PC Random Restarts

MCleveland have you even tired the volts on the PSU?? if not then try these

PSU - Jump Start
then
https://www.sevenforums.com/vip/257690-psu-how-test.html#post2130086

Take particular note of the volts at the grey or gray pin see this Voltage Rails - Power Supply 101: A Reference Of Specifications scroll down to the Power good text and have a read .

Just a WARNING mate don't try to get inside the PSU I know I am probably telling my grandmother how to suck eggs but I feel the need to say it.

madcratebuilder said:

The $20 PSU testers and the good old paper clip method work and well tell you some basic info but you need a way to load the PSU to have a meaningful test. The testers may indicate correct voltage or the paper clip may start the PSU and all the fans run etc, but you still have no idea what you have under load.

Absolutely madcrater I should have said in my reply as I usually do that correct volts does not mean correct current or the ability to deliver the correct current.
I usually quote re the car with correct volts but the battery does not have enough charge to swing the engine and provide enough current to the ignition at the same time - as a very simple example.

I was just intrigued as to why that grey Power _Good pin (pin 8 if my memory serves me right) was showing such a low reading. I did some reading last night in Scott Muellers Upgrading and Repairing book and as per that link I put in and am just interested in what is showing at that pin because it is this signal that either allows the system to start or keep resetting by analysing the power status of the supply. Now I have seen that in the lower quality PSU's this Power_Good circuitry is not up to standard as opposed to a higher quality of PSU.

Now the fact that the machine is running doesn't mean it has a terribly good quality PSU in it and it maybe why MCleveland got that surge error message, and the random restarts he mentions in post #1.
If the Power_Good is functioning as it should then it will explain those random restarts in the event that the power supply is "seen" to be faulty and not producing the supply that is required and reset the machine as many times as the power supply goes low, high via surges or brown outs or whatever.
But I stand to be corrected.

I doubt it's the board it's the power supply it's probably malfunctioning

When mine went out AX850 my Pc would shut down out of no where

I could turn it on and run test ect but after so long the PSU got hot and shut down

You need to either return RMA that PSU or get a new Model

Also the way I tested my PSU was to check if the fan was spinning and if it was extremely hot on the outside that was my main indication it was bad the fan didn't spin under heavy load

Just a reminder.

Stock Intel cpu cooler leave a lot to be desired. In my opinion ever when not over clocking the stock Intel cpu cooler is not good enough.

Hmm missed that one Bear a run of Speccy would show up the rough idea of what was going on there.
Speccy - Download

Solar thats why I am wondering re that Power_Good lead the PSU is only as good as it's circuitry and if it is not up to functioning correctly as per that linked article then it would explain the random shuts downs as would the CPU getting too hot too of course.
Lets face it even though a good brand just one bad cap out and the thing is going to malfunction. I think we tend to think only of the thing as whole and forget that perhaps the dedicated components can also be badly made or from inferior materials etc etc

MCleveland mate I don't quite understand the reply re the VIP link is it because you think you cannot read it or that you are unsure of how to test the leads?? It is perfectly safe to follow as long as you remember the safety warnings re the unit (PSU) itself

However if you do not want to go down that path - what I think you should at least try is the volts at the #8 pin and ground as this should be at 2.4 - 6V nominally as per that other link. If this is going low (less than 2.4v) then the machine will reset because the PSU has a self test for the correct volts for example and if they are not right (this shows as pin 8 goes low) then it will automatically reset - ie. restart the machine.

I am now guessing maybe there are some faulty components in the PSU you have got which under a load break down because of say heat or a dry joint (a soldered joint which has become unsoldered and relies on pressure to make contact and heat expands the joint therefore breaking the contact) - without looking at it it is hard to say.

ICit2lol said:

MCleveland mate I don't quite understand the reply re the VIP link is it because you think you cannot read it or that you are unsure of how to test the leads?? It is perfectly safe to follow as long as you remember the safety warnings re the unit (PSU) itself
.

John, until he moves to power user (I think) he can not view links in the VIP section.