Bad Power Supply = Bad Video?

[xtyger]

I'm wondering if a deteriorating power supply can affect video?

I'm pretty sure my power supply is dying as the computer has turned itself off, and been difficult to start up again, two times now. The last time was right in the middle of playing AH. I can't recall what I was doing the first time but I might also have been playing the game.

For the last couple months I've also been having problems with my video. I use an Alienware system with a Radeo 800x video card. For the last couple months the game video is real jerky. I'm getting unusually low frame rates some of the time, but not always. Screen freezes fairly often and, when not doing that, it runs for a few seconds, stalls, then goes again.

In researching power supply problems yesterday, one page I went to said some games can exacerbate power supply problems because the video card draws so much power. I'm wondering if maybe the power supply going downhill is causing the video card to spazz out a little and giving me my poor video quality?

You think I'll see a difference when I get a new power supply?

[TequilaChaser]

Yes it can,  and a deteriorating PSU will also be detrimental to all other PC components including your MB

continual use of a PSU going bad could cost you everything needing replaced in your PC at the worst case scenario


TC

[Skuzzy]

TC is quite right.  A power supply that is starting to fail can take out every component it is connected to.  You run a huge risk by continuing to use it.

[FLS]

Did you check temps? If you had a fan failure you might get similar symptoms.

[xtyger]

Did you check temps? If you had a fan failure you might get similar symptoms.

Funny you should mention that. I waited for a while before attempting to boot again after the last incident. When the computer finally started to boot a black screen with text appeared briefly. It didn't last more than a second or so, so I couldn't read all of it. What I could read said something like "CPU shut down unexpectedly due to a thermal issue...".

That would mean a heat problem and I wondered if power supply problems could cause a heating up that would cause it?

I drove up to our local computer nerd store and asked the guy there what he thought. He said it was likely the "heat sink" (whatever that is) being plugged up or dirty or maybe fans not working. I specifically asked if the power supply could cause the heating. He didn't think so. He recommended cleaning out the insides of the machine real good, making sure the ventilation ports are clear and all the fans running properly.

That's what I'll check after I post this and turn off the machine. Not really sure how to check the fans but I have noticed the machine isn't as loud as it used to be so maybe one or two of them aren't working: Enough cooling for routine stuff but not enough to play the game? We shall see.

[gyrene81]

the thing under the fan...that's the heat sink



notice the fins...excellent dust collectors, can get packed in there pretty good too.

[FLS]

I doubt that it's your power supply. It sounds like a good housecleaning and possibly a new fan will fix your issue. It will be obvious if a fan isn't turning. Be careful cleaning! 

[TequilaChaser]

Not really sure how to check the fans but I have noticed the machine isn't as loud as it used to be so maybe one or two of them aren't working: Enough cooling for routine stuff but not enough to play the game? We shall see.

most times if all fans are working , it will actually get louder as the heatsinks and fans ( and filter/debris screens ) start to become dirty &/or clogged

so if it is sounding quieter than you normally experience...... then you just might have a fan "dead"  or going on its way out.......

edit:  if the power supply cooling fan is dead or dieing, then yes, you will experience overheating issues for both the PSU itself as well as thermal heat buildup inside the case overheating all other components possibly  ( Hard to be exact , not knowing what pc design/build you are dealing with )

hope this helps

TC

[xtyger]

the thing under the fan...that's the heat sink

(Image removed from quote.)

notice the fins...excellent dust collectors, can get packed in there pretty good too.

Thanx to all for your help and suggestions. I've just did the best clean up I could do on the inside although maybe not good enough.

That fan in the picture (is that over the cpu?) was the real bad one. Couldn't tell how bad until I turned the computer on with it open so I could watch the fans. They all turned on but it wasn't until the fan started moving on the one in the picture that I could see it was packed with dust/dirt beneath the fan.

Had to take a teenie paint brush to get in there to loosen the dirt and then blow it out with air. I think I needed to remove the fan to clean it right but am not sure how easy it is to remove. I didn't mess with the heat sink at all since I just cleaned the fan from the outside.

Also noticed the fan on the side panel had some external vents I didn't even know were there. They seemed to be packed with dirt and I cleaned them out.

Now I'll try AH again. If it shuts down again, unless someone can tell me how to remove and clean the cpu fan and heat sink, I guess I'll take it into the computer nerd shop and have them clean it for me.

Thanx again for the help.

[Krusty]

Some fans are held in place by a few screws in the corners. If that's the case you can remove the fan just fine without harming how the heatsink is mounted. In the example gyrene posted, the fan isn't even screwed it. It's held in place by those metal springs on the ends.

Just make sure you put the fan back on the same way when you're done (you wouldn't want to reverse the airflow), but most come off with no hassle. It's an easy thing to clean.

[xtyger]

Thanx. I didn't see any screws. I'll have to take a closer look. I've searched around online for some info on cleaning the fan and heat sink. I'm wondering if I cleaned it well enough, but, I played AH for at least a half hour yesterday and it worked fine. I'll try it again now.

[Bizman]

Just in case you have the Intel reference cooler, the fan can't be detached from the sink without taking the whole cooler apart from the motherboard, and even after that it'd be difficult. The feet are same cast with the fan frame. Good thing with the Intel ones is, that the lubricable bearing is right under the silvery hologram sticker - which unluckily is hard to remove in one piece.