Can a cheap power supply cause new CPU to crash computer?

[SteveSmith1980]

Sorry if I am being old-fashioned, but I am talking about Pentium 4 processors here.

I had a pentium 4 workwing flawlessly for about 3 years. It never crashed or anything.

Then recently I found a stronger Pentium 4 for cheap (670 3.8 ghz used) and installed it. However, almost each time my CPU is under 100% load, my computer crashes. Not only it crashes, but it refuses to boot for a few minutes. I am not overclocking it.

This is the second Pentium 4 670 that I order, and both create the same problems. I thought the first one was faulty so I returned it, and got another 670 from another source. But the same problems are happening.

By the way, I have a good heatsink, and my temperatures always stay very low. 32 Celcius idle and 44 at 100% load (temps were 45 idle and 70 load with stock heatsink).

So with temperatures that low, I don't understand why my system keeps crashing. I noticed that when it crashes, the power supply gets very hot to the touch and very hot air is coming from it.

However, my power supply is brand new! I bought it about 3 weeks ago. The brand is MIOS, it is 450 watts and I paid 25$ for it in a local store.

By the way, this processor fried my old power supply and it no longer works! This is why I bought a new one.

So I am in a front of a dilemma here :
-I either ask for a refund and return the processor to the seller and keep my old weaker but trusty one, or
-I buy a new and better power supply, hoping that it will fix the problem.

I would like to have your opinion guys. Does my power supply theory has any chances of being true? Or it would probably not fix anything?

Suggestions are appreciated. However, I don't want to do a Core 2 Duo full system upgrade; I don't have money for that right now. Thanks.

 

[GhislainG]

What PSU do you have? Does your motherboard officially support that CPU?

A P4 670 draws quite a bit of current, but a good 380W or better PSU is good enough (depending on other components).

 

[ainarssems]

never heard of mios but it cannot be good for $25. What is 12V amp rating on it? Hot air definatly shows that PSU works on its limits. Air coming from PSU should not be noticably hotter than from rrar case fan. Get a good brand PSU like PC P&C or Corsair.

 

[SteveSmith1980]

Here are the ratings written on the PSU :

+3.3 = 28.0A
+5 = 32.0A
+12 = 24.0A
-12 = 0.6A
+5VSB = 2.0A

 

[GhislainG]

I missed that you have a 450W MIOS PSU. The specs are fine, but that doesn't mean that the PSU provides stable voltages. I know that an Enermax 465W is fine for a P4 541 (the 641 requires the same power). Can you get a better PSU like an Antec, PC P&C, etc.?

 

[vouslavous]

A 450 watt PSU should run your CPU, but you have to realize over time a PSU will start to die down and produce a little less then stated. If i were you i would return your current PSU and but a well known brand like Antec, Corsair, etc. A worthy investment in a computer is a PSU just because it fuels everything in your computer and you don't want a cheap generic brand to screw it up.

 

[Mondoman]

1) Your CPU should not have caused a PS to fail.
2) "No-name" PSUs such as yours are cheap for a reason. They typically provide dirtier power, don't keep their voltages as accurate, and fail much sooner than quality PSUs.
3) Your MB may not be able to handle the new CPU. This could be because of a lack of BIOS support, MB power circuitry not adequate for the power-hungry new CPU, the new CPU using a faster FSB (200MHz) than your MB is designed for, or some other reason.
4) Your CPU cooler may not be adequate for the (likely) much hotter new CPU. Did the new CPU come with a stock Intel CPU cooler *designed for that CPU*, or did you just use your current CPU cooler?


What model number CPU were you using before? What model number motherboard do you have?

 

[SteveSmith1980]

1) Your CPU should not have caused a PS to fail.
2) "No-name" PSUs such as yours are cheap for a reason. They typically provide dirtier power, don't keep their voltages as accurate, and fail much sooner than quality PSUs.
3) Your MB may not be able to handle the new CPU. This could be because of a lack of BIOS support, MB power circuitry not adequate for the power-hungry new CPU, the new CPU using a faster FSB (200MHz) than your MB is designed for, or some other reason.
4) Your CPU cooler may not be adequate for the (likely) much hotter new CPU. Did the new CPU come with a stock Intel CPU cooler *designed for that CPU*, or did you just use your current CPU cooler?


What model number CPU were you using before? What model number motherboard do you have?

My previous CPU was a Pentium 4 630 and it always worked fine. My motherboard is a Asus P5P-800. My new CPU didn't have a fan, however, I use this fan :
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?Sku=S457-1116

It is MUCH COOLER than a stock heatsink. I went from 45 Celcius idle to 32, and from 70 Celcius 100% load to 43. Huge difference.

 

[Mondoman]

Remember that a CPU cooler has 2 functions. The 1st and major one is to cool the CPU, and yours does a good job on that. The second is to blow air down and out over the motherboard in all directions to cool MB components such as the north bridge and the power circuitry. You new cooler does NOT do that. That would fit with your problem happening under heavy load, and with it taking a few minutes (until something cooled down) for you to be able to boot again.

My guess is either your PS or a motherboard component is overheating. A new better-quality PS would fix the first, and a downdraft-style CPU cooler would fix the 2nd.

 

[bigal18]

I would recommend an "Ultra"(brand name) power supply. I have had no problems with those power supplies for quite a while, you can really feel quite a bit of air from the case come out. Just be careful that you plug the power connections slowly, they are ery hard to get in, and are not coming out once it is in.

 

[Mondoman]

While many Ultras will cause no problems, Ultra brand power supplies are low-to-medium quality and normally priced 2x what their quality would suggest. I'd stay away from them. FSP, Antec, Corsair, OCZ and especially PC Power and Cooling all make decent power supplies.