PC Freezing - Power Supply? 1

[dragonturtle]

Esteemed forum members:

my desktop has been freezing during gaming recently:

- It doesn't freeze when I'm using the web or Office
- It rarely freezes while playing Halo or Kotor
- It always freezes when playing the FEAR demo

Seems like the heavier the load, the more frequent the problems. Asus Probe doesn't show anything out of the ordinary except for the +3.3V monitor, which dips below threshold sometimes. But it's always done this even when the PC was trouble free.

I have a generic 300W PS running a P4 2.8, GeForce 6600 GT, 2 x 512 DDR400, and 2 x 7200 RPM HD (only one is ever accessed though).

Is a failing PS a likely cause?

 

[stduc]

It could be - or not! However a PSU is an easy item to replace and not expensive. Why not replace it with a good branded model with a bit more oomph - say 400 watt? If the problem goes away, all well and good, if not, at least you have eliminated the PS as a possible problem!

 

[paparazi]

dragonturtle
The PSU needs changing anyway.
300watts is boarderline anyway but a generic 300watt unit is not going to supply the stable current needed for trouble free operation.
Invest in a 400watt plus "branded" unit and then see how it goes.
Martin

We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.

 

[glarior]

I had similar issues during gaming too, sometimes it would just shut down the computer and wont boot up for a little bit even though the fans were still running. I thought my CPU may be overheating but I doubt it, so I check the temp anyways. It was at 17c WOW... so my orginal assumption was the PSU. So I got one from a friend which was 600 some watts that he bought off pricewatch for 20-30$ with s/h. Works great.

So my suggestion is to get another PSU from a friend or another computer and test to see if it is the PSU. Also make sure your CPU is not overheating cause I have herd of computers locking up from that.

Good Luck

glarior

 

[dazzaboy]

@Dragonturtle:

Just to back up what the other guys have said here, your PSU is well under par for the system you are running.

I am running a similar spec PC to yourself and I've recently blown a 400w supply although I have a LOT of PCI activity aswell as a SATA HD. Always go for true power/branded PSU's and don't just look at the total wattage as a lot of cheap manufacturers have a tendency to throw at you.

Especially look for prod reviews and comparisons through the 5v and 12v power rails, the higher the better.

Hope this is of additional help.

 

[kmcferrin]

Try a new power supply.

The ASUS Probe software doesn't sample more often than every second or so (it would eat up way too many cycles), so it's not going to detect dips in power that occur for mere fractions of a second.

Generic/no brand PSUs are a bane on our existance. You can buy a generic 500W PSU for about the same price as a good name-brand 350W or 400W PSU, and they'll probably have similar performance. The thing is, the generic may be rated at 500W peak load, but it can't sustain a continuous 500W. The name brands more often do.

 

[dragonturtle]

I just swapped in an Enermax 460W PSU today, and the demo runs like a charm now. As a bonus, the Enermax runs a lot cooler, so the temperature in the case is cooler by a few degrees despite the fact that there are more cables. Thanks for all the feedback!

Erm... I didn't know who to credit, so I credited the first reply.