Is my PSU to small for my system? please help

[SunKing]

I'm hoping this is just my psu not being strong enough.

My system currently is:

EVGA 640-P2-N825-AR GeForce 8800GTS Superclocked 640MB    

 OCZ Platinum 2GB (2 x 1GB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Dual Channel    

AMD Athlon 64 FX-60 Toledo 2.6GHz Socket 939 Processor Model

 DFI LANPARTY UT nF4 Ultra-D 939 NVIDIA nForce4 Ultra ATX AMD Motherboard

Antec 500w  PSU

Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite

Samsung SyncMaster 1100df  CRT monitor

Samsung SyncMaster 205B LCD monitor

My system isn't overclocked running XP



I have the CRT as my primary montior at 1600x1200 res.
The LCD is connected with the dvi plug. If I try to run it at 1600x1200 I get artifacts. I run it at 1280x1240 and it runs fine. With my previous video card, a 7800 I was able to run the LCD at 1600x1200 and had no issues.

I have no heat issues or problems running any games.

If I were to reboot the system , when the OS comes back up it won't see my 2nd monitor , no signal at all. Only after the pc has been sitting allday and not running will the video card send the lcd  a signal.

If I disconnect the CRT monitor and run just the LCD. I can run it at 1600x1200 and I get no artifacts, everything is fine.

So is my psu not pumping out enough juice to run all these components and the lcd at 1600x1200?

I've tired a ton of different drivers and rivatuner for the card and It's always the same issue. I hope its my psu that needs to be replaced, not the card.. Thanks.

[TequilaChaser]

would think that 600 watt minimal or better for 650watt or 750 watt.......


doesn't your EVGA card have a lifetime warranty on it?  thought all EVGA or BFG cards came with Lifetime replacement warranty?  that is incase it is going bad

as for the ANTEC PSU,  is hard to say without knwoing model # / type

alot of people shying away from the newer antec PSU's...........I am using an older Antec PT-II 550 watt,   but shortly after this older model , Antec started going down hill.....

[Hoarach]

Try this.....

http://www.journeysystems.com/?powercalc

http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp

[SunKing]

Thanks for the links.
I got intersting results.

"Your power supply rating should be greater than 865 watts. I suggest adding 30 watts, which would be 895 watts, for future expansion."

and

"Recommended PSU Wattage: *385w "

[wabbit]

I would think 500W is fine for what you have.

Just to sure, open your case and look at the PSU. I should have the Voltages/Amps for each different leg, (ie; 12v, 5v, etc, etc).

Post those values, (The Amps are the important ones), and I can tell better.

I'm old, and a bit spacy, so pm me if you post and I dont respond in a day or so...



Wabbit

[Charge]

Notice that in some power units there are recommendation as to what sockets the powered items should be connected to. I have Antec NEO 430W and it had such limitations. The manual should have all the recommendations listed.

I'd also check the voltages either from the bios HW monitor section or install some kind of motherboard monitor and see it there are major fluctuations in voltages, and if there are your PSU is probably defective. An Antec 500W power supply should be well able to support your system IMO.

You obviously have the two monitor support enabled in the drivers...you do?

-C+

[Skuzzy]

Is that an 'Earthpower' model from Antec?  Those supplies are the worst.  If you read the fine print, they derive the rating from a total ability to supply, but then only supply X amount to each rail,..but not at the same time!  As an example, they could claim the 3V could supply 30A of current, and the 5V could supply 40A of current, but if both rails are used at the same time, they can only supply 1/2 that amount.

I would avoid Antec anymore.  They are not the only ones playing the 'ratings game'.  Have to be very careful about power supplies these days.  The only company that is not playing this game is PC Power and Cooling.  They still rate thier supplies the old fashion way.

Just read the ratings for each rail and then look for the disclaimers about percentages of load available on the rails.  They still have to show that to avoid false advertising claims.

[SunKing]

Here is the exact PSU I have.

NeoPower 500 High Efficiency 500W PSU

Link

Could you tell me if this is my issue? Thanks.

[humble]

If your using 2 12v rails for the card then you have up to 34@'s. However looking at the specs for the PS its clear it cant really deliver all the power it states across every rail. You dont list HD/optical drives etc so its tough to tell what total load is...but i'd guess that your short on @'s for the 12v rail's from what I see.

[Skuzzy]

Notice the output chart?

You see the game being played?  If you add up the total output of each rail, it equals 638W, while the combined output is capped at 500W.

Somewhere, Peter is being robbed by Paul to the tune of about 22% per rail, if all rails are loaded equally.  Something has to give.

In the new ratings game, you want about a 650W power supply if you need a 500W power supply.

[alskahawk]

Ya what skuzzy said. Newer cards need much more pwr. Ati cards are ridiculous. 8800GTX 2 power plugs! Oh well what are we going to do? go back to playing Pong?