Inadequate PS cause stop errors?

[Journeyman]

I just upgraded to an XP 1600+ processor and added 512MB RAM to my system, and I've been having some troubles... I know my power supply is inadequate for the new processor (it's only a 250W), and I've got a 400W on order, but I've only got 15 days to RMA the processor if something's wrong with it, so...

First thing I tried was 3dMark 2001. When it hung, I chalked that up to the power supply - freezes and random reboots are typical symptoms. But when running Photoshop, whenever I try to do anything I get a BSOD with a stop error saying something about the memory. I tried before and after installing the additional 512MB with the same result, so it's not a bad stick or anything like that. It runs fine for just web browsing, playing Quake III, Black & White, Starcraft, Alice... 3dMark and Photoshop are the only things I've found so far that have any trouble at all.

BIOS on the mobo is the newest, and everything was totally stable before the upgrades.

Could this stop error be caused by an inadequate power supply, or must it be something else? I'm thinking maybe when it tries to use too much memory, the memory isn't getting enough juice, and that's causing the error...

System specs:
Athlon XP 1600+ (formerly Duron 750@944)
IWill KK266
3 SDRAM DIMMs: 512mb, 256mb, 128mb (formerly without the 512mb)
2 Maxtor HDD: 30GB 7200RPM, 20GB 5400RPM
12x10x32 LiteOn CDRW
12x AOpen DVD-ROM
ATI Radeon VE 32mb AGP
Linksys NIC
Swiftech MC370-0A w/ Pabst fan
2 extra case fans
various USB devices
with a 250W power supply

 

[ikar0s]

I bet you $5 that all your problems are due soley to your crappy PSU.

I tried using a non-approved 250W PSU on a Duron 700/Epox 8KTA+/256MB PC133/Geforce2 MX/52x CD-ROM/20GB HD and it would give me random hard-locks, blue screens, etc.

It's not your CPU.

 

[Feanor727]

With all that stuff, it certainly sounds like a power supply issue. If you really want to test the processor, take out everything but one hard drive, your smallest dimm and your video card, and then run a cpu stress-tester so you're at 100% load for a couple hours.