Need backupPost Date: 2012-03-08 |
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Smallville
Newbie Joined: 28 Feb 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5 |
Quote Reply
Topic: Need backup Posted: 08 Mar 2012 at 8:32am |
About a year ago, I purchased my first DS computer. During the past year, DS has replaced three graphics cards for me. I get reboots during games, black screen freezes, and errors and windows has encountered an error and has stopped working. These could happen five seconds into a game or an hour. After the third card DS decided that the computer should come into the shop. They played my games (D3 beta, WOW, DC Online, STWOR). They had the computer close to a week and found nothing wrong with it. They even swapped out the PSU and power cord to be sure. The computer came back to me, and after several weeks the black screen reboots started again. I called and tech support started running me through a series of tests. We did everything from, turning off overclocking; power cord plugged into the wall, unplugging the mouse, keyboard, monitor, printer (used different ones). We ran crash programs and I still had crashes. I said, I’m going to send it in again. My computer is on day seven and they have not been able to duplicate the problems (even in my games). I am posting on the boards to see if the community has some solutions. DS has been very good to me! I have been working with Robert and he has been going way above the call of duty to help me. DS customer support is the best I have ever seen, in a computer company. I am just frustrated. My son said there is a ghost in there…I wish it was. Help, Smallville My specs. From memory i5 2500k @ 2.00 GHz NVIDIA 570HD 1.5 8GB DDR3 2000MHZ RAM ASUS P8P86 Motherboard PSU 750 (DS one) |
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bprat22
DS ELITE DigitalStorm East -- (Unofficially!) Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 20391 |
Quote Reply Posted: 08 Mar 2012 at 9:02am |
Hi Smallville Sorry to hear of all the headaches.
Do you live in an apartment or house, etc. My thoughts are, the only thing different is the electtrical to your rig. Get a outlet checker from Home Depot, etc and check for good ground and outlet wired correctly. Try an entirely different outlet off of a different circuit. Even monitor the electrical 120v with a multi-meter to see id it drops under load. Try a new surge protector, one borrowed or buy and return. The psu should filter it, but ya never know. Any high electrical noise nearby, like heavy transformer, unfiltered equipment, etc. Long shots for sure, but sometimes ya get lucky.
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FrankW
DS Veteran Joined: 22 Feb 2010 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2254 |
Quote Reply Posted: 08 Mar 2012 at 9:08am |
Hi Smallville,
I am really sorry that you are having so much problem. I commend you on your attitude and composure. Now as to your memory of your system, I think it works about as good as your computer. You are lucky to be working with Robert. Lets look at this from another angle. Have you considered that it might be environmental or power related? Here are some thoughts. Of course I am just shooting in the dark. 1. How hot is it in the room with the computer. Do you monitor the temps of your CPU and GPU to see if that is relevant to the failure. 2. Have you checked the AC power in the computer room and the house. I would check the voltage. Check the freq and look for drop outs or lowering of the voltage. What else is going on in the house when the failure happens. TV on, microwave running, drying running. Just look for any extra load happening when you have a failure. I have to leave and will be back. Frank Edited by FrankW - 08 Mar 2012 at 9:09am |
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Smallville
Newbie Joined: 28 Feb 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5 |
Quote Reply Posted: 08 Mar 2012 at 9:25am |
Thanks for the quick responses!
I live in a house that is brand new (3 years old). I thought it may be the AC...but its not.
I never thought about the memory...
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Kael
Newbie Joined: 14 Feb 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 53 |
Quote Reply Posted: 08 Mar 2012 at 9:45am |
What other items do you have plugged into outlets in your room? It sounds like what bprat22 was saying, try a different circuit.
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Smallville
Newbie Joined: 28 Feb 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5 |
Quote Reply Posted: 08 Mar 2012 at 9:55am |
I did try a different outlet (actually Robert suggested this). I tried outlets in separate rooms and on different floors. I still had the restart.
Maybe memory
Maybe temperatures? I did check the temps. 67 plus was the highest.
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bprat22
DS ELITE DigitalStorm East -- (Unofficially!) Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 20391 |
Quote Reply Posted: 08 Mar 2012 at 10:27am |
Another thought.....When you sent it in, did you sent them, and are they using the same ac chord that came with your pc. If not, then try another chord from an old pc, etc.
67 degrree centigrade under stress is a great temp for cpu cores and gpu.
Edited by bprat22 - 08 Mar 2012 at 10:29am |
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kenage
Newbie Joined: 03 Mar 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 59 |
Quote Reply Posted: 08 Mar 2012 at 10:42am |
You may want to consider getting a different surge protector, as mentioned, or even a UPS. You want something that's gonna do some voltage regulation going into the computer, as it sounds like it's dipping just below what the PSU needs to keep the switch telling the motherboard to power on open.
Temperature would be the only real other factor at play that DS wouldn't be able to duplicate. If the memory was bad, it would've shown up in their testing, as with the PSU itself. |
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— Kenage
MCTS, MCP, Security+, Network+ Never put off until tomorrow what you can avoid doing entirely. |
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Smallville
Newbie Joined: 28 Feb 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5 |
Quote Reply Posted: 08 Mar 2012 at 11:12am |
Thank you for the responses!
I did send the power cord with the computer.
I have been using the AC outlet in the wall. With eveything else plugged into the power bar. I could try a high end surge bar.
DS has a great community:)
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FrankW
DS Veteran Joined: 22 Feb 2010 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2254 |
Quote Reply Posted: 08 Mar 2012 at 1:34pm |
Smaliville,
I am back. If DS can't get it to fail I am very suspicious of your power. Just getting a high end surge bar won't help if your voltage is dropping. Do you live in a rule setting on in a congested city? Does this happens any time of day or night or is it always evening or the same time of day? What I would do is get a VOM and do some measurements on your AC. Your power company probable has a meter to test your power. It would be a recording meter that they leave in the house for a period of time. Talk to the power company and tell them something is going on. Make them prove to you that it is not their power. The power company could be having brown outs in your area. Not enough to put the power off but just so the voltage drops. Do you ever see lines in your TV? Once you know that the power is good into your home then it still can be a wiring problem with the house wiring. This usually happens between floors or room additions. I know you said you tried different floors. Lets hope that DS finds something. Frank |
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Smallville
Newbie Joined: 28 Feb 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5 |
Quote Reply Posted: 09 Mar 2012 at 7:31am |
Thanks for all the replies...the computer is coming back home. It passed all of their tests. The problem is on my end.
I do want to give a shout out to DS' tech. Robert. He has been great, helping me through this process.
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bprat22
DS ELITE DigitalStorm East -- (Unofficially!) Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 20391 |
Quote Reply Posted: 09 Mar 2012 at 8:07am |
When you get the rig back, you have to decide...What is more important, my brand new house or my DS rig??
The DS rig, right? Time to move Seriously, if the problem happens again, I guess I would take it a friends or family's house and try it, assuming it happens very regular. Good Luck. |
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chasblock
Newbie Joined: 15 Feb 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 74 |
Quote Reply Posted: 09 Mar 2012 at 8:44am |
Just a wild thought here.... some homes have whole house surge protectors installed in them. They are supposed to protect against spikes and brown outs. It should be installed somewhere between the meter and circuit breaker box. I don't even know what they look like. Maybe it's possible that could be causing a problem.
Maybe plugging in something like this: http://www.amazon.com/P3-International-P4460-Electricity-Monitor/dp/B000RGF29Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1331311266&sr=8-2 and then plug the PC into that. Could provide some electricity monitoring capability. Or get a hold of a licensed electrician and have him check out your system. Could be neutral and hot wires are crossed. Just thowing some suggestions out here... I have no idea what I'm talking about. |
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