I wasn't to mention this, but it keeps happening now. I have a problem that periodically, usually mid-game my computer goes blackscreen and then reboots. I'm guessing, given the timing that my graphics card is either over-heating or drawing too much power.

 

Thoughts?

Before I got my 650 watt power supply I had a 350 Watt and my computer did the same thing after I installed my Radeon X1900, so it could be power supply issues. Also it did it when I put the graphic settings too high. If your settings are too high, it could mean the graphics card is indeed getting too hot or basically saying "SCREW YOU." What's the wattage of your PSU?

My sister had this problem on her PC and it turned out the Graphics Card was overheating, so that would be my first guess...

Sounds like overheating to me. First thing I suggest you do is open up the case and clean the fan on the video card. While you are at it you should do the same thing to the CPU fan.

That happened to me a week ago. Getting the thick layer of dust out of the CPU cooler lowered its temperature by 20

Last time I had this it was power supply due to installing a new card. If it was overheating, I'd think you'd see some sort of artifacting beforehand. Or at least occasionally.

Don't rule out bad RAM. I made that mistake once.

 

You could use this opportunity to build one of them relatively cheap "hot rods". I bet you could knock that price down below $800 at least if you salvage parts from your old rig.

Edited August 20, 200718 yr by Pop

Since cleaning should be pretty straightforward, I will now give that a try.

Right, I've cleaned it, but I haven't time to pay games till this evening.

No problems at the moment. But no long sessions of gameplay so far either.

If the problem persists immediately after a crash (and reboot) then it's probably due to heat.

 

You might also check the voltage on the graphics card rail (what is that again? the V

well, i got a good one with the antec case i bought, but of course, it was an antec tru-power supply which i've had good luck with.

 

i'm with meta on your problem, btw.

 

taks

Ditto what Taks Meta and Sand said. I had that same problem with Oblivion and my new NVIDIA 8800. I replaced the 400W PS with a 600W and its been fine ever since.

me gots a nifty new 650W antec now.

 

i think i've posted on this before, but the modular cables that came with it are actually a pain. none of them are 1-1, so you still end up with a mess of cables hanging around because everything needs its own cable these days... sigh.

 

taks

Computers don't need more power! That's a conspiracy and myth. Telling people that computers have to draw more power is just the government's way of taxing video games and the internet!

Edited August 30, 200718 yr by Tale

Higher power consumption is always good. Buy the PSU with the highest wattage (if that word exists)! No, I mean, just look at the crazy numbers on nowadays vacuum cleaners - our new cheap 1600W cleaner doesn't clean better than our old 800W...

BTT, does your PC seem healthy again, Walsingham?

Thanks for asking, samm. It certainly seems that way. I had to scrape a lot of dust out, but far less than I expected. I'll be keeping an eye on her as time goes by.

This is why no-one should use a came-with-the-case PSU ...

Not true. Buy a case from a respected manufacturer like Antec and you're good to go without worries.

 

I just bought the Antec Sonata III for my girlfriend. It comes with a pre-installed Antec EarthWatts 500W PSU.

You bought a pcu with the cast attached. :D

Edited August 31, 200718 yr by Cantousent