PSU stopped giving power?!

titaniumx3 · 3 Jun 2006 at 03:09

I installed an new motheboard, graphics card and PSU (Hiper HPU-4M580 Type R 580W ATX2.2 non-modular version). I set it all up and it was working, I installed windows, but due to some incorrect installation of drivers I decided to reformat and reinstall windows again, everything was going fine.

Once I got to the part where you choose which partition to install winXP on, the computer suddenly shutdown! I tried starting it up again but nothing would happen. The funny thing is that the PSU fan is still running and the green light on the motherboard is switched on, but nothing else. I also notice everytime I try to turn the computer on, all the other fans just turn for like a milisecond and then stop. I tried resetting the CMOS but I get the same thing. I have no other compatible PSUs at hand to test the computer.

At the moment I'm thinking its the PSU at fault, but I'm worried the rest of my system damaged. Any ideas on how I should procede?

Insanity · 3 Jun 2006 at 03:11

I'd agree its the PSU, i had one that was DOA which did the exact same thing.

Its more than likely toasted a rail or 2 on the PSU, but hopefully nothing else in the system. The only way to know is to bang in another PSU.

Gibber · 3 Jun 2006 at 03:13

Oh dear,

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17583756

Looks like you've got exactly the same problem as me.

titaniumx3 · 3 Jun 2006 at 06:11

Oh man, this is just so damn annoying, it actually worked for a while and then bam! Its all dead. Hopefully its the PSU; at least I can return that.

If its found faulty by OCUK, do you think its possible to change the hiper for something else, rather than a replacement?

Energize · 3 Jun 2006 at 06:43

titaniumx3 said:
Oh man, this is just so damn annoying, it actually worked for a while and then bam! Its all dead. Hopefully its the PSU; at least I can return that.

If its found faulty by OCUK, do you think its possible to change the hiper for something else, rather than a replacement?

I think your entitled to a refund.

Gibber · 3 Jun 2006 at 08:52

titaniumx3 said:
Oh man, this is just so damn annoying, it actually worked for a while and then bam! Its all dead. Hopefully its the PSU; at least I can return that.

If its found faulty by OCUK, do you think its possible to change the hiper for something else, rather than a replacement?

It was the same for me too, it worked for a while and then just cut out again. I'm pretty damn annoyed because I can't play any games over the weekend as I intended to.

Like you, I've no intention of getting another Hiper again, this experience along with many other people who've had to endure the same problem has put me off them for life.

Think I might either get a Seasonic or Tagan as my next PSU.

titaniumx3 · 3 Jun 2006 at 09:04

I just spent almost 12hours, dismantling my original comp, building the new one, dismantling the new one and rebuilding the old; all because of some p.o.s. PSU!!!

This is last time I'm going to try and be a cheapskate with PSUs. :rolleyes:

MuSsEr · 3 Jun 2006 at 11:28

it may be that in your new build you have just shorted something out, this is a common cause of the on...off....on....off.....you get when hitting the power button, make sure everything is seated properly and nothing is loose and theres no metal on metal action going on in the back bedroom...lol

split · 3 Jun 2006 at 12:57

Gibber said:
It was the same for me too, it worked for a while and then just cut out again. I'm pretty damn annoyed because I can't play any games over the weekend as I intended to.

Like you, I've no intention of getting another Hiper again, this experience along with many other people who've had to endure the same problem has put me off them for life.

Think I might either get a Seasonic or Tagan as my next PSU.

Don't get the Seasonic.

See post.

heavy-rotation · 3 Jun 2006 at 14:30

split said:
Don't get the Seasonic.

See post.

Damn it! I've just replaced my faulty PSU with a Seasonic... and surprise surprise it doesn't work, that would explain why I guess... (got an A8N and an A8N32, same thing happens with both)

Gibber · 3 Jun 2006 at 16:36

split said:
Don't get the Seasonic.

See post.

Cheers for that mate!

Think I'm definatly going with the Tagan 580 now, it may be quite expensive but at the end of the day I want my computer components to last, it seems among a lot of the good choices out there, there are equally as many bad, so I'm stepping very carefully.

titaniumx3 · 3 Jun 2006 at 18:11

Things have seemed to take a wrong turn again. I built my old AGP system again (which works fine) and tried out the Hiper PSU to see how it responds and it seems to be able to boot up the system fine! Now I'm considering its the motherboard though it could still be the PSU since the AGP motherboard has a 20-pin power mother board connector whilst the PCI-E has 24-pins.

Any ideas what I should do next?

Gibber · 3 Jun 2006 at 18:34

Well I am running the same computer no problem at all using a spare PSU and nothing has gone wrong (yet) I would have no doubt that the Hiper would have cut out again.
If I were you, I'd get rid of the Hiper and get something a lot better, Tagan for example.

titaniumx3 · 3 Jun 2006 at 20:35

I tried booting up the computer again and now all the fans spin up, seems to be booting, but theres no monitor signal from the radeon x1900xt. There are 2 red LED lights on the x1900 that light up, one called "T_FAULT" and the other "EXT_PWR". The "EXT_PWR" lights up very briefly but then turns off, whilst the the "T_FAULT" stays lit continously.

Any ideas what this means?

titaniumx3 · 3 Jun 2006 at 23:21

Thanks for all the replies; but I would be glad if someone could help with a RMA dillemma I now have!

I've already been issued an RMA number for the PSU (haven't sent it yet) but since then I've done further testing and now I'm not sure if its only the PSU at fault or if its the motherboard or graphics card.

Is it possible to send back all three parts so that the faulty component can be replaced? Or do I have to deal with one component at a time?

split · 4 Jun 2006 at 01:09

Test the PSU.

See my post here on how to.

If you send it back and it's not faulty, you will be charged a testing fee on top of P&P.
I was told that when I sent a dead PSU back, but it was dead.

If it works (on test) but not on your machine due to the problem mentioned here there is something about a Distance Selling Regulation that might apply.
I have no idea how it works though.

ADDED:
What motherboard etc is this, cos the power failure thing with PSU's is not as you describe.
If your fans power on, then it's fair to say the PSU is working.
This prob with some seasonics on some boards is just system totally dead.

titaniumx3 · 4 Jun 2006 at 14:09

Well the motherboard is an ASUS A8N-E and the graphics card, a Sapphire X1900 XT.

The thing is it was working perfectly when I first put everything it together and booted it up. I managed to install windows and stuff but then it just suddenly powered off and ever since then I've been having all these problems.

Preferably I want send all three components back (motherboard, psu, graphics card) so the faulty components can be replaced because in all honesty I have no idea which is causing the problem. My gut feeling is that its the PSU, but I'm not sure.

split · 4 Jun 2006 at 14:33

So what is happening with it now?

I just found this in the graphics card forum.

He had the T_FAULT error, but it was caused by a broken graphics card.

He is also using a hiper Typer-R modular 580w psu, so it looks like they have the power.

Hmm I just read gibbers post..
Puts doubt on the PSU again. grrr

Whats that about a "still in 7 day cool off period"??

Gibber · 4 Jun 2006 at 18:17

The 7 day cooloff period is when you can send an item back within 7 days of receipt if the item purchased is not fit for purpose. In this case, the PSU isn't functioning correctly, so it can either be taken sent and refunded on the grounds that it's either faulty or 'not fit for purpose'.

I have been running prime95 now for 24 hours without a single problem on the spare PSU I've got running, so obviously there's a problem with the PSU, either that or an incompatibility problem with DFI motherboards. This is very doubtful though, as titaniumx3 is experiencing exactly the same problem with exactly the same PSU (non modular Hiper 580W) but on an Asus board.
I can only assume that the Hiper brand is unreliable as a whole or we weer very unlucky and received a dodgy batch.
Either way, from the posts I've now witnessed on these forums I'm not even going to risk getting another one in case it does the same but this time destroys some of my components. To avoid a major headache I think I'm going to spend £35 or so more and get a Tagan.

titaniumx3 · 4 Jun 2006 at 18:26

My gut feeling is that its the PSU, but its also likely that the motherboard is faulty, or that they both are! At the moment I'm waiting till tommorow to phone them up and see if they can take back all three items I bought so the faulty components can be replaced. It would have been easier to diagnose the problem if the Hiper died completely but as of now it still seems to power up and run certain parts of the computer.

I'm still trying to figure out what the two red LEDs are on the graphics card, there seems to be no documentation on this.

Luckily the rest of my hardware isn't damaged as i've put it back in my old system and its working fine. I really wanted to try out f.e.a.r. and GRAW this weekend, but instead I've been having to deal with all this nonsense. :mad: