Re: CPU Core Voltage Too Low -> Crash? - Important Addition
From: Don Cohen (doncohen_at_'lens-cap'.alltel.net)
Date: 02/22/04
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Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2004 16:31:29 -0500
Bob,
> I agree the motherboard/cpu/memory smells like a skunk. The power supply
is
> pretty unlikely, but it's just four screws and unplug a few connectors to
try
> a different one. (That assumes you've bought it at a local store that will
> give you an exchange for the current one.)
I got it from Best Buy; their return policy is 15 days, but as you suggest
they might be willing to swap one. I'll keep this in mind as a possibility.
> When the core voltage dips, what is happening to the voltage on
> the +5V and +3.3 volt rails? If those are holding steady, it would pretty
well
> convince me the motherboard was the only reasonable possibility.
Actually I was watching both the +2.5V and the +3.3V readings. The +2.5V
read as 2.46V and didn't budge at all. The +3.3V read at 3.29V virtually
all the time, with a very rare and brief drop to 3.27V. I just checked
again and the +5V stayed at 5.02V and didn't budge.
I guess your thinking is that if it were some other component it would drop
voltage across the board, whereas if it's only one voltage reading that's
varying, that has to be originating in the motherboard itself.
I hadn't considered that, but it does make sense.
Let me ask one follow-up question:
Assume for the moment that this is in fact a motherboard defect (presumably
in voltage regulation) that is causing these crashes. Consider this:
Starting from when I first bought this system 2 years ago, I (and a number
of others) have experienced random and episodic 'blackout' episodes. Here,
the LCD (DVI connection) would go completely black, and within 2 or 3
seconds at the most, would come back on. Nothing else occurred. No error
messages, no applications were effected, nothing. These have recurred
sporadically - once a week, once a month, once every few months. Always the
same. Trouble-shooting by me and others on the web never identified a
clear-cut cause. I just lived with it, since it was a minor annoyance and
seemingly harmless.
When my first reboot/crash occurred last month, it started the same way -
the LCD went completely black, but instead of just coming back on as it
usually did, the system just rebooted. It's as if whatever was causing
those 'blackouts' now worsened, and caused a reboot.
What do you (or others) think of this theory? I know it's essentially
impossible to prove, but it seems might suspicious to me.
Thanks again. I'll be in touch with the local Gateway Service Manager
tomorrow.
Don
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