Random Shut Downs

talkshowhost · Jan 14, 2004, 02:45 PM

Hi,

My computer keeps shutting down suddenly when i play any games on it and after it done this it needs powered off and then rebooted again before working. Im certain that this is not heat related that is causing the shut downs.

I did have this problem before and it was solved by going down a power supply (400 - 350) unfortunately i don't have the means to do that at the moment. That was when i was using and MX440 graphics card. I changed my card to a radeon 9600pro and i changed the power supply back to 400W and it was working properly. I then changed my graphics card to a 9600XT and these problems have resurfaced again.

Does anyone have any suggestions on getting my computer working properly again? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Logla · Jan 14, 2004, 02:54 PM

what is the make and model of the psu and how many devices do you have attached to it (sound cards, number of memory sticks, hard disks,CD-ROMs etc etc)

swimtech · Jan 14, 2004, 02:56 PM

I hate to say it because you don't have the means at the moment, but it does look like a power supply issue (the unit just cuts off - dead - no display - no fans - no hard drive noise - in the middle of gaming - right?).

What else is in your system?

talkshowhost · Jan 14, 2004, 03:05 PM

Yep everything switches off.

Compuer Specs:

Chaintech Apogee Deluxe M/Board
Athlon XP 2.2 CPU & Heatsink
SB LIve 5.1 Souncard
Ethernet Crad (PCI)
2 x 512 2100 DDR Ram
Modem (PCI)
Sapphire Radeon 9600XT

Everthing connected to PSU:

CDRW & DVD
MAinboard
Front LED's
Exhaust Fan on Side of caes
1 Caes fan in case
Heatsink on CPU
Hard drive plus fan in hard drive cooler (Cooldrive 3)
Floopy disk
LED in case

At the moment i disconnected the 2 case fans and the LED inside case to see if that made a difference and it still shuts down.

What would be a reasonable pwer supply for above computer if i need to buy a new one??

dorkz · Jan 14, 2004, 03:07 PM

I'm currently having EXACTLY the same problems. I've tried many things and no it isnt memory, cpu temp, motherboard temp, ATI drivers. Well for me that is. I since found out my PSU is weak and I'm getting a new one.

talkshowhost · Jan 14, 2004, 03:10 PM

Does the 9600XT draw a lot more power than before its just that i have a similar set up to you and my problem before with my MX440 was solved by going down a power supply and it was all working fine with a 9600pro with the Q-tec dual fanned 400W PSU

dorkz · Jan 14, 2004, 03:13 PM

dude... i have a qtec 400w! and an 9600XT and yes it does draw a hell of alot of power. I think your best bet is to do what im doing!

toddsmack2k · Jan 14, 2004, 03:16 PM

Its not so much the max wattage as it is the quality of the watts from a PSU. Such as how stable are the rails and do they flucuate much?

talkshowhost · Jan 14, 2004, 03:17 PM

More money down the pan.

What sort of power supply are u considering - The last time i went up one it blew up my motherboard which i really don't want to do again.

Can anyone suggets why the problems went away last time by going down a PSU?

dorkz · Jan 14, 2004, 03:21 PM

Me and Neon spent a night trying to sort my problem out. Some of the rails on the PSU are weak indeed. Im getting an Antec True Power 430W much better quality.

Send it back if you only just bought it, tell them it's causing system problems. Thats what i done - which is true really!

toddsmack2k · Jan 14, 2004, 03:22 PM

Could be because it was a better quality PSU and it provided a more stable current. Just a thought.

swimtech · Jan 14, 2004, 03:23 PM

Manufacturer's power supply ratings have to be taken with a grain (or a bucketload in some cases) of salt - they have been historically inaccurate. The 350 you switched to from the 400 may have actually provided more power.

The 9600XT does draw a relatively large amount of power in comparison with other video cards (with the exception of ATI's and Nvidia's highest end cards) and therefore requires more power than any of your previous video cards have to run well.

Others here at Driverheaven have had problems with Q-tec supplies.

WildChild · Jan 14, 2004, 04:20 PM

400/450/500 should be sufficient....Antec makes a good psu as well as Enermax,Lil more expensive but worth the money spent.

The_Neon_Cowboy · Jan 14, 2004, 04:53 PM

also make sure you have the latest bios/firmware and drivers for all your stuff

Danhill · Jan 14, 2004, 04:59 PM

I also had the same probelm, I had a Q-Tec power supply 400W and when upgrading my PC then everytime I started a game or a benchmark the system shutted down. I then switched to an Antec 300W PSU and the problem was gone. I am going to buy a new PSU because I don't think that 300 W is enough, my system is: P4 2,4C HT, R9800Pro, 1GB DDR 400

Jan 14, 2004, 02:45 PM	#1
talkshowhost DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 92 Rep Power: 0	Random Shut Downs Hi, My computer keeps shutting down suddenly when i play any games on it and after it done this it needs powered off and then rebooted again before working. Im certain that this is not heat related that is causing the shut downs. I did have this problem before and it was solved by going down a power supply (400 - 350) unfortunately i don't have the means to do that at the moment. That was when i was using and MX440 graphics card. I changed my card to a radeon 9600pro and i changed the power supply back to 400W and it was working properly. I then changed my graphics card to a 9600XT and these problems have resurfaced again. Does anyone have any suggestions on getting my computer working properly again? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Jan 14, 2004, 02:56 PM	#3
swimtech HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: North Carolina Posts: 4,040 Rep Power: 124 System Specs	I hate to say it because you don't have the means at the moment, but it does look like a power supply issue (the unit just cuts off - dead - no display - no fans - no hard drive noise - in the middle of gaming - right?). What else is in your system? __________________ It's not so much getting your way that matters or not - what matters is how you go about getting it.

Jan 14, 2004, 03:16 PM	#8
toddsmack2k It Never..... Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Kentucky Posts: 3,173 Rep Power: 0	Its not so much the max wattage as it is the quality of the watts from a PSU. Such as how stable are the rails and do they flucuate much? __________________ [color=blue]*Bleeding From the Inside Pouring Out, The* *DriverHeaven* Spiral, We Shall Never Let Go Of.[/color]

Jan 14, 2004, 03:22 PM	#11
toddsmack2k It Never..... Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Kentucky Posts: 3,173 Rep Power: 0	Could be because it was a better quality PSU and it provided a more stable current. Just a thought. __________________ [color=blue]*Bleeding From the Inside Pouring Out, The* *DriverHeaven* Spiral, We Shall Never Let Go Of.[/color]

Jan 14, 2004, 03:23 PM	#12
swimtech HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: North Carolina Posts: 4,040 Rep Power: 124 System Specs	Manufacturer's power supply ratings have to be taken with a grain (or a bucketload in some cases) of salt - they have been historically inaccurate. The 350 you switched to from the 400 may have actually provided more power. The 9600XT does draw a relatively large amount of power in comparison with other video cards (with the exception of ATI's and Nvidia's highest end cards) and therefore requires more power than any of your previous video cards have to run well. Others here at Driverheaven have had problems with Q-tec supplies. __________________ It's not so much getting your way that matters or not - what matters is how you go about getting it.

Jan 14, 2004, 02:54 PM	#2
Logla HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 3,311 Rep Power: 0	what is the make and model of the psu and how many devices do you have attached to it (sound cards, number of memory sticks, hard disks,CD-ROMs etc etc)

Jan 14, 2004, 03:05 PM	Thread Starter #4
talkshowhost DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 92 Rep Power: 0	Yep everything switches off. Compuer Specs: Chaintech Apogee Deluxe M/Board Athlon XP 2.2 CPU & Heatsink SB LIve 5.1 Souncard Ethernet Crad (PCI) 2 x 512 2100 DDR Ram Modem (PCI) Sapphire Radeon 9600XT Everthing connected to PSU: CDRW & DVD MAinboard Front LED's Exhaust Fan on Side of caes 1 Caes fan in case Heatsink on CPU Hard drive plus fan in hard drive cooler (Cooldrive 3) Floopy disk LED in case At the moment i disconnected the 2 case fans and the LED inside case to see if that made a difference and it still shuts down. What would be a reasonable pwer supply for above computer if i need to buy a new one??

Jan 14, 2004, 03:07 PM	#5
dorkz Striving to overcome Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 100 Rep Power: 0	I'm currently having EXACTLY the same problems. I've tried many things and no it isnt memory, cpu temp, motherboard temp, ATI drivers. Well for me that is. I since found out my PSU is weak and I'm getting a new one.

Jan 14, 2004, 03:10 PM	Thread Starter #6
talkshowhost DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 92 Rep Power: 0	Does the 9600XT draw a lot more power than before its just that i have a similar set up to you and my problem before with my MX440 was solved by going down a power supply and it was all working fine with a 9600pro with the Q-tec dual fanned 400W PSU

Jan 14, 2004, 03:13 PM	#7
dorkz Striving to overcome Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 100 Rep Power: 0	dude... i have a qtec 400w! and an 9600XT and yes it does draw a hell of alot of power. I think your best bet is to do what im doing!

Jan 14, 2004, 03:17 PM	Thread Starter #9
talkshowhost DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 92 Rep Power: 0	More money down the pan. What sort of power supply are u considering - The last time i went up one it blew up my motherboard which i really don't want to do again. Can anyone suggets why the problems went away last time by going down a PSU?

Jan 14, 2004, 03:21 PM	#10
dorkz Striving to overcome Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 100 Rep Power: 0	Me and Neon spent a night trying to sort my problem out. Some of the rails on the PSU are weak indeed. Im getting an Antec True Power 430W much better quality. Send it back if you only just bought it, tell them it's causing system problems. Thats what i done - which is true really!

Jan 14, 2004, 04:20 PM	#13
WildChild I'm Still Watching Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: New Jersey,U.S.A. Posts: 1,068 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	400/450/500 should be sufficient....Antec makes a good psu as well as Enermax,Lil more expensive but worth the money spent. __________________ Knowledge is SCARY,Stupidity is REALLY frightening

Jan 14, 2004, 04:53 PM	#14
The_Neon_Cowboy HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 16,009 Rep Power: 92 System Specs	also make sure you have the latest bios/firmware and drivers for all your stuff __________________

Jan 14, 2004, 04:59 PM	#15
Danhill DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Sweden Posts: 4,112 Rep Power: 0	I also had the same probelm, I had a Q-Tec power supply 400W and when upgrading my PC then everytime I started a game or a benchmark the system shutted down. I then switched to an Antec 300W PSU and the problem was gone. I am going to buy a new PSU because I don't think that 300 W is enough, my system is: P4 2,4C HT, R9800Pro, 1GB DDR 400