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Thread ID: 110266 2010-06-10 00:47:00 PC locks up at random intervals Tony (4941) Press F1
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1108646 2010-06-11 03:04:00 Chances are that if its an older, generic PSU as it sounds, it won't have the necessary connections to power a new motherboard/CPU anyway.

Yes there are potentially still some live components in the PSU when disconnected, so just be cautious and grounded.
inphinity (7274)
1108647 2010-06-11 03:04:00 Normally PSUs have residual voltage and can still zap you. Leave the wall current plugged in shut down the PC and then use the switch on the PSU to turn power off. Remove power from the wall. Then try to start the PC. You will see the CPU fan start. It won't boot but where did the power come from.I thought that might be so, which is why I asked. So if I follow your procedure will that drain the power? Tony (4941)
1108648 2010-06-11 03:06:00 Chances are that if its an older, generic PSU as it sounds, it won't have the necessary connections to power a new motherboard/CPU anyway.

Yes there are potentially still some live components in the PSU when disconnected, so just be cautious and grounded.The case/PSU is only a couple of years old. It has SATA connectors, for instance, so it ought to be OK, I think.
Tony (4941)
1108649 2010-06-11 03:11:00 The case/PSU is only a couple of years old. It has SATA connectors, for instance, so it ought to be OK, I think.

Well can we assume that when you haven't posted for a while you have got yourself zapped?

Personally I wouldn't open a PSU. Probably beyond my level of expertise and I'd rather not take the chance.
Sweep (90)
1108650 2010-06-11 03:17:00 Well can we assume that when you haven't posted for a while you have got yourself zapped?Or when you read reports of a burnt corpse being found in the Waitakere Ranges . . .


Personally I wouldn't open a PSU . Probably beyond my level of expertise and I'd rather not take the chance . I feel a bit like that myself . I'm planning to take all the precautions and then just peer inside once I have removed the cover . I certainly won't be poking around .
Tony (4941)
1108651 2010-06-11 03:49:00 The only thing to really watch out for are the primary capacitor(s)

These store around 300 volts DC while the PSU is operational, however once it is switched off they normally discharge as most PSUs have discharge circuitry built in. By the time you had taken the PSU out of the case and opened it up you the power would have dissipated.

Doing what Sweep said will ensure that the power is drained 99.9% of the time. (In fact it's a good idea to do this anyway when swapping parts in the PC)
Agent_24 (57)
1108652 2010-06-11 04:45:00 Well, I'm back, unzapped and with my eyebrows intact. As far as I can tell the PSU is fine. Nothing looked like it was swollen or leaking. So now I guess I just wait for the new mobo from Ascent (Monday, maybe?) and see how we go.

Thanks everyone for all the great suggestions and assistance.
Tony (4941)
1108653 2010-06-21 02:41:00 I'm reluctant to make this post, as it seems like tempting fate, but it looks like I am back up and running. New mobo arrived this morning, all assembled, booted up first time and appears to be OK - only a couple of hours running time, but that is about 1.5 hours more than I was getting before. Much to my surprise, I didn't even have to re-install WHS - just re-activate it.

So thanks again to everybody for the suggestions and support.
Tony (4941)
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