power surge caused PC to be unstable

[Larry K]

well... here is the situation:

1) my UPS failed -- I think because the battery in it was getting weak in less than a year!!!

(side note: I will not be buying a CyberPower UPS *ever* again --
get this--- I called them with my issue --if you have a problem with their product you can send it in (you pay for shipping), they might fix it.. BUT they don't send you a replacement (temporary product) and it could take a couple weeks. Unexceptable!!!

That's like taking your car to the dealership for repairs AND they don't give you a loaner car. )

2) the first months it was fine... two days ago... I got a power surge and it the UPS failed.. my PC turned off right in the middle of things... as I was working on it.

3) Yesterday and Today... when I turned on my pc in the morning... about 1 minute into it... (doing some work)...
IT FREEZES in mid stream... control - alt - delete did not work!!!

I had to use reset button.

4) 2 days in a row it happend.... SO the surge /pc turning off cause it to be unstable == imagine that?!?!!?

SO.... anyone have any great ideas on how to trouble shoot this issue?

NOTES:
-- I was trying to repeat it.. on purpose.. but have not
-- one time I was in MS Word went it froze, onetime was just on browser.
-- once PC is off for the night and turn on in morning it happens.
then you reset it... is fine.
-- have not turned PC off and tried it then... except for night... BUT will try it shortly


THANKS --- i really don't want to reformat/start over again!!

 

[Trotter]

Sounds like your PSU got zapped.

Got a spare to toss in and make sure?

 

[turtile]

Hopefully its only the PSU

 

[Larry K]

about the psu...

are you saying it can be 98% good... meaning 98 times out of a 100 its fine. 2 times it causes a glich...

a psu can do that? its not all or none?
thanks

 

[Larry K]

okay... little more info:

1) booted up this morning... SAME THING... it froze.
2) hit reset --- doh... not working...
3) hit off/on --- doh.. not working... (unplug)
4) now its hanging on alt-ctrl-del to enter windows...
--- my floppy drive acting funny ---
i open box and unplug it

5) restart few times... its freezes at different times
-- it seems like the hard drive has issues???????
would would it be failing at start up?

6) as I'm working on getting my back software up and running (acronis)... the PC has been on about 30-45 minutes

and I'm still working on getting new version of acronis ---long story --

7) I go back to PC and it boots into windows fine??????????
%(#)#(%$^@*# ??????

--- just ran norton disk doctor - all good for the HD... will soon check the "windows OS doctor"

So.. how many people think its
A) the files on the OS drive
B) the actual hard drive


--- if files, I have a good backup copy I can replace them
--- if I need to reformat drive, I can still do that but don't want to
--- if I need a new hard drive... that sucks!!!!!!!

thoughts?

I'll update once the diagnostics is done
thanks

 

[BVR]

It might very well be your MOBO.

 

[Apokalipse]

I think it might be the PSU, or fluctuating power input (since the UPS is not there smoothing it out, but that's unlikely)
I've had problems because of a bad PSU before. some of my files (including some for the OS) got corrupted because of it.
I replaced it, and not only did it run more stably, but I could hear the fans running faster (the pitch was a bit higher) which meant I was getting more power out of it

 

[Larry K]

update... norton/check disk/etc --- all check out

its running fine now... don't know what will happen when turn off

currious -->
if a PSU is weak/bad/going bad/not running at 100% or is unstable, etc. etc. etc

does booting your PC / starting windows cause
MORE strain
or
the SAME strain

as when the PC is on?

Why ask?
maybe the PSU is the problem and my PC freezes when the PSU is working the most???
at bootup, at windows start up or when the CPU is active
?????

thanks

 

[Apokalipse]

it would cause more strain, because the parts are more active, therefore they use more power.

 

[nuke]

i'm pretty sure about this, its the motherboard, or the hard drive. check the chipsets, if they got any damage.