First post, by Stiletto
- Rank
- l33t++
Different system to the data recovery project I posted about a few minutes ago: (Issues restoring a backup )
Have a 2008? Dell Studio XPS 435MT desktop that a friend asked me to upgrade to an SSD boot drive, new massive data drive, and USB3.
It was kinda like throwing good money away on a system that old, but the user is from an older generation and they don't like to change everything all at once.
I've been doing minor upgrades and repairs to this system for years.
So now it has the following:
- Samsung 850 PRO - 256GB - 2.5-Inch SATA III Internal SSD (MZ-7KE256BW)
- IO Crest 4 Port SATA III PCI-e 2.0 x1 Controller Card Marvell Non-Raid with Low Profile Bracket SI-PEX40064
- Syba SD-PEX50100 3 Port USB 3.1 Gen 1 and Gigabit Ethernet PCI-e 2.0 x1 Card
- WD Black 6TB Performance Desktop Hard Disk Drive - 7200 RPM SATA 6 Gb/s 128MB Cache 3.5 Inch - WD6002FZWX
Windows and programs were transferred to the SSD, and most of the User Profile transferred to the data drive, and reunited with some other backups from some external drives he'd been previously using. And yes, the USB3 and SATA III cards don't add too much beyond the stock motherboard, since they're handicapped by the PCI-e x1 slots.
In previous years I had also done the following:
- When the stock Dell power supply slowly gave up, we replaced it with a Thermaltake TR2 W0388RU 600W ATX 12V v2.2 Power Supply we got from BestBuy (we couldn't wait). Er, I think it was this model.
- When the ATI video card started acting funny, we replaced with an nVidia GT 610 we got from BestBuy (we couldn't wait)
These happened a few years ago now, and were separated from each other by many months.
Other service I know has taken place:
- Back while system was still under warranty years ago, motherboard was replaced under warranty due to a failure.
I have seen this system go all the way from Vista to Windows 10 Fall Creators Update release. I think we only ever didn't do an upgrade install between Vista and Windows 7.
The Problem:
The system is operating FINE with one exception: a couple times a week, the system will completely halt what it's doing and reboot, in the blink of an eye. Sometimes while idling at the desktop, sometimes in the middle of whatever the user is doing. He asked me not to trouble myself too much since "it's otherwise working" and the SSD makes the system reboot in about ten seconds, so no big deal 🤣
There's no error log, no memory dumps are created. All the Windows logs have ever said is that the system made an unscheduled reboot, and I have done some deep dives into every error log, not just the main ones.
I have the system for about two days, so I am starting to look into it. I don't have a lot of spare parts, but I can run to Best Buy.
My gut feeling is that this is a hardware issue, not a software issue - and possibly power supply related. But there's a lot of things it *could* be, I guess.
Would love to hear you guys' thoughts. Sorry if it's a bit newer hardware than usual. I still have one of those cheap power supply testers, and have not tested it yet anyways, but I tend not to trust them too much since they don't test the PSU under load.
"I see a little silhouette-o of a man, Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you
do the Fandango!" - Queen
Stiletto