Graphics card help

[The Silence]

Ok, I just got an nvidia 9600GT card for my computer and I installed it no problems, ok, but the issue came later, im able to get on the internet fine and everything, but when i go into games like empire: total war and company of heroes, im able to play for 20 to 30 minutes and then my computer randomly shuts down, no warning, and i have no clue why, im thinking its an overheating issue, but i want to be sure before i do anything, ill supply all the info i can about my computer

HP m8400f
Windows Vista Home Premium 32 bit and also Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit
AMD Phenom 9500 quad core processor 64 bit
3 Gigs of RAM
and my current card is Nvidia 8500GT
I also have a 700 watt power supply that I got back in July
I will also note that when I have my 8500GT in the computer, my computer dosent shut down, its only with the 9600GT

 

[rolli59]

Looks like a faulty card!

 

[The Silence]

Im pretty sure its not, because i got it from my friend a week ago and it was running just fine then no problems or anything according to him

 

[rolli59]

Driver issue? Card clean? Cooling Fan spinning? Have you tried running it with the side panel off the computer for better cooling?

 

[The Silence]

Yea and it still happens, like I said, its only with higher graphical games, everything else is fine, also, it idles at 50 C and as soon as i get into a game it shoots up to anywhere from 60 C to high sixties or low seventies

 

[rolli59]

max temp according to nvidia is 105C http://www.nvidia.com/object/product_geforce_9600gt_us.html
That might leave us with driver issues or faulty card.

 

[greliu]

Hey guys, my little brother was having the same problem, but with a different card. Anyway, it turned out that it was a setting on his windows, so that when the cpu or graphics card actually hit a specific temp ( usually during gaming ) it would restart the computer. I don't know if that's your issue, but, it's a thought

 

[The Silence]

it turned out that it was a setting on his windows, so that when the cpu or graphics card actually hit a specific temp ( usually during gaming ) it would restart the computer. I don't know if that's your issue, but, it's a thought

hmm interesting, do you know how to get to the window to take a look at it?

Also, what type of faulty drivers might you be talking about

 

[greliu]

it turned out that it was a setting on his windows, so that when the cpu or graphics card actually hit a specific temp ( usually during gaming ) it would restart the computer. I don't know if that's your issue, but, it's a thought

hmm interesting, do you know how to get to the window to take a look at it?

Also, what type of faulty drivers might you be talking about

That's a good question lol, I am trying to reach him and ask how he fixed the issue. Il get back asap

 

[The Silence]

ok, thanks alot

 

[The Silence]

ok, now for some reason with my 8500GT in my computer, the computer still randomly shut down, now im thinking its a hardware failure other than the graphics card

 

[rolli59]

Could be your PSU failing or you might have a faulty stick of ram I suggest that you start by running memtest http://downloads.guru3d.com/Memtest86+-3.5-Release-download-1844.html

 

[The Silence]

but if it was the ram, I would think that I would not be able to boot and I would get a beep code indicating ram failure

 

[rolli59]

That is not the case faulty ram is a very common reason for untimely reboots. The only time I had a bad stick I had blamed it on the PSU but replacing that I still had the same issues not until running memtest I found out.