Voltage issues with old Asus A7v

[SRGilbert]

Ok, here's my deal.

I assembled a system from some pretty antique parts (circa 2000 ) and I'm coming up on some weird voltage issues with 2 very different PSUs.

Mobo : Asus A7v rev 1.02
Bios: 1012 Beta 001-A, stock settings (no OC)
CPU: T-bird 1000mhz (again stock)
Ram: 3x256 PC133
Vid: Asus V7700 pure 32 meg GF2 (default core settings)
PSU #1: new Rosewill 450watt
PSU #2: CompUSA Branded 300watt

Please see this link for screenshots of the readings from Bios, Asus Probe, SpeedFan, and Motherboard Monitor?..

Screenshots herehttp://home.comcast.net/~srgilbert1/A7V_Voltage_issues/voltage_issues.htm

I?ll be the first to admit that I don?t know as much about this as I should,
I?ve never overclocked my systems, so messing around with system voltage isn?t something I?m up on.

Keep in mind I am running these programs seperately as I know they can interfere with each other.

Here?s what is going on.

First of all, I tried using the Asus Probe in conjunction with the Asus SmartDoctor (vid card monitor.) From time to time (but more frequently when doing extended file transfers over the network) Smartdoctor would warn me that my voltage to the vid card was unstable, and Asus Probe would be all over the place with readings, including fanspeeds. Sometimes it would tell my my CPU fan had stopped when it was clearly moving.

Next I tried Speedfan, unlike the other programs it is showing TWO different readings for nearly everything at the same time (and I?m not talking about + and -, it?s 2 different + readings.

Then I ran MBM and it?s much more in line with the actual BIOS readings.

I can?t seem to find any info on what the safe voltages are for this board. I haven?t changed anything (the board was mine from an older build) so I know it?s the same defaults I had before. I did however change was the bios so I could use a 160gig drive on it.

Also, what?s up with the readings Core 1/VINR0 readings on .11 v, is this a concern?

Again, keep in mind this is going on with 2 different power supplies, so I'd tend to rule that out for now.

Thanks to anyone who takes the time to read this!

 

[mechBgon]

Short answer from a one-time A7V owner: Asus Probe is unreliable. But you're generally not doing yourself any favors with cheapie power supplies either. Get out a good multimeter and do a reality check with that, is what I'd do.

 

[SRGilbert]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
Short answer from a one-time A7V owner: Asus Probe is unreliable. But you're generally not doing yourself any favors with cheapie power supplies either. Get out a good multimeter and do a reality check with that, is what I'd do.

I figured that was the case with Assus Probe.

I would normally agree that a cheap PSU in not the best, but it is what it is. Unfortunately this doesn't explain why I'd get the same readings from both PSU's.
I may have to do the multimeter test, but how exactly would I do it? Link?

Thanks

 

[mechBgon]

If the power supply is the reason for the voltage fluctuations, then it will show on all of its connectors, so simply use your multimeter's black probe on the black wire of a four-pin drive plug, then use the multimeter's red probe on the yellow wire (12 volts) and the red wire (5 volts). The third voltage is 3.3 volts and is found on the main ATX power cable (orange wires), you could sneak in the topside of it with a thin probe such as a straightened paperclip for a reading.

If you're bold enough you can probe the motherboard itself to see what it's doing with the voltages itself, but that's not something I'd recommend for the fainthearted, because it would be easy to slip with your probe and short stuff by connecting two items that aren't supposed to be connected.

 

[SRGilbert]

Thanks for the advice, but I was wondering if you or anyone else has had a chance to look at the readings I posted? I'm wondering if I'm worrying about nothing at all, it seems to be running fine, but I'd like to be sure.

Thanks again

 

[mechBgon]

I'd like to be sure.

Then use a multimeter. Monitoring software can be inaccurate.