PSU at 7.v
I've been having problems with computer slowdowns. After playing a high quality game for about 20 minutes the computer begins to slow down and the game I was playing suddenly takes up 100% CPU and the frames drop to about 10FPS. All I need to do is restart the comp and its back to normal, but again, after playing for a few minutes the computer slows down again.
I was frustrated and thought my video card was overheated, so I bought a 6800GT, but that didnt solve the problem. (Perfect play until after 20 minutes again)
I recently used a hardware monitering utility called "SpeedFan," and these were the results of my PSU voltages:
+3.3V: 3.1v
+5V: 5.1v
+12V: 7-8-9V
The voltage that was supposed to be +12 was fluctuating constantly from 7.8 to 8.45 to 9.8 to 10 and back down and back up.
This is insanely low right? So I think i have identified my problem here. Having a low powersupply like that causes the computer Slowdown problems I was having as described above right? Also, this slowdown problem only began a few months ago, So I guess my PSU just died out?
All I want are comments and confirmation about my questions and findings. I'm not too knowledged in computer PSU's so excuse me.
I was frustrated and thought my video card was overheated, so I bought a 6800GT, but that didnt solve the problem. (Perfect play until after 20 minutes again)
I recently used a hardware monitering utility called "SpeedFan," and these were the results of my PSU voltages:
+3.3V: 3.1v
+5V: 5.1v
+12V: 7-8-9V
The voltage that was supposed to be +12 was fluctuating constantly from 7.8 to 8.45 to 9.8 to 10 and back down and back up.
This is insanely low right? So I think i have identified my problem here. Having a low powersupply like that causes the computer Slowdown problems I was having as described above right? Also, this slowdown problem only began a few months ago, So I guess my PSU just died out?
All I want are comments and confirmation about my questions and findings. I'm not too knowledged in computer PSU's so excuse me.
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Comments
Lastly, When it comes down to actually changing my PSU, is it a matter of simply unscrewing and pulling out the unit, and exchanging it with a new one, replugging in all the parts that were attached, and then screwing it back on? As simple as installing a new video card..."plug and play."
Which PSU do you guys reccomend? I have:
CPU 2.40GHz, 523,760KB RAM, 6800GT 256MB
a PSU that doesnt cost much, yet offers a lot for the buck.
This one seems alright: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817153006
Comments on all of the above? I apologize for the series of complete noob-like questions, But we've all been at this stage once
When you ask if this could cause games to act weird, all I can tell you is that it's remarkable that your computer runs at all.
Yes, you need a new PSU. The one you linked to looks fine.
Yep. It's that easy.
There are four screws which hold the PSU in the case. Make sure you remove and reinstall the right ones.
The only other question we need to ask is what brand of computer you have. 99% of them take a stock PSU. On the other hand, if you have a Dell...
When you're playing a game, do you often have problems with the computer locking up, shutting down, or just crashing out of the application? I find it hard to believe the voltages are REALLY that low without the computer shutting off. If you're not having these problems, it might be worth your while to pick up a cheap digital VOM at Home Depot or somewhere (they go for around $12).
Thesmj, I've never had any problems as serious as to that extent, but the computer slowingdown is rendering any game unplayable. But are you saying having a voltage this low could really cause extreme permanent damage later on if the problem persists? I've had this slow-down problem for a few months now, but I should be getting a new PSU very soon.
That makes me wonder if your motherboard sensors are reporting the voltage much lower than it really is (which always happens to some extent). If I were you, I'd spend the money on a cheap voltmeter and check it with that. it's very easy to do, and could save you money if your PSU is decent.
Which brings me to another question: What brand/wattage PSU do you have? Does the PSU's label state the max amp. for each rail?
What game is it that causes the slow downs for you? Do other games behave the same way?
I'll let TheSmJ speak for himself (EDIT: He did, while I was typing
Ask yourself this question:
If the 120V current in your house was varying between 70 and 90 Volts, would you feel comfortable running your TV, Stereo, Computer, or even a toaster off of it? You are taking the same risk with all the parts inside your computer right now.
Grab a PSU with at >20A on the 12v rail. (Or one with Dual 18A 12v rails)
As a starting point.....Nvidia recommends 12v@26A for a single 7800GTX and 12v@34A for a 7800GTX SLI config
There's some good info in here...
Power supply guide for DFI Ultra/SLI Motherboards
Profdlp, very good points. Helps me understand the full blown maximity of this problem here
Omega65, Very very helpful source there. However, pretty much all the links there are dead.
Again, I'm no expert regarding PSU's and such, So can you guys help me find a specific one that fits my specifications? Again, I'm packing a:
-CPU 2.40GHz, 523,760KB RAM, 6800GT 256MB
-Serious Gaming
-Frequent computer user
One preferable under $100 dollars would be nice.
The PSU I have linked in my first post will be just what you need.
Are you sure you're not just running the games with too high a detail and rez? Name a specific game you're having trouble with, post the detail/resolution settings you use, and what FPS reading you get.
Do you play Half Life 2? If so, I could send you a demo, and you could bench it on your card and can compare it to mine (I also have a 6800 GT).
If you control Delete out and view the cpu usages, the game is using up 100 percent cpu all of a sudden. This goes for all games. Farcry, Doom3, Pacific Fighters, LOMAC, FEAR, ect.
The PSU you linked me looks great, but just for the heck of it, can you find anymore psu's that are more than fit for serious gaming, yet under 100 bucks?
My setup is an amd x2 4400, 2gb Corsair XMS Pro, Asus A8n SLi, and 2 geforce 7800 gtx's.
The only problem with mine is that about about 8 hours or so I lose about 50% of my fps. After a restart, it is good to go, but drops slowly after about a night's sleep. When I first start the comp, the cs stress test gives me about 168 fps at 1280 x 1024 everything max, 4x aa and 8x AF, and after the night I get about 125-130 fps at the same settings. I have the enermax 600w Noisetaker, and ordered a new one BEFORE reading this post becasue I figured it was a PSU problem. (originally thought it was a memory leak, but after switching to some other ram it still persisted)
After reading this post I am almsot certain it is a PSU problem, and this post kind of reassured me.
One thing I did notice was that in 3dmark05, my scores stayed teh SAME, even though in games it dropped. Pklease test that too.