new Mobo Headaches......

[T1junkie]

I just bought a Soyo SY-P4VTE Motherboard and a Pentium 4 @ 3Ghz, and I am experiencing System instability and Crashes, it seems to crash when I draw more power from the PSU, eg: installing something from a CD, I am running Windows 2000, as well sometimes the CPU usage jumps up to 100% when im doing nothing, ive searched around and ive found several articles addressing the same problem but none of them seemed conclusive, most aluded to Power Problems as I suspected, I ran PC Wizard 2005(http://www.cpuid.com/pcw.php) and it told me the 12v channel was registering between 8-10v

System Stats:

Powmax - 450W PSU
1 80mm LED fan
CD-RW
DVD-ROM
1 HDD
1 FDD
Cooler Master Aero 4 Lite
ATI RADEON 7000
SY-P4VTE Mobo
P4 3Ghz (Prescott)


I suspect the PSU to be the problem, Powmax is notorious for low quality materials

Please Help if you can, thx

 

[jerry5739]

i am having the same problem..also it happens when i download certain files such as patches for game..but im not sure if its cuz of the hotter weather or because of the PSU.

 

[T1junkie]

I found the same, when using IE, the same DL failed multiple times at 99%, I think it was because the HDD was draw more power, IE saves the file to a temp folder then copies it to the destination when its complete. Firefox however worked fine.

What kind of PSU do you have?

edit: oh yea and my CPU is running @ 53C (with stock grease) I ahve some AS ceramique when im ready to apply it

 

[Sport1031]

It seems to be a power problem. Powmax is not a good PSU brand. Get a Thermaltake or Antec. If you have money to blow buy a super high quality one from PC Power & Cooling.

 

[didi]

try get a better PSU such as coolermaster, enermax n etc~~~

 

[T1junkie]

thx sport,didi that confirms my suspicions, since I don't have a $150 to blow on this: http://www.pcpowerandcooling.com/products/power_supplies/highperformance/turbocools/425/index.htm well... its tempting ^^;;

Im looking into a Fortron PSU now, ive heard good things about them all over, and they are fairly cheap

400W Fortron/Source $62.00
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=17-104-974&depa=0

hmm....
also found a decently priced antec PSU

400W Antec $60
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=17-103-912&depa=0

 

[VIII]

Definently the Antec

 

[T1junkie]

thanks for the feedback on the PSUs
do you think the 400W will be enough to power my rig?
in theory 350W would do the job