My PSU causing computer hang ups ?

[Chissler]

Hello everybody. I got a little help from you not long ago, but now I am back asking for more advice

I have got my new rig up and running, and I am playing games like never before. But I problems with one game, and that is everquest 2. This game will on a high settings cause the pc to hang, and show artifacts on the screen.

The rig I am using is the following:
1) AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+ 2.4GHz Socket AM2
2) Corsair Value S. PC4200 DDR2 2048MB
3) Asus M2N-E, nForce 570 Ultra
4) XFX GeForce 7900GT 520M Xtreme

The PSU says its good enough for 350w max output.

I have a very good fan on the gpu, and ram coolers on the card, so I dont think its the gpu itself that is the problem. Other games, like FEAR with everything enabled and softshadows on never causes artifacts to show or hang, so for my part that excludes the gpu.

One of you told me that the 12v rail should have at least 18amp. My only got 17. So I am wondering if the faults that I am seeing may be because the psu is not giving handing out enough "umph" to the gpu. Can a psu with to little power cause hang ups, artifacts, hard locks etc ?

Thank you in advance for any answers and advice.

 

[dberthiaume555]

I can only tell you my experience and the lesson learned. I too had a p/s that had a weaker than recommended 12v line. I tended to get lock-ups and I'm not sure they were caused by the underpowered power supply but what I am sure of is that when I gamed and the sli video cards were really pulling some current, my whole computer would shut down as if I had pulled the plug. I'm positive that this was an over current protection in the p/s shutting it down. I installed a separate VGA power supply and have been a happy camper since. My lesson.... have more than enough power, not just the bare minimum

 

[13thmonkey]

I'd agree it might be the PSU, however you potentially have a warm system there, what have you got by way of case cooling? can you use Rivatuner to log your GPU temps?

It could be either PSU or overheating of the GPU by having to use warm air to cool itself.

Being 2-3 amps over on PSU is a bit iffy (they degrade over time), being 1 amp down is asking for trouble.

 

[Chissler]

Ok, just to be sure I just ordered a Tagan PSU

It has dual 12v rail, both with 20amp. This should be enough for my rig right ? Considering that I only have two hardrive, and 1 dvd drive ?

I hate when new comps start acting up.

 

[dberthiaume555]

The Tagan should make you happy. :lol:

 

[13thmonkey]

Ok, just to be sure I just ordered a Tagan PSU

It has dual 12v rail, both with 20amp. This should be enough for my rig right ? Considering that I only have two hardrive, and 1 dvd drive ?

I hate when new comps start acting up.

What cooling have you got for the case?

 

[Chissler]

For the case itself I only have 1 fan on the side lid for taking away excess heat. May get some more when I get the new PSU.

 

[13thmonkey]

I think that the side lid should be blowing in, not out, they are there to pump fresh air into the CPU / GPU area so that they are cooling with cooler air.

The typical configuration is to pull into the case from the front and push out of the case at the back / top. so that air is travelling from the bottom front to the top rear.

Your PSU will also suck air, so at the moment you have two fans both pulling air out of the case and nothing pushing air into the case, true it will get in on its own, but it will be better with a fan. Also your current config might craete a dead spot in the bottom of the case where temps could get warmer than the HDD's etc. would like.