Max load for a Dell 230W PSU?

the_syco

Hi,
Having a few problems with my system. Its a Dell, plus one or two additions.

Whats in it @ the mo: SoundBlaster Live, GeForce4, HDD*2, Floppy Drive, DVD-ROM, DVD+CD writer.

I'm trying to put a x700pro (which, unlike the GeForce4, needs a power lead) and an Audigy 2 ZS into it, but if the x700pro is installed, it doesn't boot up.

Now, the odd thing is, is that it worked initally, for a day and a bit, and I was able to run BF2 on it, with no problems. Then, after the day and abit, it just froze. Upon restart, the monitor wouldn't go on. I've checked all the connections (inside and outside of the PC), but nothing seems to be wrong. I've since put back the old graphics card, and it boots normally.

So: my question is: what could be causing this? I've thought it may have been lack of power, but as it has run for a day and a bit, with no problems, I don't think its this. Also, I've tried booting without the optical dives (DVD, DVD+CD writer), but the monitor still won't come on.

Finally, I don't know whether or not its the graphics card, as the odd time (once in 5 try's), it has booted, somtimes only the BIOS screen is shown for 20 or seconds before the monitor goes off, or sometimes it'd get as far as the screen where you'd see the "Windows 2000" logo, and then it would freeze.

Any helpfull hints, or sugestions, would be nice.

Gone West

I assume you mean 230W.
Just buy a 400W. They aint that expensive, syco.

leeroybrown

If you do buy a replacement PSU make sure that it will fit in your particular Dell model first. Dell PC's can be a tad proprietary when it comes to such things.

the_syco

FuzzyLogic wrote:

I assume you mean 230W.
Just buy a 400W. They aint that expensive, syco.

Had a "Q-TEC PSU 450WP DUAL FAN GOLD" lying around, so I tried it with that. It boot up, but when it got to the screen with the "Windows 2000" logo on it, the monitor went off (by the way, when I say "the monitor goes off", I mean that the screen goes black, and the activity LED goes from green to orange).

Looks like it may be the graphics card, so I'm going to try the card out on my test build, and if I get the same problems, I'll know its the graphics card.

the_syco

the_syco wrote:

Looks like it may be the graphics card, so I'm going to try the card out on my test build, and if I get the same problems, I'll know its the graphics card.

OK, so I tried the graphics card out on a test build (mATX 478 mobo, 2*6G HDD's, DVD-ROM drive), which had the 450WP power supply unit on it. No workie. At all. So I'm pretty dure its the card, now, since I've checked everything out. And yes, I did connect the power cable to the card on all the tests. Ah well.

the_syco

[TiG]Valen wrote:

Move the jumpers beside the CMOS too SYCO, it resets everything.

Took out the battery, did that, booted it, left it on for 20 seconds (screen was still blank), and switched it off. Put the battery back in and moved the switch back to the "keep data" position, and booted the PC. It showed the BIOS screen, then when it went onto the next screen, it froze and locked up (I left it for a few minutes, but nothing happened, and the keyboard was locked out). Upon reboot, it showed a blank screen.

I waited a few minutes, and then tried again, this time it booted. I went into BIOS, and found out that it only detects a 64MB AGP Aperture size, instead of the 128MB.

In the time it took to write the last paragraph, the PC has locked up again. Thus it seems that with the x700pro installed in the machine, it only lasts for a minute or two, before it locks up, and freezes. The fan from the card is still going, so it is recieving power.

Irishpimpdude

When you installed the drivers did you uninstall the drivers for your old gfx card?

the_syco

Irishpimpdude wrote:

When you installed the drivers did you uninstall the drivers for your old gfx card?

No... I'll try that now on the test machine (I was running a GeForce4 on it).

Stephen

I waited a few minutes, and then tried again, this time it booted. I went into BIOS, and found out that it only detects a 64MB AGP Aperture size, instead of the 128MB.

Aperture size does not refer to the amount of memory on the graphics card. It should be fine left at 64MB.

Irishpimpdude: Since the machine isn't even getting as far as booting windows, drivers aren't going to make a difference at this stage.

the_syco

Stephen wrote:

Aperture size does not refer to the amount of memory on the graphics card. It should be fine left at 64MB.

Irishpimpdude: Since the machine isn't even getting as far as booting windows, drivers aren't going to make a difference at this stage.

Aye. I was wondering was it a problem with the machine. Also, it seems to lock up after a minutes, no matter where it is at the time (loading windows, or just in the BIOS).