PSU Issue?

[TeijoRoka]

Hey everyone,

This is my first post here in the forum, but I live in Northern NY and had to find another place to ask computer questions besides the little computer shop downtown owned by an old man who won't sell you anything.

Anyway, I recently built my first computer, itÂ’s a great box, or at least it would be if it would start up when I needed it too.

If it gets shut down, it shows 'signal error' but the computer seems to runs fine. I had done some troubleshooting (took out the extra junk, swapped out the video card, tried a different monitor, etc) and figured it was the motherboard. I sent that in to where I bought it, they sent me out a new one, but even with the new mobo my computer is still acting up.

I donÂ’t know much about PSUs, now IÂ’m thinking that maybe the graphics card isnÂ’t getting enough power, if thatÂ’s possibleÂ… I donÂ’t know IÂ’m still a bit of a noob when it comes to hardware.

IÂ’m runningÂ…
- Intel Pentium4 2.8 GHz 800fsb
- Abit IC7 MAX3 Motherboard
- 2 GB Corsair TWINX 1024-4000PRO
- NVIDIA Geforce FX 5900 Ultra
- Creative Audigy 2
- 2 Seagate 120MB 7200 Hard Drives
- Pioneer DVR-106 DVD/CD Burner
- 4 80mm fans, 2 with led
- 1 12 inch case light

All this is being powered by an Antec True Blue 480. Like I said, I donÂ’t know a whole lot about power supplies, how possible is it that this is the issue? I would have thought 480 watts would have been enough but IÂ’m stupid and uneducated. Could I please have some help?

--- Quick note: I was looking at playing with the memory speeds and overclocking the CPU to 3.0 GHZ when I get it working, so I would want to make sure I had enough power for that.

 

[Deadguy]

Ask something silly.you running Xp right not 2000 or ME.Did you load up your board drivers first.Did you window's up date second.Lot of nice hardware.

http://www.abit-usa.com/downloads/driver/drivers.php?categories=1&model=5

 

[TeijoRoka]

Thanks for the tipsÂ…

IÂ’ve tried unplugging fans, hard drives, ram, and the light. I had only 1 hard drive, 1 stick of ram and the video card in there at one point and still no go.

IÂ’m running Windows XP with SP1. The only windows update I havenÂ’t downloaded is the one to upgrade media player to version 9, so IÂ’m thinking IÂ’m set there.
The drivers for my board and the rest hardware were the first things I loaded up, and when I did, I grabbed the most updated versions off the web for the video and sound cards.

IÂ’ve never had to flash the BIOS on one of my boards before. So, Deadguy, when I clicked the link at the bottom of your post IÂ’ll admit I was intimidated. I can go through and try that.

I saved for a while to this hardware; I just wish I could get it to work. I guess that just goes to great equipment doesnÂ’t necessarily equal great stability.