New Install: Unpredictable Reboots

[ben_patterson]

Here's the system:

Samsung DVDROM Drive
Rosewill 16x DVD Burner
Samsung Floppy

Maxtor SATA 250 GB HD

Asus P5GDC-Deluxe

1 GB Corsair PC3200 2x512 (in dual channel mode)

P4 3.0 Socket T

MSI Geforce 6600 GT PCI Express slot

Generic 400w PSU

During my install of XP SP2 last night, the PC rebooted itself in an unusual spot. After installation, I installed Drivers from CDs for all devices that were needed, rebooted, and tried installing a game. During the game's installation, the PC rebooted 2 times, for no reason.

Monitoring the temperature, everything seems to be normal, 42 Degrees Celsius for the CPU idle and around 19 for the board. I even was able to burn a DVD, just testing with no problem, and also installed and loading into another game.

Now, after the install, I changed a setting in the BIOS, to take advantage of AHCI for the Hard Drive. This is going to cause me to have to re-install XP (no biggie), but since I made that one adjustment in the BIOS, during this 2nd XP installation, the PC is rebooting like CRAZY!

I'm thinking it's probably the fault of the Generic PSU, but am curious on other's hypothesis.

I'm going to try unplugging everything non-essential tonight, and might even pull one of my sticks of RAM, in case that could be causing it. If it's still acting funny, I will pick up a branded 500 w PSU tomorrow.

TIA for any advice.

 

[nylint]

In the BIOS, what do the PSU's rail output voltages look like? Are they within a decent tolerance for their ratings?

Have you tried running just one stick of memory?
Memtest86? Test the hell out of those memory sticks if you can.

 

[MaMMa]

yea as said above, generic psu's are POSs. I recommend you check this out http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=792566

and try prime95 and memtest

 

[ben_patterson]

Running Memtest as we speak on the box...hasn't missed a lick!

I'll check the output to see what it's at for the PSU in BIOS (if I have that ability, not too sure)...

Prime 95's a new one on me, I'll see if I can d/l it...hopefully I can ISO burn it, as I'm home and have a Mac w/ no floppy.

 

[nylint]

edit: whoops, been up for awhile. made a mistake.

 

[MaMMa]

Running Memtest as we speak on the box...hasn't missed a lick!

I'll check the output to see what it's at for the PSU in BIOS (if I have that ability, not too sure)...

Prime 95's a new one on me, I'll see if I can d/l it...hopefully I can ISO burn it, as I'm home and have a Mac w/ no floppy.

prime95 is windows based. No ISO needed. its an executable file. Small as well.