[crytek21]

I am having computer lockups and I have to use the power button to turn off my PC. I recently installed a EVGA 8800GT and i'm using the EVGA drivers, should I be using the Nvidia drivers? I also installed a sound blaster extreme gamer sound card with the latest drivers and a new processor. The e6600 2.4GHZ which is compatible with my motherboard and is not overheating. what could be causing the lockups? I think it is most likely the video card drivers. Please help!!!!

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How big is your power supply? (info printed on the PSU itself if you take the side of the case off)
As in how many watts, not width times height times depth...

[Neil Jones]

How big is your power supply? (info printed on the PSU itself if you take the side of the case off)
As in how many watts, not width times height times depth...

[crytek21]

Its a Retail Plus 465 Watt PSU. It should be plenty big enough for a single 8800GT

[dogfood]

You know, my machine is doing something very similar. It's my second build and I've had almost 13 months, but a week ago, it started freezing randomly. Sometimes after a couple hours of operating, sometimes right after start. There is no rhyme or obvious reason. I'm running SpeedFan and the temps are not unusual (since it freezes hard, the last recorded temps are still sitting there). I tested the memory and it is not indicating a flaw.

It will freeze prior to logging on, in safe mode, and even when booting from the Windows CD. I have not flashed my BIOS, but I don't see how that's going to help, anyway.

MB: Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3R
Processor: Intel E6550
Mem: 1GBx2 KST KHX6400
Video: EVGA 8800 GTS 320MB
HD: Seagate 320G SATA
Power: Antec 500w
Optical: Sony DVR-DRU-830A
Case: Antec Sonata III Quiet

Edited by dogfood, 08 September 2008 - 09:49 AM.

[Neil Jones]

465w could a bit low for an 8800 card bearing in mind the card can use up to 400w on its own.
Check the amps on the +12v rail (usually printed on the side of the PSU unit itself), should be at least 24A if not ore. More than one 12v rail, add the figures together. Same to the other poster.

[dogfood]

I have noticed, running SpeedFan, is that my voltages are as follows:

Vcore1: 1.15V
Vcore2: 1.89V
+3.3V: 3.26V
+5V: 4.87V
+12V: 2.18V <--- I've seen it as low as 0.96V
-12V: -16.97V
-5V: -5.76V
+5V: 5.16V
Vbat: 3.28V

Is this an indicator that my Power Supply is bad?

Also, how much power do I really need?

Edited by dogfood, 10 September 2008 - 08:23 AM.

[Neil Jones]

Speedfan reports what its told and will quite regularly give erroneous readings in various areas. If you really had such an issue with the +12v rail you wouldn't get as far as you have now bearing in mind +12v powers up effectively the entire system. More reliable figures are typically found in the BIOS under the section Hardware Monitor or PC Health or similar.

As to how big you need - I'd argue 465w isn't enough but that being said, as I stated previously, more depends on the amperage than the wattage output.

[dogfood]

Thanks. I'll give a gander into those. It's just odd that things have just started acting up after 13 months of smoothness.

(mine's 500W, btw)

[Jonesey]

Just a thought.

Have you examined the state of your fans recently?

13 months of use is a lot and a build up of dust is inevitable so cleaning your fans COULD solve your problem.

And the fins on your heatsink(s).

[happyrock]

dogfood...you need to start your own thread..

crytek21...can you give us the actual make and model # of your power supply...
I can't find anything about Retail Plus 465 Watt

Edited by happyrock, 11 September 2008 - 07:30 AM.