On Thu, 01 Feb 2007 10:27:26 -0500, kony <spam@spam.com> wrote:

>On Thu, 01 Feb 2007 13:36:35 GMT, Jethro
><Wilson@somewhere.org> wrote:
>
>>I am at my wit's end with these two machines. One is a Pentium 4 2.4G
>>on a ASUS P4B533-VM MOBO, the other an AMD Athlon 64 2.4G on a ASUS
>>K8V SE Deluxe MOBO. Both have 640G DDR. Both use the same mouse,
>>keyboard, and monitor through my KVM. Both are LAN'ed together via a
>>D-Link router. Both have 400W+ PSU's. Both have relatively new HDD's
>>as C (boot) drive.
>
>What make model current on these PSU?
>
>
>
>>
>>I have had this problem before, and often I go several months before
>>it happens again, like now. In fact, it happens so often, that I have
>>to leave both towers open so as to make it easier for me to deal with
>>the problem.
>>
>>I find that more often than not, when I boot-up either machine, it
>>either will not boot up at all or will boot up with a missing drive or
>>drives.
>
>What happens, were does it stop when it will not boot up at
>all? Do these boards POST particularly fast, fast enough
>that the HDDs might not have enough time to get up to speed?
>
>
>
>>Both machines are running with two HDDs and one DVD. If it
>>boots up and the missing drive is not the C boot drive, like say the
>>DVD drive, then I may not notice the missing drive right away, if at
>>all.
>
>Check PSU voltages. Recheck bios settings. Check on bios
>updates, though it is odd that it is happening to both
>systems? Exactly the same situation on both? Exactly same
>PSU on both?

The PSUs are different brands.

>
>
>
>>
>>I have changed both IDE cabling to new ones, and it is still
>>happening. I have changed drive power connectors from the PSU's, by
>>adding Y-extenders.
>>
>>Generally, I can jiggle (or re-seat) just the power connectors for the
>>problem drive(s), and the next re-boot will be correct, and stay that
>>way for a day or two.
>
>... then haven't you found the problem?
>Use a strong light to inspect the contacts on the drives and
>power connectors. Use a fine tool to try to slightly bend
>the power plug pins (on the PSU) slightly tighter. If it is
>difficult to plug these plugs into (or remove from) the
>drives, it is possible to crack a circuit board on them if
>there was enough stress, or the board wasn't fastended to
>the frame close enough to the power socket. Inspect the
>circuit boards too as much as possible if it seems possible.
>
>
>
>>
>>I have not noticed loss of a drive or drives while running, but once
>>in a great while a machine will crash with a black screen or lose its
>>mouse/keyboard, so I guess it could be happening, so I can't be sure
>>
>>I sure would like to try another course of action.
>>
>>Since this happening on both of my side-by-side machines, I am
>>baffled.
>
>
>Is there anything else common to them perhaps running from
>same UPS? I doubt that is the problem but I agree it is
>odd, unless these are both using same PSU with some
>particular problem (perhaps poor quality molex-clone plugs
>based on what you'd written).

They are both plugged into the same surge protector - thence the same
wall socket. Might should by-pass the surge protector? I have a
whole-house protector outside anyway. You see, I was hit with a
destructive surge twice (a year apart) about four years ago - before
these machines.

Say - Do you think that leaving my cases open might hurt cooling by
the fans? After all, there is not much circulation going on. I have
measured temps though and they seem acceptable.

Jethro