PSU and BSOD. Need some clearing up if possible?

adie273 · 11-25-2008, 08:13 AM

Hello,

I think i already have the answer to my problem, but thought i'd ask for some advice just to be sure. I use to be brilliant with computers (I don't mean that in a boastful way) and worked for a computer company doing all sorts from hardware and software to remote network admin etc, you name it we did it. but i went to the air force and after years of very little involvement with computers on the same kind of detail, i am currently trying to catch up on a few changes and things i hadn't encountered years ago, which is why i'm currently unsure.

Anyway, sorry, here's my problem....

I bought a pc little over a year ago, which i added a TV card to in order to use on an HD tv as a pc/media center. All was fine. However this week i decided i'll upgrade my graphics card, to a 512Mb nVidia 9600GT since it does what i want it too and was a decent price.

I installed it. However, with PCI express being more common place now, i noticed it needs a PCI-E 6pin power supply, which my PSU doesn't have. I was given a cable though that converts 2 4pin molex cables to the 6pin it requires. Now i only had 1 free molex plug. I thought to myself, no chance this will work, and fired it up with the belief that nothing will happen. But it worked.

It runs. Graphics are soooo much better, resolution is so much higher. I have noticed an issue though. Everything else seems ever so slightly slower. But not by much. Infact it seems to be noticable only to myself, so i figured maybe its just me.

I then noticed Vista SP1 wasn't installed on my pc, so i installed it. And my problems started. It rebooted and i got the Blue screen of death. i tried everything and nothing fixed it. So i reinstalled everything.

I chose not to install Vista SP1 incase that was the problem cause i know there has been issues with it.

Now my TV tuner card works but the IR remote thing doesn't.

That didn't bother me though. I got Fallout 3 and installed it yesterday and played it for all of 10minutes and it runs almost flawlessly. Only the odd time does it stick for just a second or 2 most.

Went to fire up my pc today and randomly got another BSOD. But this time i got a system restore option and it sorted it.

I also noticed that if i turn on my pc and then switch the TV channel to HDMI1 then i get no picture. But if i change the channel first then turn it on i get a picture, if that makes sense. Not sure if its related. It may not be.

What i was wondering, was if anyone knew what may be causing the blue screen. My theory was my PSU. The graphics card says I need 400W or more importantly 26A on the 12V rail. Mine doesn't have this. And i only noticed when i installed the card.

At first i thought, surely that would mean it shouldn't be working like it does. But then an Xbox360 still works properly when its not getting the power it is recommended to get (what with people adding intercoolers to the back etc feeding off the same power supply) albeit the xbox eventually running into trouble (RRoD). Its because of this that I have used the PC very little and as of today stopped using it until i get a new PSU. I have ordered an Antec NEO 500W which has 3x12 rails at 17A each. And i'm told you add them all up and go by around 80% of the total. Thus being about 40A. It also has the required 6pin PCI-E cable i need.

So can anyone clarify if possible if this could be my problem? It only started happening in the past couple of days since i bought this new graphics card.

I know, before anyone says, that I did do a couple of things I shouldn't have, but thanks to the Air Force my patience is quite thin and i hate waiting if i can avoid it. But since leaving it is getting better lol. I have used the pc very little since installing this card due to work commitments so if i have been using it underpowered i'll of done little or no damage hopefully.

Since all this PCI-E and new graphics cards is one of the few things in hardware that is relatively unknown to me, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

**speedster123** · 11-25-2008, 08:49 AM

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?p=PS-TP3-650&c=pw

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139005

Scotland? I dont know what retailer you would use

the video card needs some extra pop from the psu to bring it in

sp2 will take care of sp1, so just go with sp2

try and shorten the posts up, its easier to read.

adie273 · 11-25-2008, 10:49 AM

Figured that would be the problem. Thanks for the help.

11-25-2008, 08:13 AM	#1 (permalink)
adie273 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Scotland Posts: 25 OS: Vista Home Premium My System	PSU and BSOD. Need some clearing up if possible? Hello, I think i already have the answer to my problem, but thought i'd ask for some advice just to be sure. I use to be brilliant with computers (I don't mean that in a boastful way) and worked for a computer company doing all sorts from hardware and software to remote network admin etc, you name it we did it. but i went to the air force and after years of very little involvement with computers on the same kind of detail, i am currently trying to catch up on a few changes and things i hadn't encountered years ago, which is why i'm currently unsure. Anyway, sorry, here's my problem.... I bought a pc little over a year ago, which i added a TV card to in order to use on an HD tv as a pc/media center. All was fine. However this week i decided i'll upgrade my graphics card, to a 512Mb nVidia 9600GT since it does what i want it too and was a decent price. I installed it. However, with PCI express being more common place now, i noticed it needs a PCI-E 6pin power supply, which my PSU doesn't have. I was given a cable though that converts 2 4pin molex cables to the 6pin it requires. Now i only had 1 free molex plug. I thought to myself, no chance this will work, and fired it up with the belief that nothing will happen. But it worked. It runs. Graphics are soooo much better, resolution is so much higher. I have noticed an issue though. Everything else seems ever so slightly slower. But not by much. Infact it seems to be noticable only to myself, so i figured maybe its just me. I then noticed Vista SP1 wasn't installed on my pc, so i installed it. And my problems started. It rebooted and i got the Blue screen of death. i tried everything and nothing fixed it. So i reinstalled everything. I chose not to install Vista SP1 incase that was the problem cause i know there has been issues with it. Now my TV tuner card works but the IR remote thing doesn't. That didn't bother me though. I got Fallout 3 and installed it yesterday and played it for all of 10minutes and it runs almost flawlessly. Only the odd time does it stick for just a second or 2 most. Went to fire up my pc today and randomly got another BSOD. But this time i got a system restore option and it sorted it. I also noticed that if i turn on my pc and then switch the TV channel to HDMI1 then i get no picture. But if i change the channel first then turn it on i get a picture, if that makes sense. Not sure if its related. It may not be. What i was wondering, was if anyone knew what may be causing the blue screen. My theory was my PSU. The graphics card says I need 400W or more importantly 26A on the 12V rail. Mine doesn't have this. And i only noticed when i installed the card. At first i thought, surely that would mean it shouldn't be working like it does. But then an Xbox360 still works properly when its not getting the power it is recommended to get (what with people adding intercoolers to the back etc feeding off the same power supply) albeit the xbox eventually running into trouble (RRoD). Its because of this that I have used the PC very little and as of today stopped using it until i get a new PSU. I have ordered an Antec NEO 500W which has 3x12 rails at 17A each. And i'm told you add them all up and go by around 80% of the total. Thus being about 40A. It also has the required 6pin PCI-E cable i need. So can anyone clarify if possible if this could be my problem? It only started happening in the past couple of days since i bought this new graphics card. I know, before anyone says, that I did do a couple of things I shouldn't have, but thanks to the Air Force my patience is quite thin and i hate waiting if i can avoid it. But since leaving it is getting better lol. I have used the pc very little since installing this card due to work commitments so if i have been using it underpowered i'll of done little or no damage hopefully. Since all this PCI-E and new graphics cards is one of the few things in hardware that is relatively unknown to me, any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

11-25-2008, 08:49 AM	#2 (permalink)
speedster123 Mentor Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: United States-New York-Long Island Posts: 5,224 OS: xp pro SP3	Re: PSU and BSOD. Need some clearing up if possible? http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?p=PS-TP3-650&c=pw http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139005 Scotland? I dont know what retailer you would use the video card needs some extra pop from the psu to bring it in sp2 will take care of sp1, so just go with sp2 try and shorten the posts up, its easier to read. __________________ Last edited by speedster123; 11-25-2008 at 09:16 AM.

11-25-2008, 10:49 AM	#3 (permalink)
adie273 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Scotland Posts: 25 OS: Vista Home Premium My System	Re: PSU and BSOD. Need some clearing up if possible? Figured that would be the problem. Thanks for the help.