video card problems

[gomer555]

i just bought a sony vaio computer (p4 3ghz HT, 512 ddr ram, 128 radeon 9200). i wanted to put a better video card in it, so i bought a 256 mb agp geforce fx 5500 by bfg tech. i installed the video card fine, ran driver cleaner, and installed latest nvidia drivers. i also ran the driver cleaner for ati to make sure i got no conflicts at all. so i started running some games (doom3, quake 3, unreal 2) and i noticed improved performance and graphics of course. but i also noticed that sometimes the games will freeze for 10 seconds or so and then return to normal gameplay. in the case of doom 3, sometimes my computer restarted in mid game play after freezing. ive noticed also that when i click on advance display seetings from the desktop display properties, my mouse cursor will freeze for a second and then show the advanced settings. i called bfg tech about the problem and one of the guys said that i have a power supply problem, that my 262watt supply isnt good enough and that i should have a 400watt supply for what im running. before i go out and buy a new power supply, i want to make sure that this is in fact the problem. has anyone ever heard of any problems like this and if so, is a new power supply the way to fix it? any help would be much appreciated. thanks.

i was also told that new bios drivers would fix the problem.

 

[Icedragon]

Yea PSU is prolly your problem right there in a nutshell. I think you need at least a 300 Watt PSU to use those thing, correct me if im wrong someone.

 

[sithspawn]

Well whether or not it is the problem i would seriously recommend getting a new PSU before your current one melts or blows up. With your specs you should be running at the VERY least a 330W Antec truepower. More likely you should be running around a 400W (good brand one). However it doesnt really sound like a PSU problem...

I would get a new one (cause you drastically NEED a new one, like RIGHT NOW before you loose all your new hardware!!) and see it that works. If not post on here and we will see if we can troubleshoot some more

 

[Blind_Arrow]

you are running this System on 262W?????

unbelieveable!!! for graphuc cads requiring external Power, one's PSU should at least be 350W for optimal performance, as upgrading BIOS wont cost u anything, try doing it first, if it hepls, still I wil strongly recommend PSU Upgrade in every case if you are running this system.

normally you wont experience such problems while watching Movies, Playing Music or general work, whike 3D or even 2D games are running, GPU is at boost, so it requires optimal flow of current across.

 

[WeHa]

yeah, it's 1000% true, you gotta buy a new at least 350 Watts PSU.