- Sep 24, 2021
- 10
- 0
- 6
My computer started cutting off randomly, sometimes with a BSOD, but mostly straight to black. Usually I could get into Windows before it would die, but other times it wouldn't even make it into the BIOS. Running Linux off a USB also ended up dying.
I tested the PSU voltages and the 12v was a good bit out from the 4% tolerance I've read it should be within. The PSU was a bit old so I replaced it with a used one. Same problem. I checked this PSU and it was also a bit out from the 4%, but not quite as far (only the -12v I believe). The first PSU was a Corsair CW600, the other, some EVGA 450w. I then tested a really cheap generic PSU I had which was further out than the other two (both 12v and 5v I believe). I took a 400w PSU out of my kids' computer and tested it--all voltages within 4%. I installed that in my computer...and it died as before.
Apparently the problem was the CPU had gone bad (i7 3770). Replacing it with an older CPU (Pentium 4) fixed the problem.
My question is, could the 12v being a bit out have killed my CPU? And would it be a terrible idea to keep running this with a PSU that's a little out from the recommended 4% tolerance? It's an older machine so I don't want to throw too much money into it.
I tested the PSU voltages and the 12v was a good bit out from the 4% tolerance I've read it should be within. The PSU was a bit old so I replaced it with a used one. Same problem. I checked this PSU and it was also a bit out from the 4%, but not quite as far (only the -12v I believe). The first PSU was a Corsair CW600, the other, some EVGA 450w. I then tested a really cheap generic PSU I had which was further out than the other two (both 12v and 5v I believe). I took a 400w PSU out of my kids' computer and tested it--all voltages within 4%. I installed that in my computer...and it died as before.
Apparently the problem was the CPU had gone bad (i7 3770). Replacing it with an older CPU (Pentium 4) fixed the problem.
My question is, could the 12v being a bit out have killed my CPU? And would it be a terrible idea to keep running this with a PSU that's a little out from the recommended 4% tolerance? It's an older machine so I don't want to throw too much money into it.