u said about voltage and electricity went way over my head lol but i understand the other stuff
that case that scarecrow shows looks very good; i got another suggested one from someone else and that looks good too and a little cheaper; can u guys comment on its quality? it's about 99 dollars at tigerdirect which i will try to buy locally to avoid shipping cost

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=113012&Sku=DRG-CPA-ULTRA

thanks again u guys! :)
 
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scarecrow

1
Something fishy is there! It just cannot be $ 99.99 for a 500W PSU (and a very good quality one...) PLUS an aluminium case!
Please doublecheck if the price is right, and if it is grab it...
 
L

LTR12101B

1
The listed PSU spec on the page certainly isn't a 500w

Voltage +3.3VDC +5VDC +12VDC -12VDC -5VDC +5VSB
Max. Current 15A 25A 10A 0.6A 0.6A 2.0A
Max. 160W (3.3v/5v total) - plus 120W from the 12v = 280w, plus the remainder = 300W

Either they printed THAT specification wrong on the page, or it's a 300W and not a 500W unit

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=608533&sku=U10-9500 BKL - the link points to the 500W, which is $79.99 on its own

The listed specification on the page matches the ULTRA 300W model, not the 500W
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=599463&CatId=1077

Check it, and if they ARE bundling a Chieftec case and a 500W PSU at that price, BITE THEIR HAND OFF!


PS. If it's the 300W, that is a MISERABLE specification for a 300W - at 10 amps the 12v is unusually weak (or perhaps, unusually HONEST!), given that modern systems use the 12v for the CPU (to feed the onboard regulators) as well as any fans and drive motors.
 
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ubamous3

1
ok, yesterday i bought this case from tiger direct; it's $99.99 less $30 discount for the 600W ultra psu; i hope it is truly 600W b/c otherwise, i see a lawsuit coming

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=864722&CatId=1521

i also bought 2 80mm case fans and 1 hard drive cooling fan ; but can someone please give me advice on how to get the HD (with fan) on to the 3.5-5.25 mounting rail? i can get the HD to align with the holes but if i use a HD fan, the holes wont align anywhere to screw it in (no pun intended :) )
 
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scarecrow

1
There are special enclosures which can be used to mount a harddisk to an empty 5.25" bay... the most expensive of them use an aluminium bottom plate (to dissipate heat) as well as cooling fan(s).
 
dx

dx

1
Next time use takaman's Power Supply Calculator link

It will give you a good idea how much power you'll need with your hardware purchases.

Mind you it's not perfect. It has a great deal of up to date hardware, but not all. You can guesstimate however, which will get you into the ballpark.

My current system consumes about 320 Watts of power at 90% CPU utilization. My 450W PSU gives me plenty of room to spare. :cool:
 
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ubamous3

1
tanks dx for the link; it's very useful for me

duracell; i wish i knew about that kind of cooling device before; i bought a few HD coolers before and 2 more from tiger direct n they r the kind that piggyback to the data side of the 3.5" HD; they prob. work fine in a 3.5 drive cage if there's ample space, but they dont seem to work with the 3.5-5.25 mounting rail b/c they dont align; let me see if i can find a link to show that picture

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=496568&CatId=495

btw, r u guys still skeptical about the psu that came with the case that i finally bought? please tell me that it's not a fake advertisement or i'll be so pissed at them
 
Duracell

Duracell

1
ubamous3 said:
i wish i knew about that kind of cooling device before;
Click to expand...
sorry, i thought you already knew the benefits of such a first class case;


but they dont seem to work with the 3.5-5.25 mounting rail b/c they dont align; let me see if i can find a link to show that picture
Click to expand...
i'm not sure, but me thinks they could align nevertheless;


about the PSU i don't have a real clue about; that's why i allways buy mates recommendations;
 
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