Computer noisier than before

My poor computer! It was up and running when that **** outage occured. The UPS didn't do it's job and keep the machine running so I could shut it down safely. Instead my poor baby kept trying to boot up and the power kept cutting and it'd get reset. I hit the power button the UPS thus ending its misery.

The computer still boots and runs thankfully, but now it's louder than it was before. The fans sound kinda different like they're straining. The machine seems otherwise normal, but is there any way to tell if damage was done to the hardware?

Also what brand UPS would anyone recommend for a machine with a 300 watt PS and a standard 15" monitor? I can't let this happen to it again!

 

First: bypass the UPS so that you can turn it off. Since it failed it may be the noise.

If it is the computer then it will be harder to diag. About all you can do is open the case and turn on. If all fans are running maybe you will be able to pinpoint the noisy one, likely not. So blow out the case and fans with Air Spray this may help. If it does not help then as long as you know all fans are working you may have to live with the noise.

Second: the UPS may only need battries. If your city happens to have a "Battries to go" or Battries Plus" they can replace the battries and test the UPS.

Third: the APC brand is good. Sold at most Office depot, Office Max or Staples. Get at least 600 watts. Also Circut City.

Other considerations. All UPS's include surge supression, but not all include line conditioning. Line conditioning UPS's cost more, get it if you can afford it.

Mike

 

How do I bypass the UPS?

The software reports the battery as being at 100%. However that's obviously false lol.

I'll look into an APC unit.

What is line conditioning?

 

Ah humm .... unplug all from UPS (Uninterruptable Power supply), trun it off. Plug all into the wall or power strip.!!!!

If the software says it is 100% then yes it would seem to be incorrect.. Unit needs to be tested.

All UPS's have Surge and Spike protection, but Line conditioning is more.

You can have ground faults, weak grounds, feed backs, and other eletrical problems, noise etc from the building wiring. Line condidtioning filters and cleans all of these.

I have seen line conditioners fix recurrent computer lockups, printer problems and communication problems when nothing else worked.

In one instance it seemed that computers and printers only lasted a few months before they died. It was all in the power and not from the building but from the power transformer on a pole down the street.

Untill the above problem was found the line conditioner cured the computer problems.

Mike

 

Another thought or possibility

I do not like to say this but I will not cover it up either. Yes you * MAY HAVE * damaged equipment. Both PC wise and maybe even the UPS.

The power did not go straight out. It may not have gone down far enough the let the UPS kick in properly.

We ( at least where I live ) had AT LEAST THREE Brownouts before a complete loss. This is by far more damaging than a complete drop out.

This machine WILL NOT restart by itself if the power goes off. It DID NOT go off untill I hit the Master Switch in the Surge Protector.

One other machine just kept rebooting.

The 3rd machine I could not get to fast enough and I * MAY HAVE * a damaged HD on that one as I was actually installing software at the time. It will boot but it is FAR from being right.

The 98SE HD that was not plugged in at the time seems to be just fine. The XP HD that was plugged in is buggy.

BillyBob

 

Hi shadowhawk

We had a UPS at my former business (included line conditioner). It was not cheap.... but was very sensitive to any change of electrical supply or quality. When detected would auto switch and maintain battery power supply for 30 seconds before it would return back to line IF good power was being supplied. Battery life was 24 to 30 months. It used two large deep cycle batteries (similar to types used by electric golf carts). At least twice per year (all users signed off, fresh backup) we would pull the power cord to the UPS, forcing a power outage test. UPS was rated for three hours, if we could keep main computer up (1x IBM as/400) for a hour we would not change the batteries. The UPS did have an alarm for "low charge ", just never trusted it. To conserve battery power usage, no peripherals or monitors where on this circuit. IF outage occurred during business day, would re-plug monitor to backup circuit outlet to have access to system.

 

Dennis L

How would the System you describe have handled the situation that I described in my early reply ?

mflynn

We had the same problem here with a transformer that feeds my home and a few others.

One leg would drop to about 80 volts and drive the other to almost 150 volts. ( found by the monitoring device )

I worked for the Power Company at the time and they kept telling me it was in my equipment. Well after enough of that nonsene and I threatened to go to the PSC they put a monitoriing device on my meter and within 15 minutes a call had been made to the service crew to bring a new and larger transformer ASAP if not sooner.

The Service Tech that was here also pulled my meter and two neighors until the new tub was installed.

They also ( with no questions asked ) replaced some appliances that had quick working. For ALL three of us.

BillyBob

 

Left out an important feature. When UPS is in "Backup power supply" mode, If Quality power was NOT restored to "line" before USP battery reserve was exhausted, the UPS tripped a terminating internal switch (re-settable breaker). This isolated the UPS and attached computer from power grid. I'm sure I had some luck along the way, but never had a "power grid related problem" The UPS supplied and managed power quality (line conditioner). When it was no longer able to perform this, it terminated itself from the power grid, preventing ANY power flow until manually reset.

UPDATE
_____________________________________________
The issue here is costs. The hardware cost, approximately $1000.00 in 1991 money. New batteries every 2 to 3 years was about $300 plus. This was considered cheap, when it sits in front of a $35k computer. There also was more expensive continuous power flow types, which meant there was NO switch over. It pulled power from the batteries all the time.

 

Maybe I left out some things too.

What happen here was;

#1-The power dipped to ALMOST out. Light bulbs were lit but dim
#2- The power came back to ( as you say ) line. Light bulbs normal.
#3- Power went to ALMOST out again.
#4-Power came back ALMOST to normal.
#5-Then went out completely.

And as I mentioned before the power never ( until it did go out entirley ) did go low enough to shut this PC off.

Also I worked in a Power Generating Plant for 12 years. WOW !! that was 23 years ago ??? Where has time gone ?

As a Chief Control Operator I had a seven member operating crew and four units as my responsibility. So I know how FAST these things can happen. I got reprimanded ( then thanked later ) more than once for cutting a unit loose from the system so the it did not go down in a heap with the other three due to a sever system distrubance. And it could be used to restart the other three.

And one time it was an extra good choice as the Diesel Generators would not start. Somebody had been working on them and forgot to plug some fuses back in.

I have dumped units due to nothing other than FAULTY indication of either temperatures, pressure, water levels ( high or low ) or Voltages.

And on the other side I did make a few bad decisions.

BillyBob

 

Yeah what you said is what happened to me. Now the computer's having problems when I try to run my MSN Msg polygamy program, which it's run w/o trouble up till now.

So what you guys are saying is UPSs are only designed to protect from blackouts but are useless during brownouts? That's insane. I face more brownouts than blackouts.

 

I myself am not saying that as a firm point.

Just what I feel is a strong possibility as I know NOTHING about the UPS.

Billy Bob

 

Neither was I saying that!

Mike

 

Hi shadowhawk

As I mentioned early, it comes down to cost. Mine was a commercial type UPS with in line conditioning. This maintain a very narrow range of voltage "allowance" above and below the accepted range. When that was not met, the UPS took over until it was corrected or terminated the connection BEFORE any damage could be done. Taking nothing away from good quality pc's that are available today, large type IBM's systems were build like tanks... everything over buildt. All of this gives the user additional protection... for a cost. When / if you look for a UPS, look for these features. Share what you find, as there were 50 million of you sharing last week's problems.

 

I certainly will show and tell what I end up getting though it'll be a while for me to afford such a UPS. But I won't buy anything else until I have enough money. About how much would a 600 watt APC with that line conditioning thing cost?

 

Hi shadowhawk

Check out

TonyT's post (8-18-03, at 17:41). Has been using a UPS that survived and managed numerious brownout / blackouts successfully.