"Hardware Error"

Apologies if this post has shown up twice - had problems with Google Groups
earlier and tried to cancel...


I've recently fitted a new fan and power supply to my PC (fitted with
a P4S800 motherboard).

All had been working fine (for two weeks) until yesterday. Upon
booting up I got a message telling me that a hardware error had been
detected and to press DEL to enter BIOS and see Power Setup for
details.

When I check the details I see that there are no errors.

I've been having a look about and have seen that the likely cause is a
slow spinning fan (or at least a fan that's slow to start spinning) or
voltage problems.

Well, with my new kit, it could be either.

I've been running Asus Probe which shows no problems either.

How can I tell what the problem may be?

Does anybody know what the threshold for fan speed is that would
trigger this message. My new fan is an 1800rpm model and it does dip
below this momentarily (but there is no warning when in the menu).
How can I change the threshold warning level?

Any advice would be grateful.


PS It all works fine when I exit out of the BIOS!

Kroma wrote:

Apologies if this post has shown up twice - had problems with Google Groups
earlier and tried to cancel...


I've recently fitted a new fan and power supply to my PC (fitted with
a P4S800 motherboard).

All had been working fine (for two weeks) until yesterday. Upon
booting up I got a message telling me that a hardware error had been
detected and to press DEL to enter BIOS and see Power Setup for
details.

When I check the details I see that there are no errors.

I've been having a look about and have seen that the likely cause is a
slow spinning fan (or at least a fan that's slow to start spinning) or
voltage problems.

Well, with my new kit, it could be either.

I've been running Asus Probe which shows no problems either.

How can I tell what the problem may be?

Does anybody know what the threshold for fan speed is that would
trigger this message. My new fan is an 1800rpm model and it does dip
below this momentarily (but there is no warning when in the menu).
How can I change the threshold warning level?

Any advice would be grateful.


PS It all works fine when I exit out of the BIOS!



IIRC, the fan speed threshold might be as high as 600 RPM or at whatever
speed anybody might have set it up...check the Bios Configuration section
of the manual. This threshold is adjustable and, if needed, re-set it to
a reasonable speed, such as one-half of the fan's normal rotational speed.
In addition, it would probably be the PSU fan speed setting that is the
culprit.

"Ghostrider" wrote in message
...


IIRC, the fan speed threshold might be as high as 600 RPM or at whatever
speed anybody might have set it up...check the Bios Configuration section
of the manual. This threshold is adjustable and, if needed, re-set it to
a reasonable speed, such as one-half of the fan's normal rotational speed.
In addition, it would probably be the PSU fan speed setting that is the
culprit.

I can't find any mention in the manual about setting up fan threshold
speeds. I can do this with ASUS probe but that is no use whilst booting up.

The messages here http://tinyurl.com/35kxgs suggest that a setting of 1800
may be in place but I can't check.

Does anybody know what the preset threshold for a chassis fan is in the BIOS
of a PS4800 motherboard?

It won't be my PSU fan as it isn't monitored. My CPU fan runs at over
2000RPM as it has always done so I doubt that's the problem. I just hope
it's nothing to do with voltages but they seem pretty constant even with the
PC running at high strain.

Many thanks,

Kroma

Kroma wrote:

"Ghostrider" wrote in message
...


IIRC, the fan speed threshold might be as high as 600 RPM or at whatever
speed anybody might have set it up...check the Bios Configuration section
of the manual. This threshold is adjustable and, if needed, re-set it to
a reasonable speed, such as one-half of the fan's normal rotational speed.
In addition, it would probably be the PSU fan speed setting that is the
culprit.


I can't find any mention in the manual about setting up fan threshold
speeds. I can do this with ASUS probe but that is no use whilst booting up.

The messages here http://tinyurl.com/35kxgs suggest that a setting of 1800
may be in place but I can't check.

Does anybody know what the preset threshold for a chassis fan is in the BIOS
of a PS4800 motherboard?

It won't be my PSU fan as it isn't monitored. My CPU fan runs at over
2000RPM as it has always done so I doubt that's the problem. I just hope
it's nothing to do with voltages but they seem pretty constant even with the
PC running at high strain.

Many thanks,

Kroma


If the PSU fan is not being monitored and if there is nothing connected
to the PSU fan power header, is this monitoring station turned off? If
not, then it could be the source of the "hardware error".

I've just found the problem. The PC just started with the same warning and,
as quickly as possible, I hit 'delete' and sped to the hardware monitor
menu.

The CPU fan was spinning up to speed and was marked in red. In about 5
seconds from seeing the menu it had made it all the way to full speed and
continues to run quickly.

How can it have suddenly started doing this?

Now I'll just worry every time I turn the PC on in case the CPU overheats -
but at least the fan is spinning and gets to full speed within a matter of
moments.

Any suggestions?

Kroma

"Kroma" wrote in message
...
I've just found the problem. The PC just started with the same warning
and, as quickly as possible, I hit 'delete' and sped to the hardware
monitor menu.

The CPU fan was spinning up to speed and was marked in red. In about 5
seconds from seeing the menu it had made it all the way to full speed and
continues to run quickly.

How can it have suddenly started doing this?

Now I'll just worry every time I turn the PC on in case the CPU
overheats - but at least the fan is spinning and gets to full speed within
a matter of moments.

Any suggestions?

The fan bearing lubricant has probably dried-out. What I've
done in the past is to remove the small round sticky label
from the fan to reveal a protective cap underneath that can
be prised off with a small blade. Once removed, you should
see the bearing, and can put a *very small* drop of a light
machine oil etc (eg "3-in-1") on it. Alternatively, measure the fan
size and just replace that, rather than the whole heatsink/fan.
HTH,
--
Rob

"Rob" wrote in message
...

"Kroma" wrote in message
...
I've just found the problem. The PC just started with the same warning
and, as quickly as possible, I hit 'delete' and sped to the hardware
monitor menu.

The CPU fan was spinning up to speed and was marked in red. In about 5
seconds from seeing the menu it had made it all the way to full speed and
continues to run quickly.

How can it have suddenly started doing this?

Now I'll just worry every time I turn the PC on in case the CPU
overheats - but at least the fan is spinning and gets to full speed
within a matter of moments.

Any suggestions?

The fan bearing lubricant has probably dried-out. What I've
done in the past is to remove the small round sticky label
from the fan to reveal a protective cap underneath that can
be prised off with a small blade. Once removed, you should
see the bearing, and can put a *very small* drop of a light
machine oil etc (eg "3-in-1") on it. Alternatively, measure the fan
size and just replace that, rather than the whole heatsink/fan.
HTH,
--
Rob

I took the fan off of the heatsink yesterday and cleaned it up. The problem
still remains (and is getting worse - it takes about 10 minutes for the fan
to spin up "out of the red".

I did take off the sticker and have a look underneath - I'm not sure that
the protective cap will withstand much prising off but I could give it a go
in the short term.

However, I'd be much happier buying a new fan/heatsink combo and using just
the fan BUT I can't find my (discontinued) model anywhere. It's an Arctic
"Super Silent 4" (not the pro or ultra editions) which seems to have a very
specifically shaped fan (not square and it sits on a shaped 'rest' as well
as being clipped by two, well, clips!

Has anybody any idea where I can get a new fan from (I'm in the UK).

Many thanks,

Kroma