Possible power supply issue?

[marvler]

When I start up this computer it starts the self test (I see the lights on the disc drives come on) then it shuts down and starts all over again. I have been told that this is a possible power supply issue (underpowered) or maybe a mobo fail. Did not do this until I installed a BFG Nvidia 260. When I first installed the card it did this but then seemed to "clear up" from the problem after a couple of "recovered from a serious error" msgs and ran fine for a day. This is a friends computer but I built it 2 years ago and virtually no problems til now. Computer was extremely dirty with nicotine laden dirt and dust clogging fans and entire insides when I got it to put in the card which i cleaned all out and got it looking like new again. Has a 650W power supply in an Antec 900 case, 5 fans, 2 disc drives, 2G Ram, MSI P5N mobo, Intel core 2 Duo. Any opinions or ideas??

 

[jsc]

I do not know how many times I have said this here , one of the basic rules of troubleshooting is: when something wrong after you change a component, try to back up to the last known good configuration.

Put the old video card back in. What happens?

You also need to post complete specs. What kind of PSU? CPU?

What's bad? PSU - possibly. Motherboard? Maybe. CPU? Possible, but not likely. What's the one component you changed? Yep, the 260. Did you test that in another computer to make sure that you are installing a known good part?

 

[shortstuff_mt]

+1 to jsc's comments.

The "READ before posting about boot problems!" sticky at the top of the forum is also a pretty good place to start.

 

[marvler]

OK -- sorry about being vague.

PSU -- ANTEC TP 3650 650W - 3 12V rails
CPU -- INTEL core 2 Duo E6750
MoBo -- Asus P5N-E SLI
Memory -- Corsair XMS2 PC2-6400 -- 2x1G
HardDrive -- WD Caviar Blue 500GB

Am going to try the switchout now back to the old graphics card, but we were replacing that because of a possible failure so not quite sure how this will test out. nVidia site says min 500w for this card. I don't think the PSU is bad but maybe that I am overloading it??

 

[marvler]

Just read the sticky and thanks -- didn't see that as I went to the quick post and didn't realize that there was one! <sorry> QQ going back to troubleshoot and will be back for additional questions if they come up. Thanks guys!