Crashing in games

[Nehkara]

My computer crashes all the time in games. It locks up and the screen gets slightly distorted and a high pitched screaming noise comes through the speakers. This also happens in complicated screensavers with sound.

I have already done the following:
Removed soundcard
Formatted and reinstalled everything
Updated all drivers
Took it to computer store(they said it was fixed, but they never tested it in a game... and it still does the exact same thing.)

I was wondering if anyone has any insight into my problem. I'm not sure what it could be but I've eliminated the soundcard and the software as being the problem.

Specs:

ECS K7S5A Motherboard
256MB PC133 SDRAM
10GB Samsung HD
4GB Quantum HD
AMD Athlon XP 1800+
GeForce4 MX440 64MB
52X Actima CDROM
Soundblaster Live! 5.1 soundcard
DSL internet
Windows 2000 professional
DirectX 8.1b
300W Powersupply

 

[Crashman]

Read my signature. 300W means nothing if nobody has certified it, I could wright 350HP on the side of my minivan and it would mean just as much.

Oh, there are some problems with nVidia's latest drivers. Go to Guru3d.com and get Detonator Destroyer to remove them, and try a 23.x or 21.x series driver.

<font color=blue>At least half of all problems are caused by an insufficient power supply!</font color=blue>

 

[Nehkara]

Well, it didn't turn out to be the powersupply... but it was a power problem. My computer was plugged into the powerbar and couldn't draw enough power with everything else also plugged into the powerbar. I plugged the computer into the wall and it works perfectly now.

 

[ejsmith2]

"couldn't draw enough power "

Christ Almighty!!!!

Even a 15amp breaker will pull 20amps before it pops. Even if your supply is rated at 400w, what the hell else did you have plugged in?!???!?!??!?!?!?!

 

[jamus34]

hehehe...Air conditioner...Microwave...Big Screen TV...Washer / Dryer combo.

Doh

Your using WHAT??? (quote from friend when I told him my PC specs)

 

[4Ryan6]

One trouble area you have, especially with games running DirectX 8 and above and Open GL, is the impotent GF4MX series video card you've got, its trouble waiting for an opportunity to happen. Look up for yourself the article thats posted in the graphics section here at THWG.