My box hangs down: a defective PSU or a CPU overheat?

[Shevek]

I've been mining without problems with my home box for some weeks. The main elements were a 5570 ATI card, and a 350W PSU.

Recently, I've upgraded the system to a 5850 card (Gigabyte), and a 600W PSU. Well, I can't mine for long time because the box suddenly gets out of power. I've also tried mining undercloked but I only extend for some minutes the crash.

I can imagine two causes: either the PSU is defective, and really can't afford the work (some more clues about this: sometimes, starting the box, the power vanishes in 2~3 seconds after sudden start up of all fans and disks; I pluged off the DVD R+W device in order to guarantee start up).

And other possibility: the warm exhausted form the 5850-card does not allow CPU get properly cooled and the BIOS switches off the power.

Somebody who experienced any of both can give me a tip?

TIA

[1715315724]

1715315724

[1715315724]

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[n4l3hp]

Try running your rig without cover. If still shuts down on its own, its probably the power supply. What kind of power supply are you using? Some generic power supply cannot supply more than half of its capacity. A 5850 at standard clocks consumes about 150w at full load, if your cpu is rated above 100w and is also running full load, your power supply might not be able to handle the load.

I have a friend who did BOINC on his 4850 (110w) and his Athlon II x4 (95w) with a generic 500w PSU. He heard a popping sound before the unit powered down. He tried to turn the unit on again but the unit wont start anymore. After inspection, his motherboard also died along with the hard disk.

I have a 6870 (also 150w at standard clocks) and a 5670 powered by a 10 yr old 380w coolermaster. Mem of both cards are underclocked to 300 and been mining 24/7 since March (BOINC projects before that) without any problems. Planning to replace the PSU soon so I can overclock the cores of the cards.

[deslok]

If you have the psu model or a link to it it's quick to check if it's a potential problem, that and your CPU model.

[Shevek]

Try running your rig without cover. If still shuts down on its own, its probably the power supply.

Well, I actually keep the cover out. So, PSU is a clearer candidate. But I'd want to fully discard the possibility of CPU overheating: the 5850 is a closed card, and I don't really know where the exhausted heat goes.

If you have the psu model or a link to it it's quick to check if it's a potential problem, that and your CPU model.

PSU is Technimax 600W. The retailer offered to me this other one, Tooq, 700W.

CPU is (not at my box now) AMD Sempron, I think; 2 cores, AM2 socket. A 3~4 years old one.

Thanks for your help!

[deslok]

Well it doesn't look good no information on rail capacities that I can find and I'd guess it's using older atx specs providing most of that power as 3.3 and 5 volt. Don't buy a psu that doesn't list the rail capacities it's a setup for an unpleasant surprise

[Shevek]

Well it doesn't look good no information on rail capacities that I can find and I'd guess it's using older atx specs providing most of that power as 3.3 and 5 volt. Don't buy a psu that doesn't list the rail capacities it's a setup for an unpleasant surprise

Well... the Tooq PSU is 12V-v2.3 compliant. So, It should provide more than 20A per 12V rail. This is other Tooq-700W model, v2.2, guarantees 28A per 12V rail (2x), so up to 600W.

I dind't see at all specifications of my actual Technimax.

[deslok]

Well it doesn't look good no information on rail capacities that I can find and I'd guess it's using older atx specs providing most of that power as 3.3 and 5 volt. Don't buy a psu that doesn't list the rail capacities it's a setup for an unpleasant surprise

Well... the Tooq PSU is 12V-v2.3 compliant. So, It should provide more than 20A per 12V rail. This is other Tooq-700W model, v2.2, guarantees 28A per 12V rail (2x), so up to 600W.

I dind't see at all specifications of my actual Technimax.

You should try and find a single rail unit from a known brand you want about 25a on it with what you have 40 if you want to add a second card or upgrade the 5850 later on

[Shevek]

Well it doesn't look good no information on rail capacities that I can find and I'd guess it's using older atx specs providing most of that power as 3.3 and 5 volt. Don't buy a psu that doesn't list the rail capacities it's a setup for an unpleasant surprise

Definitively, that's the point. It yields more than 400W (out of 600) as 3.3 and 5 volt. No more worry about CPU overheating.

Now I have a new PSU, 700W (480W in 12V rails). I'll mount it quickly!

Thanks to all for the tips!

[Shevek]

Now I have a new PSU, 700W (480W in 12V rails). I'll mount it quickly!

It works like a charm! 

Thanks again 

[deslok]

Now I have a new PSU, 700W (480W in 12V rails). I'll mount it quickly!

It works like a charm! 

Thanks again 

Good to know, i avoid multi rail personally for distribution simplicity(last one i got i couldnt use half the rails) but for just one or two cards it's ok. people really need to pay attention to how a psu's wattage is distributed 300watts of 5v power does no good these days