New video card trouble=Power supply issue?

postjm

Junior Member
Aug 5, 2006
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I just purchased a new Asus N7600gs (agp-based geforce 7600gs). It outputs video correctly in default vga mode (before driver install). However, at the point in the driver install where it goes to black for a second (normally), it goes to black for like 30 seconds, and reboots without ever coming back, and with the driver still not installed. Installing in safe mode obviously doesn't have the same problem, but on reboot I get a solid blue screen with a (frozen) mouse cursor. Total hang. Anyway, the thing takes a secondary molex connector, and although my PSU is 400w, even with no load (in the bios setup screen) the voltage monitor shows the 12v line hovering around 11.7v. Is this normal, or can I assume the voltage drops too much when the video card starts drawing power, hence the lockups?
 

statikuz

Member
Jul 30, 2006
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11.7v is a little low it seems to me. At idle my voltage sensor shows 12.03v. Maybe when your video card fires up and starts working it draws just enough too much power to cause the hangup... Do you have another PSU laying around you could try? Maybe try disconnecting any CD drives or whatnot as well.
 

sisq0kidd

Lifer
Apr 27, 2004
17,043
1
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11.7v is within normal means of safe operation. I think anything within +/- 5% fluctuation is safe.

What I would try though is different drivers and even try installing the card on a different machine. Could be the drivers, could be a bad card itself.
 

postjm

Junior Member
Aug 5, 2006
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Thanks for the responses... The card does work on another machine (a crappy emachine with only a 300w PSU). Hard to try another driver... Only the supplied driver from Asus and the forceware 91.33 beta have support for this card, and both give the same result (unless someone knows about a driver build I'm not aware of). My PSU is made by Future Power (which I've never heard of otherwise). It was purchased before I really understood that a good power supply makes a difference, which is one of the things that makes me suspect it. Any theories that don't cost me more money, though, are appreciated :)
 

sisq0kidd

Lifer
Apr 27, 2004
17,043
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Originally posted by: postjm
Thanks for the responses... The card does work on another machine (a crappy emachine with only a 300w PSU). Hard to try another driver... Only the supplied driver from Asus and the forceware 91.33 beta have support for this card, and both give the same result (unless someone knows about a driver build I'm not aware of). My PSU is made by Future Power (which I've never heard of otherwise). It was purchased before I really understood that a good power supply makes a difference, which is one of the things that makes me suspect it. Any theories that don't cost me more money, though, are appreciated :)

Borrow the e-machine psu and put it in your computer to test it? If it works, you know it's your current psu.
 

postjm

Junior Member
Aug 5, 2006
7
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Good call on switching the PSUs, sisq0kidd... However, the result was kind of ambiguous. With the other PSU, during driver install, it flickers twice (like normal), and then hangs the third time. This is as opposed to the original situation where it hung almost immediately. Does this confirm that it is indeed a power problem?
 

helpmeout

Senior member
Sep 24, 2001
540
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The fact that it's "almost" good with the 300W PSU you swapped in leads me to believe your "no name" 400W PSU is to blame. If I were you I'd buy a 450W good name brand ( I always use Antec True Power and have never had a problem), but it's your choice. The 450W may be overkill, but I like a little extra for possible future additions.
 

daveybrat

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Jan 31, 2000
5,782
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Future Power is a way over rated generic power supply. That power supply barely puts out 300watts even though it's rated at 400watt.

Get an Antec, Enermax, Fortron, Thermaltake brand of power supply and you'll be fine more than likely.

 

postjm

Junior Member
Aug 5, 2006
7
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0
I'll probably look around and see what's available locally. There's a computer store in the area that's very friendly to people who build their own machines, and carries a lot of custom stuff. I'll just be more conscious of getting a good brand now. I know it'll be a bit more expensive, and if I have to, I'll order one, but after the time I've put into this, I'm kind of impatient to get things working. Plus, it's a lot easier to return it to a local store if it doesn't solve the problem. I'll post and let you know if that fixes things.
 

ChonChon

Banned
Dec 3, 2005
813
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thats also a good video card, yea, but u want a good quality high output for that system. a one-time fee of $130 is WEELLLLLL worth it.
 

sisq0kidd

Lifer
Apr 27, 2004
17,043
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daveybrat

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Jan 31, 2000
5,782
997
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Originally posted by: sisq0kidd
Originally posted by: ChonChon
Originally posted by: daveybrat

Ouch, i don't think he needs to spend near that much!!

This is a great power supply for less than $50 shipped!

Fortron 400Watt Dual 12V 120mm fan

:thumbsup:


whoa what the hell...u just linked to the same PSU as i did...

:laugh:

Damnit!! I had your page open as well when i copied, must have copied the wrong link. :confused:

Here's the corrected one:

Fortron 400Watt :thumbsup:

 

postjm

Junior Member
Aug 5, 2006
7
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So... Argh. Went out and bought a 500w Thermaltake (for a reasonable price)... which did not fix the problem. Starting to think it might have been power plus something else wrong. Any brilliant suggestions anybody has are welcome :) (and thanks again for sticking around)
 

dfuze

Lifer
Feb 15, 2006
11,953
0
71
I haven't seen the card, but does it have an extra power plug on the card itself? I have a 7900gt that requires an extra plug, and I think I read somewhere that all 7-series cards require extra power.
 

postjm

Junior Member
Aug 5, 2006
7
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0
anybody know of problems with newer agp problems on the ASrock k8upgrade-1689, which is what I have (don't laugh, I was poor when I bought it)?
I bought the geforce 7600 to avoid buying a pci-e mobo for another few months, maybe even until the vista launch... A new mobo would mean a different cpu (mines a 754), different ram, different video card, etc., which I'd like to avoid.
 

postjm

Junior Member
Aug 5, 2006
7
0
0
yeah... it takes an extra molex connector, which is connected, and seems to have enough power (the 12v rail is now like 12.05 instead of 11.7)