Older Abit AI7 homebuilt acting oddly

Tony

I've been running the same AI7 for many years now. It runs 24/7 and has
never given me a lick of trouble. Drives have been replaced occasionally,
but before any of them have died. Machine has an Antec Truepower 430W PS.
Recently, when I've had to actually power the system back up the PS will try
to start several times before finally "kicking in". It almost sounds like a
car trying to turn over. This happens several times, and then it will just
start. Once it does, it runs fine. AbitEQ seems to indicate that al the
voltages are correct once running. Any help on this appreciated.

Andrew Smallshaw

On 2008-01-05, Tony <none@none.com> wrote:
> I've been running the same AI7 for many years now. It runs 24/7 and has
> never given me a lick of trouble. Drives have been replaced occasionally,
> but before any of them have died. Machine has an Antec Truepower 430W PS.
> Recently, when I've had to actually power the system back up the PS will try
> to start several times before finally "kicking in". It almost sounds like a
> car trying to turn over. This happens several times, and then it will just
> start. Once it does, it runs fine. AbitEQ seems to indicate that al the
> voltages are correct once running. Any help on this appreciated.

I would suspect the PSU rather than anything else. Although the
Trupower 430 is a fairly good unit running 24/7 inevitably does
means that things will fail sooner than you might expect. I'd have
a look at the PSU and if it is very dusty (bear in mind that it
usually takes a _lot_ of dust to cause problems) then I'd give it
a clean out.

This does mean opening the unit to do properly but if you take
common sense precautions when working with mains rated equipment
you should be OK. Bear in mind, however, that it is at least
possible mains voltage is present, even after you have turned off
and unpluged the unit, although this is unlikely particularly with
a quality make.

I'd also oil the fan bearings while I'm in there. While it is
possible that your PSU fans are genuinely wearing out they are ball
bearing units of reasonable quality so I would consider that
unlikely. It's certainly worth attempting some basic maintenance
first.

--
Andrew Smallshaw
andrews@sdf.lonestar.org

Tony

"Andrew Smallshaw" <andrews@sdf.lonestar.org> wrote in message
news:slrnfnvbgs.l4m.andrews@sdf.lonestar.org...
> On 2008-01-05, Tony <none@none.com> wrote:
>> I've been running the same AI7 for many years now. It runs 24/7 and has
>> never given me a lick of trouble. Drives have been replaced occasionally,
>> but before any of them have died. Machine has an Antec Truepower 430W PS.
>> Recently, when I've had to actually power the system back up the PS will
>> try
>> to start several times before finally "kicking in". It almost sounds like
>> a
>> car trying to turn over. This happens several times, and then it will
>> just
>> start. Once it does, it runs fine. AbitEQ seems to indicate that al the
>> voltages are correct once running. Any help on this appreciated.
>
> I would suspect the PSU rather than anything else. Although the
> Trupower 430 is a fairly good unit running 24/7 inevitably does
> means that things will fail sooner than you might expect. I'd have
> a look at the PSU and if it is very dusty (bear in mind that it
> usually takes a _lot_ of dust to cause problems) then I'd give it
> a clean out.
>

Funny thing. After I posted this I looked through the homebuilt newsgroup
and found another posting describing a similar problem. Recommendations
there also pointed to the PS being the likely culprit.

> This does mean opening the unit to do properly but if you take
> common sense precautions when working with mains rated equipment
> you should be OK. Bear in mind, however, that it is at least
> possible mains voltage is present, even after you have turned off
> and unpluged the unit, although this is unlikely particularly with
> a quality make.
>
> I'd also oil the fan bearings while I'm in there. While it is
> possible that your PSU fans are genuinely wearing out they are ball
> bearing units of reasonable quality so I would consider that
> unlikely. It's certainly worth attempting some basic maintenance
> first.
>

All god recommendations. Thanks.