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Do I need a bigger psu?

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  • Computer
  • CD-Rom
  • CPUs
  • Components
Last response: in Components
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July 20, 2002 8:34:59 PM

when using 2 cd's computer shuts down, sometimes shuts down with no reason, computer is unstable

340W chieftec psu
+3.3 = 3.43
+5 = 4.82
+12 = 12.62

The fastest cpu of today will be slow on the same day next year. :mad: 

More about : bigger psu

July 20, 2002 9:01:54 PM

I do not think Chieftec makes any PSU. Many resellers just install PSUs into Chieftec Cases and some of PSUs are not very high quality. I would suggest you replace it will an Enermax PSU.
July 20, 2002 9:18:47 PM

Chieftec sells pus's, <A HREF="http://www.chieftec.com/products/psu/atx_psu.htm" target="_new">http://www.chieftec.com/products/psu/atx_psu.htm&lt;/A>
anyway, here's my comp setup:

512mb DDR
athlon xp1800+
epox 8k7a+
2 hdd's
2 fdd's
3 cd-roms
5 fans
1 soundcard audigy platinum (with internal io-panel)
1 gfII-gts
1 networkcard
1 tv-card

Is a 340W enough for this or should I take a 360W or 400W?

The fastest cpu of today will be slow on the same day next year. :mad:  <P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by zeexen on 07/20/02 11:30 PM.</EM></FONT></P>
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July 21, 2002 2:08:22 AM

Those random shutdowns are a pretty good indication of a failing power supply. You've got a lot of stuff in that rig. Get a new power supply, the biggest one you can afford. Enermax seems to be the choice of professionals.

To start press any key. Where's the "any" key? --Homer Simpson.
July 21, 2002 2:51:50 AM

Thank for the information. I did not know Chieftec actually make their own PSU.
July 21, 2002 3:40:36 AM

It is definitely your power supply. Epox has been known to have some lower performing power regulation/capacitors on their mainboards that are reliable. This, along with the low wattage on your PSU will combine to do exactly as you describe. With such a limited amount of power, your computer also becomes further sensitive to voltage fluctuations.

This little cathode light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine!
July 21, 2002 11:43:49 AM

Thanks everybody.

I'll buy a 400W psu, (redundant if price is exaptable)
Next year i'll buy the opteron (dual??), so I guess I will need a big psu.

The fastest cpu of today will be slow on the same day next year. :mad: 
July 25, 2002 4:21:23 PM

I would go for broke if you're planning to go dual with the PSU you buy.

430W or 500W and you never think about it again.

<b><font color=blue>~ What do you mean "It isn't working!"...Now where's my sonic screwdriver? ~ </font color=blue></b>
July 26, 2002 7:08:58 AM

Take particular note of the 5 volt rail spec's when you are checking out PSU's, the epox 8k7a+ is a power hog on this rail.
I had this board with 5 drives spinning at startup and sometimes I had to do a warm reset to ensure the drives were running at full speed before the initial post, otherwise it would suffer from lack of power to boot.

Good luck.


<A HREF="http://www.btvillarin.com/phpBB/index.php" target="_new">Want real help?</A>
July 26, 2002 9:42:37 AM

Hey... be careful about those warm resets. They cause sharp power spikes due to your "warming it up" and over time it will cause your capacitors to burn up and ooze and eventually lose some of their capacitance.

I had this happen to an Abit and an Epox of mine. Funny, cause these two companies are the <i>exact same</i> companies that were criticized for having poor power regulation on some of their mainboards.

This little cathode light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine!
July 26, 2002 9:53:54 AM

Yeah?
Prolly explains why my 8k7a+ died a silent and uneventful death :frown: . So my thoughts would be to have a big wattage PSU powering the Epox board and minimise the drives.
July 27, 2002 7:40:09 PM

Will the Opteron eat more power?
With the K6-II a 250W psu was enough (for me)
with the Athlon XP a 360/400W PSU
with the opteron .....???

The fastest cpu of today will be slow on the same day next year. :mad: 
July 28, 2002 6:24:35 AM

Everything in your system uses more power than normal when it's powering up. If the PSU can't deliver that huge power spike when starting up your computer, warm reboots are a necessity. The first failed boot essentially fills up the capacitors in your mainboard, graphics card, etc., and the second boot, if done quickly enough after the first one, can then use the stored up power to jump-start your computer. 5 modern IDE hard drives, on startup, can take as much as 125W of power.

In a TV news report someone once said that turning your computer on too many times reduces its lifespan. Don't know if this is true...<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by cakecake on 07/28/02 06:49 AM.</EM></FONT></P>
July 28, 2002 11:07:53 AM

Don't know.

If anyone does, I'd appreciate a link to the source.

<b><font color=blue>~ BIOS SETTINGS: Fast, Hot, Unstable...That ought to work. ~</font color=blue></b> :wink:
July 28, 2002 10:35:53 PM

I've got the same MB but my problem is only during heavy load on my GeForce 4 that I just got, then my PSU overloads with a screaming nice or a reboot (like halfway through 3D-mark 2000 (2001 works fine)). But my 300W PSU seems to be underpowered on the 3.3V rail couse it says 3.3V-14A and 5V-30A and compared to other 300W PSU's my 3.3V is realy low and 5V seems to be normal.
Anyway it seems that different MB's use 5V or 3.3V differently and I've found no info about this anywhere. Mayby time someone at THG looked into this and made an article to clear things out ?
About the power surge that you have during startup I can tell you that it's not the total wattage that's most important but the actual size of the capacitors inside the PSU (who are being drained when to many things consumes too much power at once). I don't know if there is a start up delay circuit available on the market for this purpous but if you find one then it might help.
I sure would go for a quality PSU istead of lots of fake Watts anyway as it seems this W-indication is more or less the same you see when you're looking at amplifiers (it's only a matter of twisting the numbers).

If you actually find a nice solution please let me know.
Good luck
Henrik
!