Comp freezing... PSU can't handle it...?

[cR]

Hey guys, I got a wicked new comp but I have a problem... it freezes during games. First I tought it was because I pressed multiple buttons at the same time, for example 'gas, lean, brake' 'walk, shoot, jump' etc., but now I think that was coincedence... I talked to someone on msn messenger who had experienced basicly the same problem, he told me my PSU couldn't handle it, so I put all graphic options on low instead on high to make it eat less power, and it still froze but instead of 1 min it took 2 mins befor it freezing... It might be coincedence... I have no idea...

Here's my specs:

- Windows XP Home + SP2

- 350 Watt's PSU
- Mobo... no idea what it is lol
- P4 3,2Ghz, 2MB L2 Cache, 800MHz FSB
- 1024 MB DRR 400MHz
- ATI Radeon X740 XL, PCI-Express x16, 128MB
- 320GB HDD, 8 MB Cache, 7200 RPM
- Accesories: DVD Burner, DVD Rom, Analog Stereo-TV, Wireless LAN, Fast Ethernet, Bluetooth, 8 channel high def audio, and some more ports on the front for Audio/Video-in and card readers etc.

I guess it could be that the PSU has trouble feeding that all especially whit the graphics card running games. What do you guys think? Should I upgrade to a 450 watt or do you think its something else..?

[Bunny]

When you said that it froze, would you be able to tab out of it or did you have to manually reboot?

[Fixer]

Sounds like something is overheating try taking the case door off and  using a "house fan"  - then see if lasts longer with the extra fan cooling things off.  You might need more watts if the  350 PSU  isn't a good name brand it might only be putting out 200 watts when it's hot.

[VMX_Slowpoke2]

Clint try running your game on the software rederization mode. (option when starting the game you can either choose your card or the other option) mine freezes so i tried that and it works fine (crappy graphics) but can help determine the problem

[cR]

Well it's a NEW system, it isnt even a week old... it froze my whole pc, have to reset or sometimes it reboots by itself.. and it has some special cooling system or something so I dont think that is it, AIRXL Heat Pipe-cooler with SpeedStep technology or something

[mx333]

HAHA same thing happened to me.......go to a 500 watt PS, your troubles will be gone.......

edit: theres a place where i get my powersupplys, i forget where it is, i am gunna ask my brother, they are cheap, but very very good and they throw in extra case fans and *#*#*, o and are you running the liquid copper in between your processor chip and the heatsink? they come iwth a little pad orignally, and that little pad sucks ass, if u put this special liquid copper inbetween the two your Processor will run 20-30 degrees cooler.

[cR]

No liquid cooling... I am thinking about it tho..

[mcm2boys]

I think i agree with fixer, sounds like it might be the gfx card is overheating, is it overclocked? When you lower the gfx detail it lasts longer means the card isn't working so hard so it takes longer to overheat, sure you got all the fans hooked up for the gfx card?


Laurie

[tw0_f0ur_]

na i think 99% sure its your PSU. when it says 350W it means it runs at 350W at a low tempature. once the temp rises you loose wattage. so basically when u boot up your comp u have all 350W. but after a min or 2 once it heats up you loose W. so it messes up the wattage to everything. try upgrading to a 450W min. or 500W im almost positive thats your problem and you will be fine after that. nd the PSU u have now prolly is terrible giving off the wrong amount of power to the wrong devices. if you do upgrade. defentally go with a good PSU not a gernic or house brand one.

i know the prices are high but its WELL worth it....

try one of thies... http://www.frozencpu.com/scan/se=Power%20Supplies/se=PC%20Power%20and%20Cooling/mp=menu_search.html

or thies...
http://www.frozencpu.com/psu-103.html

or try one of thies...
http://www.frozencpu.com/scan/se=Power%20Supplies/se=Ultra%20X-Connect%20Power%20Supplies/mp=menu_search.html

[mx333]

two four, thats a freakin rip off, i can get same quality for 50$

[cR]

I gotta agree those a rip-offs... I got 3 comp shops within 50 metres of my house so and at 1 I allready checked on their site they got a 500 watt for 80 € ... that prolly 90 to 100 $

@ mcm2boys and fixer, if I lower the graphics, the card doesn't need as much power aswell... the comp is new, and came right out of the box I'm sure nothing could be wrong with the cooling... I'll take a look tomorow to be sure, if it isn't the problem I'm getting a 500 watt PSU

[tw0_f0ur_]

haha u guys may tthink there rip offs but u wont think there rip offs when ur PSU over heats or give the wrong voltage to a HDD or a vid card  or a CPU and ruins it... may wanna think twice about PSU... check http://hardforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=93 for some info on PSU and any info on comps

taken from hardforum.com

"a good 350 watt is far better than a crap 500 watt"

also read up on...
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=779582

[mx333]

id have to say thats bull*#*#*. edit> not only that, but they only quote newegg. yea newegg has some good prices, but usually u can find better, like so: http://www.ocsystem.com./40dualfanp4r.html
thats where i bought my powersupply, i bought that one for my brothers computer tho and the thing works like a charm.

[tw0_f0ur_]

i guess u dont know much about computers then. im currently in vo-tec and ive been with the computer scene for about 3-4 years and everyone you ask will say a good low watter powersupply is better then a no name brand high watt psu

[mx333]

yea i know i am an idiot, ur too smart for me. o yea and wheres all these tracks u were supposively making? i mean its been months, it seems like u just want to show them on here and not release them?

[cR]

Help me don't flame eachother

[mcm2boys]

When you say it's new - who built it, you, a friend, a shop or an OEM like say DELL?

Even technicians make mistakes so it could be put together wrong somewhere along the line, or it could be a fault on one of the parts. If it is so new how come you aren't taking it back to the manufacturers because, 1-2mins on a game isn't how it's supposed to work so you have a good case for taking it back to them.

I can't see it as a PSU problem because you don't seem to have enough on there drawing power, if you had 3 or 4 HDs then maybe but unless you are burning disks and playing the game from the DVD drive at the same time, but i could easily be wrong. Do you have a lot of USB or other peripeherals (without PSUs of their own) running off it?


Laurie

[cR]

OEM I guess then... now I kinda wished I build it myself, never ever had problems by doing that It's from Medion, www.medion.com, they had it build for a shop as a special offer (not a comp shop), I'm not to fund of that but my mom liked it and bought it for me and when I saw the specs I tought it was good... you can find more details on this link,
http://www.medion.com/nl/flash/md8386/

As you can see it got alot on it... but the USB's etc. aren't used now, there's nothing in it expecpt the reciever for keyboard and mouse

[cR]

Meybe I could try and see if I can hook up some parts to the PSU of my other comp so this one won't need to supply alot of power, and see if it still crashes... if so it's the PSU, if not it's something else..possibly cooling..?

Edit: I dont think the cables can make that... but I tried to put a nice big fan (for cooling your room) next to it...still crashes And I just saw it has 2 HDD's with a total of 320GB

Edit: Now booting up with 500 Watt placed

Edit Again: CRASH

Edit: Switched RAM sticks with the once from my other pc, still crashes... grrrrr

Edit..yes another edit...: I switched my RAM sticks back and then I ran a prog called FreshDiagnose and here's something I found in the report it generated..



That's with both to (2x 512MB)

[mx333]

how does it crash, just the game, or the whole computer system?