Low core voltage???

[dsparks]

I have a Sony Vaio P4 system I am trying to fix for a friend.

It gets a "low core voltage" warning after running for a few minutes, (0.6 volts!!!). I have never seen this before.

* I have replaced the PSU with a known good P4 PSU, and I still get the same error. *

Any help would greatly be appreciated here, as I am not in this for money. I am just trying to help a friend out.

 

[DaiShan]

vaio desktop or laptop?

 

[dsparks]

Sorry, Desktop system.

PCV - RX560 to be exact.

 

[microAmp]

Are you using a 3rd party software to measure the voltage to the CPU? or did Sony have one put in?

 

[dsparks]

This is a BIOS alarm that is going off after the system has run for ~ 5 minutes or so. After that the alarm sounds constantly and then when you look in "Hardware Monitor" section of the BIOS setup you get a Low Core Voltage Warning of 0.6 volts!

 

[ttn1]

Does the computer actually lock up? Or is this just an annoying alarm?

I have a temperature alarm that went off in one of my PCs because the threshold was set too low. If the computer is stable, I would see if you can disconnect the alarm. It could be that a sensor has gone bad.

It's never a good idea to disable an alarm, but if the computer is totally stable I would say this is a false alarm.

 

[microAmp]

<< Does the computer actually lock up? Or is this just an annoying alarm?

I have a temperature alarm that went off in one of my PCs because the threshold was set too low. If the computer is stable, I would see if you can disconnect the alarm. It could be that a sensor has gone bad.

It's never a good idea to disable an alarm, but if the computer is totally stable I would say this is a false alarm. >>



Exact same thing I was going to say. I do know from seeing around in forums that core voltage wasn't reading correctly, or that it would be at one setting and drop when turned on etc.

If the computer is stable then don't worry about it. You already eliminated the possiblity of a bad PS.

 

[dsparks]

UPDATE: After disabling the alarm in BIOS, it still gives off this annoying BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP that is just constant, and I cant undo the speaker as it is down on the mobo as well.

The system does seem totally stable though?

Is there any other place that would be causing a low core voltage, or is this solely a function of the PSU?

Thanks for all of your help here!!!

 

[microAmp]

Did you only turn off the alarm for the CPU voltage or all the voltage monitoring? If just the CPU, turn them all off and see what happens, then turn one on a time just to see what is making all that noise.

Is the beep noise starting when the computer is just starting to post? or 5 minutes later into windows?

 

[dsparks]

From a cold boot it start after ~5minutes (In Windows). If you warm boot after it starts, alarm stays on constant...

I will have to try and disable all Voltage Monitoring when I get back to the PC. Thanks again!

 

[ttn1]

I doubt this is a function of the power supply. Sounds like a definite motherboard issue. Like I said before, probably a bad sensing circuit. One of the problems with having a motherboard with lots of diagnostics. I sure hope you can get this thing disabled in BIOS. If not I would be either looking to return the board under warranty or disable that little motherboard speaker by force.

 

[dsparks]

Me too!

 

[dsparks]

I have now disabled all Hardware Monitoring and the alarm still goes off! :|

I wish I could just RMA this back, but it was sold as a refurb and it has passed it's 90 day warranty.

Time to disable the speaker by brute force!!!

 

[dsparks]

UPDATE: Thanks for the help!!! I disabled the speaker by force, and then burned the system in for 48 hours...
With NO problems!!!

 

[microAmp]

<< UPDATE: Thanks for the help!!! I disabled the speaker by force, and then burned the system in for 48 hours...
With NO problems!!! >>



Good to hear, too bad you had to disable it by force, pulled the wire?

 

[ttn1]

Sometimes those speakers just don't know what's good for them.

I would install a monitoring software like motherboard monitor now. Just as a backup to the functionality of the disabled speaker