Can power supplies cause FREEZES?

O

oymd

Weaksauce
Joined
Jan 19, 2003
Messages
118
I had a fresh install 4 days ago of Vista 64. Every now and then...at STARTUP ONLY...the desktop goes mosaic...and color get distorted...and PC FREEZES...

I uploaded a few pics of the FREEZE....

its either this...or a blank yellow screen....

ONLY happens at startup...never during actual use...??

Sometimes during startup...it looks like it WILL happen...and it actually happens for a FRACTION of a second...and then all goes fine???

Is this a POWER SUPPLY issue....maybe power to the Graphic card?...I am using the PCI to 2 molex connectors that came with the card....both molexes are plugged in....

The Power supply is a 420W Chieftec (came with my Antec/Chieftec) case. Its been working very well now for 5 years...



CIMG9182.jpg



CIMG9183.jpg




COULD THE REASON BE THAT THE POWER SUPPLY HAS ONLY 20 PINS AND NOT THE NEW 24 PINS

CIMG9187.jpg
 
Each pin is made to carry about 8 amps, so unless your mobo consumes more than about 32A @ +5V or 24A @ +3.3V, I seriously doubt that the problem is the 20-pin connector. But you may want to feel each around the connector to see if any pins are warm, or measure the voltages at the four unused pins (should be identical to the corresponding pins on the 20-pin connector) for excessive drop. If this is a power problem, it's more likely to be with the PSU, but I wouldn't rule ou the graphics card driver software.
 
oymd said:
Its been working very well now for 5 years...
Click to expand...

Ok.. but with this build? Is this a new build around an old power supply or did you just install Vista?

What's the build? Please list your specs.
 
If this is your power supply
http://translate.google.com/transla...ev=/search?q=Chieftec+420&start=20&hl=en&sa=N

Run, don't walk, and get something designed to output most of its power on the +12V suitable for the current motherboards and CPUS. Only about 1/2 of that 420 watt rating of your supply is available on the +12 and that is not enough for a quad and your other hardware. Listen carefully, I did not say you need a bigger supply, 500 ish watts will do the job, you just need the watts on the _12. Your supply is designed for the older generation of equipment that used a lot of 3.3 and +5. Its not that way anymore. For the equipment you have now, you are running your system on a 200w supply and is is having a difficult time. It will not live long and I suspect that after an hour of computer use the exhaust of that supply could bake a frozen pizza.

A corsair 550VX would more that meet your needs and would be sufficient if you decided to OC that CPU. If you can go the 650 you probably wont need another supply ever unless they do some really weird things in the future.

I am not usually a "you need a bigger supply " guy. But that old supply is not designed to run your equipment and it will not live long. Go get something new, now, toss that one in the closet for use as an emergency spare (not really a good idea) or for testing. Or give it to someone with an older amd or P3 system whose power supply has blown up.

edit"
his specs are under the last picture, I almost missed them too. He is running a quad (stock) and an 8800 with an OC, on a P35 with 4GB. Looks like a brand new system with a +5 year old supply. Not good.
 
JonGerow said:
Ok.. but with this build? Is this a new build around an old power supply or did you just install Vista?

What's the build? Please list your specs.
Click to expand...

Intel Core 2 Quad [email protected] on Stock cooler | Gigabyte GA-EP35-DS3L | Gigabyte GV-NX88T512HP (8800GT 512 C700/M1840/S1700) | WD Caviar SE16 WD5000AAKS 500GB | 4GB A-Data 2GBx2 DDR2 800-PC2 6400 | LG DVD-RW GH-SA-10N | Samsung SyncMaster 151P | Vista Ultimate x64 SP1 | Chieftec Tower | Chieftec 420W PS | Lacie 500GB Backup Drive

they are listed in my sig..

Thanks..
 
Ok... Then Bill is correct. You are seriously over taxing that PSU. 420W is barely enough as it is, and we're talking about an old school ATX (not ATX12V) design that precedes +12V powered CPU's and graphics cards.
 
BillParrish said:
If this is your power supply
http://translate.google.com/transla...ev=/search?q=Chieftec+420&start=20&hl=en&sa=N

Run, don't walk, and get something designed to output most of its power on the +12V suitable for the current motherboards and CPUS. Only about 1/2 of that 420 watt rating of your supply is available on the +12 and that is not enough for a quad and your other hardware. Listen carefully, I did not say you need a bigger supply, 500 ish watts will do the job, you just need the watts on the _12. Your supply is designed for the older generation of equipment that used a lot of 3.3 and +5. Its not that way anymore. For the equipment you have now, you are running your system on a 200w supply and is is having a difficult time. It will not live long and I suspect that after an hour of computer use the exhaust of that supply could bake a frozen pizza.

A corsair 550VX would more that meet your needs and would be sufficient if you decided to OC that CPU. If you can go the 650 you probably wont need another supply ever unless they do some really weird things in the future.

I am not usually a "you need a bigger supply " guy. But that old supply is not designed to run your equipment and it will not live long. Go get something new, now, toss that one in the closet for use as an emergency spare (not really a good idea) or for testing. Or give it to someone with an older amd or P3 system whose power supply has blown up.

edit"
his specs are under the last picture, I almost missed them too. He is running a quad (stock) and an 8800 with an OC, on a P35 with 4GB. Looks like a brand new system with a +5 year old supply. Not good.
Click to expand...

Yep...I agree...NEW PC..on a 5 yr old PS....NOT GOOD...

But here's the problem....Where I live...stores are not very technically informed....

You can find the latest CPUs, Mobos, Gx cards...etc...but $10 no name power supplies!!

If you want a good one like thermalright or corsair...only select shops have them...for like 5 times their retail US prices..!!

That's why I have to stick with the old PS till I travel overseas...

BTW...cant order online either...:rolleyes:
 
oymd said:
That's why I have to stick with the old PS till I travel overseas...
Click to expand...

I do not recommend that you stick with that old PSU. It may take out your parts when it dies. So get it replaced ASAP. In fact don't bother using that PC until you get that new PSU. Simply not worth the risk of losing your parts.
 
Danny Bui said:
I do not recommend that you stick with that old PSU. It may take out your parts when it dies. So get it replaced ASAP. In fact don't bother using that PC until you get that new PSU. Simply not worth the risk of losing your parts.
Click to expand...

Ok then...will go out today and get one....

These are the ones at my local stores...HEC....

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...ieldChange=Y&FieldChoose=16,15,10,14,18,21,20

I saw the HEC RAPTOR 500W the other day..:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817339021

There are also the ZEPHYR ones...they cost about $150 for the 750W here...:rolleyes:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817339002

Are ANY of these HEC PS ANY GOOD?

And BTW...what's the difference between ACTIVE vs PASSIVE PFC?

and should I get ACTIVE?

Thanks
 
None of the HEC PSUs are any good. In fact, HEC doesn't make any good PSUs any more. They use to make good PSUs in the past but not now from what I've read of them so far.

If you have the Odin 550W available, get that. It's actually a decent PSU. Dunno much about the 800W and 1200W versions though. However they are more likely to be of significantly better quality than any of the HEC units.

As for what APFC is, hit up this PSU FAQ, and read the section under "Power Factor Correction: "
http://www.jonnyguru.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1036
 
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