Is My 14yr Old Antec TruePower Quattro 850 Finally Giving Up?

TehBluebear

TehBluebear

TehBluebear

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Hi all,

I've been having a few issues lately, with the PC being sluggish to start (multiple resets before reaching boot), but now power seems to be tripping while actually using the computer as well.

I noticed the start-up behaviour start to happen after bumping up the juice on my venerable i5-3570k, but paid it no mind at the time. Now that it's started to power cut while in use however, I reverted all settings back to defaults but the issue is still occuring.

The cuts seem to be random; it's cut out while on the desktop with nothing running, while browsing the internet etc. Will test further but I'm not sure load is an issue.

There's also no appreciable noise out of the ordinary; the PSU sounds the same as it ever did back when I first got it for a Q6600 based build(!)

Before I start chucking parts at the PC (as I can't afford to do a full refresh at the moment), is there a way to conclude if it is definitively the PSU at fault, or if it's something like the motherboard or even CPU?

Thanks.
 
TehBluebear said:
Hi all,

I've been having a few issues lately, with the PC being sluggish to start (multiple resets before reaching boot), but now power seems to be tripping while actually using the computer as well.

I noticed the start-up behaviour start to happen after bumping up the juice on my venerable i5-3570k, but paid it no mind at the time. Now that it's started to power cut while in use however, I reverted all settings back to defaults but the issue is still occuring.

The cuts seem to be random; it's cut out while on the desktop with nothing running, while browsing the internet etc. Will test further but I'm not sure load is an issue.

There's also no appreciable noise out of the ordinary; the PSU sounds the same as it ever did back when I first got it for a Q6600 based build(!)

Before I start chucking parts at the PC (as I can't afford to do a full refresh at the moment), is there a way to conclude if it is definitively the PSU at fault, or if it's something like the motherboard or even CPU?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
only by swapping it out for a psu you know is fine to check? I would be tempted to carefully get rid of any dust build up internally and spark her up again, you never know. 14 years is good going. Love Antecs :)
 
By sluggish to start, do you mean slow to load Windows, or that it literally doesn't start? Like, black screens, hanging at bios screen?

Since it happened just after you messed with the BIOS, I'd consider doing a full reset, because you may have missed something when putting the settings back.

Do you have any monitoring software that can log the 12v/5v, etc values, so that when it resets you can check them? Not particularly informative in most cases because the software readings are... eh, but can be worth a try.

Done any smart tests/diagnostics on the boot drive?

You could try forcing the CPU to run at stock clocks, rather than downclock when idle, as some older PSUs have issues with modern CPUs low power states. That usually applies more to 4th gen onwards than 3rd gen.

You're sure you put the memory settings back (voltage and timings) correctly too?
 
Tetras said:
By sluggish to start, do you mean slow to load Windows, or that it literally doesn't start? Like, black screens, hanging at bios screen?

Since it happened just after you messed with the BIOS, I'd consider doing a full reset, because you may have missed something when putting the settings back.

Do you have any monitoring software that can log the 12v/5v, etc values, so that when it resets you can check them? Not particularly informative in most cases because the software readings are... eh, but can be worth a try.

Done any smart tests/diagnostics on the boot drive?

You could try forcing the CPU to run at stock clocks, rather than downclock when idle, as some older PSUs have issues with modern CPUs low power states. That usually applies more to 4th gen onwards than 3rd gen.

You're sure you put the memory settings back (voltage and timings) correctly too?
Click to expand...

As in it will power on and then power off a few times before getting to boot.

I've already used the option in the advanced settings to return to default, but I'll look to see if there's anything that I've missed.

I have HWmonitor but not sure if that has any longterm logging capabilities.

Boot SSD is reading Good (94%) on CrystalDiskInfo, nothing concerning on that.
 
Tetras said:
With older Intel systems that usually relates to memory, in my experience, but can also be a dead battery. Though, I can't imagine the PC would cut out due to the battery.
Click to expand...
I’m with Tetras. Battery can be the issues, as the ram.

I’d get a can of air and getting rid of all the dust, plus some fresh thermal paste and see if that helps. Not saying it’s the reason but you could see a popped cap on the motherboard or psu with the dust gone.
 
I did a memtest and first pass was fine with no errors. Then the PC crashed when starting the second pass and had a spate of a few crashes on startup, and now I'm not getting any output to my monitor which is odd.
 
 
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Seems mobo manufacturers are far more concerned about who has the best lights and silly 'cool looking' heatsinks rather than basic diagnostics these days.
 
TehBluebear said:
Before I start chucking parts at the PC (as I can't afford to do a full refresh at the moment), is there a way to conclude if it is definitively the PSU at fault, or if it's something like the motherboard or even CPU?
Click to expand...
There's no sure way except by swapping parts.
(though new "BIOS" battery would be first shot in older PC)
But bad PSU failure is one of the surest ways to have need for lots of new PC parts.
So wouldn't recommend pushing such old PSU.

Whose efficiency was outdated already years ago putting more stress and wear on itself than modern PSUs.
Sure those huge heatsinks keep power semiconductors at safe temperatures...
But ambient temperature sensitive capacitors under them don't have airflow to speak off.
Especially secondary capacitors are basically blocked from any airflow in that layout with all that wire spaghetti.
https://www.anandtech.com/show/2383/10
https://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/antectpq1000w/2.htm



mattyfez said:
Seems mobo manufacturers are far more concerned about who has the best lights and silly 'cool looking' heatsinks rather than basic diagnostics these days.
Click to expand...
Correction:
They're using plastic marketing excrements to sabotage cooling of VRMs and also in case of chipset fan blocking that with more marketing BS excrements.
 
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