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So even though his graphics card says it needs a 450w psu, you guys don't think it's that? I'm asking because I'm about to get in the same boat as him, all the graphics cards I've been looking at ati 1600, geforce 7600, require a 350w psu and my computer only has a 300w. :O
I would not completely rule out the PSU being too weak. However, I would first see if cooling the system down would help(generally I don't see random shutdowns from a weak PSU). I do this at home by pulling the computer out into an open area(that is safe for it to run in) and then opening the case up and have a couple fans blowing cool air past it(note: not into it, you just want to keep as much 'warm' away from the normal fans as possible).
If it still shuts down randomly than you may conclude that the PSU might be too weak(it may be uncommon but I have seen a weak PSU cause random shutdowns once in my life).
As for keeping it cooler. Keep these in mind:
-You want easy airflow around the case.
-Don't put it towards one of your furnace registers(hot air being spat out right beside the computer = bad).
-Make sure to keep the insides and fans clean of dust. You would be surpised how much dust can increase a computer's temperature.
-Make sure you have air circulation in the room it is in(dead air doesn't really help it, though it doesn't exactly hurt it either if the air is cool).
As for the stated watts required for hardware... I tend to observe that you don't always need the 'recommended' watts to actually use the card reliably. I hear that can be awfully hard on your PSU though.
I seriously doubt a graphics card can *require* a 450W PSU. How would the manufacturer be able to tell how many other devices are present in the computer?
As for your USB devices, I think one USB port can only supply a maximum of 0.5 amperes. At 12 volts, that means 6 watts.
Cooling systems can vary in price. It is a common purchase for computer enthusiasts, so I'm sure that you'll find something you like after browsing the appropriate places.
Are you going to make an online purchase?
Yeah I was thinking of buying from here, but I don't know anything at all about cooling systems. And I really don't want to spend that much to be honest. Would it be worth getting water cooling or just putting another fan in?Quote:
Originally Posted by Roogle
I have my computer in a place where air can flow through the vents on the casing quite easily. So I'm not sure if it's that. I'd say the graphics card really generates heaps of heat, but it has it's own fan and ventilation so I'm really not sure.
It's absurd for a single GPU to require a 450W PSU. The only reason they'd say that is to protect themselves from lawsuits from people running 5 HDDs, 2 optical drives and and array of assorted PCI devices and don't realise that PSU power is distributed.
You could quite easily run that GPU on a 300W PSU. Probably lower, but to be on the safe side I wouldn't. :p
As ShunNakamura said, you'll want to improve airflow around the case. My PC has two intake fans and a large extractor fan directly above the CPU, as well as a fan attached to the heatsink of the CPU. It's important you cool down the CPU, since that is what overheats. You could also replace the heatsink on the CPU, since old thermal paste on a CPU becomes more insulating and less conductive. That's not too difficult a task, but you do need to be very careful so as not to damage the processor.
If you wanted to go one up, you could go for water cooling; there are a few fairly cheap kits around and they've gotten pretty quiet too.
Then there's vapour chill, if you want your computer to be a fridge. And if you have money to burn. :p
EDIT: While I'm on the subject, I think adding a fan should be sufficient, unless you don't have a fan on your heatsink. You might be able to find a fan to fit on your current one, but odds are you'd have to find a fan/heatsink combo. From that link you posted, I recommend something like this for a heatsink. The reason for that is that the greater the surface area of the heatsink, the more heat it will radiate and faster. Remember that radiating heat back into the case is nigh on useless, so you need to have a fan to extract the hot air from the CPU.
Well I was guessing I'd only need to spend $50AUD or so on a new fan rather than $200+ on a whole cooling system. I just want to know if they are easy to install and that it is the reason it keeps shutting down. I have cleaned out all the dust inside and on the ventilation holes, and it's got a lot of open space around it.
Umm.. you could do a n00b check. Open the case and point a normal household fan at the PC. Then see if it goes off.:DQuote:
Originally Posted by Omecle
(not recommended)
You'll easily get a case fan for $AU15. Generally, you pay for silence. The more it costs, the quieter the fan. They are very easy to install if you already have a hole for one there. If you want to place it strategically over the CPU but don't have a hole there, it's a little more complicated to case-mod your box. Personally, I wouldn't do it unless the case has a removable side panel.Quote:
Originally Posted by Omecle
You'll pay a little more for a heatsink/fan combo, but this has the advantage of removing heat directly from the processor. The hardest part is removing the old heatsink.
One more thing you should check is whether or not each fan in your case is working adequately. If you're getting funny noises from your fans, the bearings have probably gone and need replacing. Hold your hand beside it to feel the air. If it doesn't cool your hand, you might want to get a more powerful fan.
The mere fact that you mentioned you should UPGRADE to a 450 W PSU tells me you should at least do that.
Unless you have a 400 W PSU. I'm thinking you have a 350W and nobody should use something that weak :)
Why? My 340W PSU doesn't have any problems powering 4 hard drives, and it can probably power one or two more.
There's no need for an overdimensioned PSU in a regular desktop PC, so unless you're using your PSU to power your monitor (and who does that nowadays?) 350 watts should be enough for Omecle.
Though, I think I might want an additional, or a stronger PSU if i were to connect both another hard drive and a graphics card that require more power than it can draw from the AGP/PCI-E port.
Ah I see, well it didn't happen today. Tomorrow I will give the whole computer a good inside cleaning and see if that improves it at all.
Hopefully I won't have to buy anything for it.
Go with ball-bearing fans and stay way from the plain blade fans. Those are cheap and will not last you very long.Quote:
Originally Posted by o_O
I'd argue installing the new hsf is a more difficult task, of course depending on the design of the hsf and cpu. Removing my old hsf was just a matter of getting a flathead and popping the brackets up, but installing the new one required a little bit of modding to the bracket design by bending the clips. I fear the day when I have to reapply the thermal paste and have to deal with that again. :pQuote:
The hardest part is removing the old heatsink.
a 700w power supply is not a 700 what power supply. Go for a proven brand, and make damn sure its got good ampage. The power supply is the most important unit hands down. A bad PSU can destroy your comptuer in seconds. "Thermaltake" and "PC Power & Cooling" are two general companies that I can recommend from personal use. Don't ever underspend on the PSU - it is way too important.
I lost a machine to a 100 dollar power supply. Mobo, cpu, and gpu all fried. :( Thank god for newegg's policies on bunk parts. I got a replacement for all and went with a Thermaltake equivilent. runs like pie.
Strange, I don't think mine cost much more than that, seeing as my case was already fitted with a PSU, and the case probably wasn't a lot more than $150.