Ah, OK, awesome. Hope this one doesn't explode.

I'm back online ladies! UKOnline have seriously delivered the win today.

As for the PC, well.. I managed to fit the power supply back in, and as Skillers knows, it worked for about 2 hours and then just bluescreened on me with some cryptic bluescreen error message - pretty standard to be honest...

I've been investigating for a long time. It looks as though when I put the memory modules to their rated frequency, latency and voltage, the system just can't take it any more... I'm running it at 1066MHz, 5-5-5-15, at 2.2V, 2.3V and have even tried 2.4V. The memory modules are rated at 2.2V - 2.5V at those speeds, but I was able to get them reliable at 2.1V before... Something has gone really wrong here. I'm submitting an RMA for both my memory modules and my motherboard... can't be too careful.

Love you.

Daaaamn, that really sucks, that pop must have fried your kit!

I was expecting it to be honest

Yeah, not having much luck with your comp, are you?

Nope!

Here is my detailed account of everything that I have tried today:

Firstly, I am going to try booting up the system with everything installed – all fans connected, all 4 modules of memory installed, with a CMOS reset… This should work (it always did in the past, until the power supply blew up)

Result: Motherboard POST displays error code C1
C1 Description: Memory presence – Base memory detect

Retry

Result: Motherboard POST displays error code C3
C3 Description: Extend memory – Turn on extended memory, cache initialisation

Retry

Result: Motherboard POST displays error code C1

Retry

Result: Motherboard POST displays error code C1

I am going to remove memory modules from DIMM 2 and DIMM 3…

Result: Computer boots up, defaults have been loaded…
CPU is running at 2.4GHz (266x9)
Memory clock is 800MHz 5-5-5-18 (2T) 128-bit
FSB clock is 1067MHz

I need to set the memory to their rated speed of 1066MHz, 5-5-5-15…
SLI-Ready Memory: Expert
FSB – Memory Clock Mode: Unlinked
FSB (QDR), MHz: 1066
MEM (DDR), MHz: 1066
Memory Timing Setting: Optimal
Memory Voltage: 2.200V

Result: Motherboard POST displays error code 7F
7F Description: POST error check – Check POST error and display them and ask for user intervention

Nothing is displaying on the screen at this time, regardless of the error code description.

Reboot.

Result: Motherboard POST displays error code 7F

Still nothing on the screen.

I am going to clear the CMOS and try again. There may well be a message waiting to be answered, such as lack of a floppy disk drive? I don’t have a floppy disk drive. I’ll make sure to stop it from asking me the next time I change the settings.

Settings changed as per before, but prompt for floppy disk etc. disabled…

Result: Motherboard displays error code of FF
FF Description: Boot

Apparently, the system is booting… nothing is displayed on screen at all.

Problems identified so far: At least one module in one of the two module pairs is faulty. Additionally, I believe that there must be some sort of problem with the motherboard because of the power supply explosion – the settings I am using always used to work until the power supply exploded. Strangely, the system was fine for about 2 hours after I installed this replacement power supply, but now the problems have started.

I definitely have everything connected correctly, just as before. The graphics card has 2 power cables running to it, and it is connected properly to the PCI-Express x16 slot (the first slot) so I don’t believe that the image not being displayed on screen properly is a problem with the graphics card connection or power.

I am not overclocking the system, and I am running everything well within safe boundaries. The memory at 2.2V is fine as it is rated up to 2.5V.

Reboot

Result: Motherboard displays error code of FF

Still nothing displayed on screen.

I am going to try clearing the CMOS again, and just trying everything again, just in case I am going batty and missed something stupid out…

Result: Motherboard displays error code of C3

Reboot

Result: Motherboard displays error code of C1

Reboot

Result: Motherboard displays error code of 7F

Reboot

Result: Motherboard displays error code of C3

Reboot

Result: Motherboard displays error code of 7F

Now the system is going through stages of displaying different error codes… I am going to try swapping out the 2 memory modules in DIMM 0 and DIMM 1 for the memory modules I took out of DIMM 2 and DIMM 3 and see what happens…

Result: System boots but no operating system (because no RAID configured)

I will configure RAID

Result: System boots to Windows Vista loading bar, but bluescreen error message appears (message flashes on screen too fast for me to read), system automatically reboots, motherboard displays error code of C1

Reboot

Result: Motherboard displays error code of C1

Reboot

Result: Motherboard displays error code of C1

Note: Whenever the motherboard displays error code of C1, the motherboard makes a loud and long beep sound for about 5 seconds, stops for a second or two, makes a long beep sound, stops for a second or two, then repeats itself like this.

Wow, detailed list of fail.

Have you tried just one module?

Yeah, it fails.

Reply from Overclockers UK this afternoon:

BEST QUOTE EVAR!

And nasty stuff happening... I cant work out why these problems didnt start as soon as you put the new PSU in however. Why they only started like 2 hours afterwards. Did u start doing something pretty taxing? Like Crysis on MAX EVERYTHING? Coz im pretty sure that would of heaved power, and might of popped something along the way...

If something goes wrong in a computer, it can happen instantly or can take a while to manifest. For example, if he burnt out a circuit, that could be non-fail itself, but cause a chain of further damage, until it gets too much.

Wow, it's interesting that they had the same problem, atleast that means they will fix it without too many questions.

Getting a collection on Monday

Awesome, hope your comp is up and running soon.

Same here; I want to get my second/third graphics card some time soon.
But then.. 8800 Ultra Superclocked is now over £500 from Overclockers UK.

Third?! But tri-SLi has only just been officially announced, hasn't it?

I thought they had released beta drivers for it.

Yes, they have just released the Beta drivers, but it's also just been announced. You will need to get your hands on the board (which most 680i do work) the cards (8800GTXs and Ultras only) and, the hardest bit, the new bridge with 6 connectors.

I've noticed EVGA selling it on their US site for $20.

Yeah, but that's the US. It will be the hardest bit to get hold of.

I'm sure it will come as standard with 780i boards. So it won't really be a problem.

That's probably true, but I was on about you using tri-SLi now.

I wouldn't use 3 cards on a 680i board anyway.

I'm guessing because of lane throttling?

Yeah, no point spending £1500 on graphics cards when I haven't got 3 full 16x'ers.

True, or when 9800s are surely around the corner.

Yeah! January or February from what I've heard.