Is my ASUS A8V Deluxe Dying? Or Something Else?

Cuzin B · 08-11-2006, 09:04 AM

Like many of you in here - I joined the AMD crowd in Nov of 2005. My Nuendo rig has been top notch across the board with the x2 4400+ and the A8V Deluxe mobo.

Last night here in Cowtown - we had a bit of nasty summer storm....few lightning bursts...lots o rain....and of course - here's me prepping for a voiceover session...DAW is warming up for a 7:00pm start...storm rolls in at 6:30ish....no biggie....no huge power blackouts or anything....but around 6:50....we get a very slight "dimming of the lights" for like 1/2 a second....happens all the time.

I wander into my room right at 7:00pm...DAW is powered up..I am logged on...ready to launch Wavelab and suddenly my mouse pointer freezes...and so does my keyboard....and then I realize I gotta reboot...nothing is working.

Well...so now I go into a slight bit of worry mode. Rebooted. Freeze on Windows XP loader screen. Reboot...get no loader screen....Power down...take side of on Antec case....check fans...CPU cooler...all relatively cool to the touch....dust out case....poke around...remove CMOS battery....reboot....reset a few BIOS defualts...get into Windows....actually launch Wavelab...freeze. Reboot into Safe Mode....get into Windows...actually open a few menu items...check Event viewer...nothing there...freeze. Reboot....get BIOS boot loader info flashing past...freeze. Reboot...get BIOS boot loader....machine shuts right off. Gotta be hardware...

But where/what? Fire up TrueImage and make complete backup of C drive. Machine stays tight and constant under Trueimage. Hangs tough for the 32 minutes required to make the image. Swap current IDE C drive out...unplug all other drives (Now I am thinking Power Supply). Put old Maxtor in...restore C drive image to Maxtor asonly drive plugged in. Boot to Windows XP loader...freeze. Hmmm....could be memory, PSU or the board itself. Missed the session....told the client...not happy. Had final beer...went to bed..now it's 11:00pm Calgary time.

I think on this all night...take the day off...ready to bing in new hardware from some suppliers if necessary. Had the good fortune of winning a brand new A8V Deluxe from Ebay a few weeks back...it sits waitin in the corner....As I write this (6:45AM now) - MemTest86+ has been rolling for a solid 40 minutes. No errors...no issues...no freezes...no "power" issues...but I am out in DOS running the test. Probably okay on the memory....so the mobo and PSU remain suspect.

What else should I be looking at? Temps on the mobo and CPU are fine within BIOS Hardware monitor. COuld my CMOS battery be dying? I had one single blue screen during all those reboots last night with no mention of an actual filename....just a STOP command with a bunch of codes that couldn't be understood....

Any help would be appreciated.

Cuzin B

*Bofinn* · 08-11-2006, 09:15 AM

I'd try another power supply.

CardinalChris · 09-01-2006, 12:11 AM

Did you find a resolution? I am having the same problems with my 3800. I thought it was a virus, wiped the drive and now it is hanging up DURING the verification of the wipe. I have an Antec True power 480 and felt it was sufficient, but is there a way to test the PS? It could be either the PS or the Mobo, but how can you tell which one?

Cuzin B · 09-01-2006, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CardinalChris

Did you find a resolution? I am having the same problems with my 3800. I thought it was a virus, wiped the drive and now it is hanging up DURING the verification of the wipe. I have an Antec True power 480 and felt it was sufficient, but is there a way to test the PS? It could be either the PS or the Mobo, but how can you tell which one?

It was the PSU alright. Ditched the Smartpower and popped in one of the new Trio 550's....the box snapped right into line.

Cuzin B

CardinalChris · 09-02-2006, 01:42 PM

I am going to purchase a ps tester to see if that is what is going on. I have a hunch it is, but I bought a decnt one and it is only 2 years old (Antec True Blue 480).

Deep down inside I am thinking I can use this as an excuse to build a new rig to my wife :-) I think I would like to upgrade to a Power Colling and PC PS anyway. Thanks for the update!!

08-11-2006, 09:04 AM	#1
Cuzin B Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 58	Is my ASUS A8V Deluxe Dying? Or Something Else? Like many of you in here - I joined the AMD crowd in Nov of 2005. My Nuendo rig has been top notch across the board with the x2 4400+ and the A8V Deluxe mobo. Last night here in Cowtown - we had a bit of nasty summer storm....few lightning bursts...lots o rain....and of course - here's me prepping for a voiceover session...DAW is warming up for a 7:00pm start...storm rolls in at 6:30ish....no biggie....no huge power blackouts or anything....but around 6:50....we get a very slight "dimming of the lights" for like 1/2 a second....happens all the time. I wander into my room right at 7:00pm...DAW is powered up..I am logged on...ready to launch Wavelab and suddenly my mouse pointer freezes...and so does my keyboard....and then I realize I gotta reboot...nothing is working. Well...so now I go into a slight bit of worry mode. Rebooted. Freeze on Windows XP loader screen. Reboot...get no loader screen....Power down...take side of on Antec case....check fans...CPU cooler...all relatively cool to the touch....dust out case....poke around...remove CMOS battery....reboot....reset a few BIOS defualts...get into Windows....actually launch Wavelab...freeze. Reboot into Safe Mode....get into Windows...actually open a few menu items...check Event viewer...nothing there...freeze. Reboot....get BIOS boot loader info flashing past...freeze. Reboot...get BIOS boot loader....machine shuts right off. Gotta be hardware... But where/what? Fire up TrueImage and make complete backup of C drive. Machine stays tight and constant under Trueimage. Hangs tough for the 32 minutes required to make the image. Swap current IDE C drive out...unplug all other drives (Now I am thinking Power Supply). Put old Maxtor in...restore C drive image to Maxtor asonly drive plugged in. Boot to Windows XP loader...freeze. Hmmm....could be memory, PSU or the board itself. Missed the session....told the client...not happy. Had final beer...went to bed..now it's 11:00pm Calgary time. I think on this all night...take the day off...ready to bing in new hardware from some suppliers if necessary. Had the good fortune of winning a brand new A8V Deluxe from Ebay a few weeks back...it sits waitin in the corner....As I write this (6:45AM now) - MemTest86+ has been rolling for a solid 40 minutes. No errors...no issues...no freezes...no "power" issues...but I am out in DOS running the test. Probably okay on the memory....so the mobo and PSU remain suspect. What else should I be looking at? Temps on the mobo and CPU are fine within BIOS Hardware monitor. COuld my CMOS battery be dying? I had one single blue screen during all those reboots last night with no mention of an actual filename....just a STOP command with a bunch of codes that couldn't be understood.... Any help would be appreciated. Cuzin B
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08-11-2006, 09:15 AM	#2
Bofinn I'm gettin' dizzy! Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Chicagoland Posts: 11,035	I'd try another power supply. __________________ ---------- JimBo ----------- When in doubt, smack it!
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09-01-2006, 12:11 AM	#3
CardinalChris Registered User Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 120	Did you find a resolution? I am having the same problems with my 3800. I thought it was a virus, wiped the drive and now it is hanging up DURING the verification of the wipe. I have an Antec True power 480 and felt it was sufficient, but is there a way to test the PS? It could be either the PS or the Mobo, but how can you tell which one?
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09-02-2006, 01:42 PM	#5
CardinalChris Registered User Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 120	I am going to purchase a ps tester to see if that is what is going on. I have a hunch it is, but I bought a decnt one and it is only 2 years old (Antec True Blue 480). Deep down inside I am thinking I can use this as an excuse to build a new rig to my wife :-) I think I would like to upgrade to a Power Colling and PC PS anyway. Thanks for the update!!
(Offline)

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