PC Question

[sandawgk5]

Not 4x4 tech but here it goes. My PC keeps shutting down for no particular reason and I can hear the fans surging. I think my Power supply is going out. It is a 400W I run a AMD athlon XP 1700+ processor with windows XP and a Geforce 5600 AGP card. I also have a 60 Gig 7200 RPM HD (western Digital) and 2 CD drives one is a burner. I also have 2 80mm ball bearing case fans Someone told me that the 400W is the bare minimum for what I have. Is this true? What size and brand should I get? I found an Antec 650W for aboot $150 is this good? I can build one but I am not to good on the power requirements and I would rather have too much than not enough but would also like to keep it economical.

Give me your opinions on power supply size, brand and anything else you might be helpful with.

And if this is in the wrong spot get bent.

Ira

 

[84zz4ss]

750 watts would be a min. if you plan on adding anything else. as for brands...there are so many out there it's hard to say.

 

[sandawgk5]

750 watts would be a min. if you plan on adding anything else. as for brands...there are so many out there it's hard to say.

Wow I guess I am underpowered. How are things in the Panhandle?

Ira

 

[84zz4ss]

Things are pretty good.. How about you on the left coast? I may pm you some questions about the left coast happenings.

 

[sandawgk5]

Things are pretty good.. How about you on the left coast? I may pm you some questions about the left coast happenings.

Going OK it is cold here lately like 28-31 in the mornings. Other than that just the usual liberal ****

Ira

 

[garlicbreath]

750 watts!!! WOW!!!
I have a dual Xeon with 3 15000rpm scsi drives, a 300gig maxtor, 2 dvd drives, 3 case fans, an ati 9800 card with a fan, and I am "only" running the stock 600 watt dell power supply and it runs fine.
400 watts should be fine.

 

[lak2004]

It could be your graphics card, I had the same problem with my comp and I bought a 500 watt power but it turned out to be my GEForce crap graphics card. As soon as I pulled that out, my comp hasnt had any problems. I work at Best Buy and some of our Geek Squad guys said to not buy NVidia and to get PNY instead, but if you registered your graphics card and that is the problem they do have a lifetime warranty and you just have to call tech support. And you dont NEED a 700 watt power supply either, that is just overkill for what you are running.

 

[sandawgk5]

It could be your graphics card, I had the same problem with my comp and I bought a 500 watt power but it turned out to be my GEForce crap graphics card. As soon as I pulled that out, my comp hasnt had any problems. I work at Best Buy and some of our Geek Squad guys said to not buy NVidia and to get PNY instead, but if you registered your graphics card and that is the problem they do have a lifetime warranty and you just have to call tech support. And you dont NEED a 700 watt power supply either, that is just overkill for what you are running.

It is a PNY Geforce card. I might just change it out to a cheap ATI card. I dont game anymore so I dont need a graphics intensive card for the net. I have no video on my motherboard so I need a video card.

Ira

 

[SLOK5]

750 watts would be a min. if you plan on adding anything else. as for brands...there are so many out there it's hard to say.

UM A bit of an over kill there......

 

[sandawgk5]

OOPS I have an EVGA card not a PNY card. Maybe it is the card as the problem started around the time I swapped cards man that sucks. I thought my PS had just given up do to the draw on it. I guess I will find a cheap video card and swap it out.

Ira

 

[sandawgk5]

I think I will put an ATI all-in-wonder and make it a TV at the same time. Anyone have any experience with any on them?

Ira