Ultima H²OC Trident Quad Core WaterCooled System - unstable, not working

mentat

mentat

mentat

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I bought this system end of 2008:

"Ultima H²OC Trident" 280 Intel Core 2 Quad Xeon X3350 2.66GHz @ 3.50GHz+ Quad Core WaterCooled DDR2 System.

It has:

Intel X3350 2.66 @ Overclocked to 3.5GHz || Asus Rampage Formula Intel X48 || Nvidia 280 GTX 1024MB || Corsair Dominator 8GB (4x2) || 2 x 1TB Samsung F1 || LG GGC-H20L Blu-Ray || Coolmaster RC-1000 Case || Corsair TX 750W || Windows 7 x64

It stopped functioning probably 1 year ago and I've ignored this all that time and been using my laptop instead but now I really want to get this system up and running rather than leave this expensive hardware doing nothing. Today I decided enough is enough I need to fix this big hunk of hardware.

I have tried all manner of trouble shooting to no avail. At present I hit the power button with only a monitor + keyboard/mouse attached I hear the machine startup, fans, harddrive, graphics card (with lights) etc, the machines stays on for maybe 1 minute (the time is inconsistent) and then shuts itself off. Sometimes it does this loading the bios, sometime it makes it to windows.

I have just tried it 4 times now in a row, first time it lasted about 2 mins, then 1 min, then 20 seconds, 5mins, then it shuts itself off. I am in London and it is cold, I don't think ambient heat is a factor.

It does this with hard drives in/out, memory in/out. I really don't know what to do and how to diagnose.

I think ages ago I may have updated the bios firmware but I can't remember, I don't really know much about the watercooling setup or overclocking settings etc.

I need a desktop computer up and running for software development at home, my laptop doesn't cut it, so it's either resurrect this one somehow or I have to buy a new one but given I sunk nearly £1500 into this at the time I'd prefer to get this one going.

I don't have anything in the way of spare parts really to swap out on the desktop, also Overclockers help told me it's outside the warranty and they cannot help.


Any help seriously appreciated!
 
What temperature readings are you getting in the BIOS? Have you performed regular maintenance on your watercooling loop? It sounds like you are getting thermal shutdowns. Chances are, the system needs draining and the coolant needs to be replaced.

If you are not comfortable with doing this, then I recommend you slap the stock air cooling on, which should have come with your system and be done with your problems, although this does raise a question as to why you went the watercooled way in the first place. :\ Best of luck in any case.
 
Thanks guys.

I just bought the package as a unit with watercooling, I have no understanding of how it works or how to maintain.

datalol-jack if what you say is true and it sounds plausible. Could you point me at a link on how to drain, replace the fluid? what products I would need to buy?

I've looked in the box of parts that came with the computer there is a tiny fan that says use with passive cooler, I have no heat sink for the cpu it connects to the watercooler. What would be a good HeatSink/fan I should buy for this for air cooling?

Lastly how do I see the CPU temp in the bios? and also turn off the overclocking? I would be happy to have the system stable with no overclocking.

Thanks
 
Have tried a CMOS reset, by shorting 2 pins on the board the manual will show the position or remove the battery for 10 mins.
 
try removing the gfx card - i had pretty much the same problem recently with my brothers pc running an ati 5670 so i put one which i had lying around in there and it worked just as well as it did before
 
Clear the CMOS. Pretty sure that will sort it but you will lose your overclock for the time being.

I don't know anything about water-cooling but I think it needs more attention than to not touch it for 2 years. Your CPU could be overheating!
 
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Did the CMOS reset.

I am now in the BIOS watching the CPU temp, it started at 49 Celsius and is slowly creeping up now to 66 in about a minute. What temp should it be?
 
mentat said:
Did the CMOS reset.

I am now in the BIOS watching the CPU temp, it started at 49 Celsius and is slowly creeping up now to 66 in about a minute. What temp should it be?
Click to expand...

In the BIOS probably about 25-35. 66 is way too much. A decent Overclocked system wouldn't get much hotter than 66 running a stress test. You have found the problem then. I wouldn't switch it on again till you have the cooling sorted.
 
Ok I sat and watched the temp climb in the BIOS till it hit 90 C, which took about 4 minutes, the Temp overheat protection is 90 degrees so I guess that kicks in and turns the computer off. I definitely have a problem with cooling the CPU and potentially the whole Motherboard.

What are my best options here? fix the watercooling? I have no idea how? Change to air cooling, which heatsink/fan should I buy? do I need some cpu thermal paste or anything else?

Note the other temps are:

MB: 37
NB: 50
SB 47.5

note sure if these are problematic? but they seem to be creeping up also since the computer came on, about 2-3 degrees each with the case open.
Note the other temps are creeping up also now:

MB: 40
NB: 54
SB 50
 
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It's obvious the watercooling isn't working so either read up on your watercooling kit and see what needs to be done or buy a CPU cooler.
 
Sounds like the pump has packed up to me. What are the watercooling components as well as the liquid in it. Feser one was popular around that time and it's well known for breaking down and clogging up blocks etc.
 
The watercooler block in the drive bay blue light, lights up, but how to tell if the watercooler is working? should I see movement of the water in the tube, it just looks dead static to me. I can't really see a brand or anything to identify the model.

I found this thread: http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18118814&highlight=Ultima+H%B2OC+Trident the setup looks exactly the same as the photo half way down the page. My Unit on the left the water cables are connected to the top though and the water tubes go in a different order.

If I do decide to go back to air cooling will any Heatsink fit my cpu/motherboard?
 
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I think you have the water pump and resovoiur in one, this fits in the drive bay.

Can you see any water turbulence in the resovoiur, you may need to slide it out a little if the pipes allow, also you should be able to hear the pump humming slightly.
 
Wow I just slid out the drive bay and that seems to have activated this somehow, now the watercooling is working, I have the bios up and the CPU reads 7 degrees!

Maybe something is loose?

How best to manage this, check for problems and try fit it all back in working properly?
 
I plugged in the LCD display into the motherboard for monitoring CPU temp, it just shows "EN SETUP" how do I get this to display CPU temp? I can't find this in the manual, thanks
 
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