Machine shuts down when playing games???

[Womb-Raider]

Hi.

I installed Farcry for the second time recently after finishing it on this very machine, but when i got to level 4 " the pier", my computer just went out like a light leaving the power LED blinking. I've never know this to happen before but since then i cant run 3d games/applications for longer than five miniutes although i can complete an entire run of 3dmark2005 from cold boot-up but it will go out on if i make a second pass.

The first time round on farcry i had everything switched to very high and ran the game in paradise rendering mode, but my pc was not overclocked.

When i ran it recently again my machine was overclocked but well within the borders of instability ie my 3.2gigp4 @ 3.5 but capable of 3.8 i did this because i wanted to overclock my memory its running at 333mhz but should be 400mhz. and my xfx 6800gt was set to 350core@370/ 1gig memory @1.12 and it ran like this very well for a long time i completed COD2 no probs anyway since the problem i went back to default speeds all round.

I tried;
re-applying thermal compound to processor and northbridge heatsinks.

Cleaning the case from dust.

re-installing directX 9c and rolling back to older drivers for xfx card. The same with audigy 2 drivers

nothing helped, when i run 3d apps i can smell a wierd smell from my machine it doesnt come from the components as i opened the case and smelled them but its coming from my power supply it a 550watt i took it out and it was unbranded but looks like a q-tech (gold casing and dual fans) but it said 550 watt (max) my machine is as follows;

P4presscott 3.2gig 800fsb
msi 865pe neo2-p series
xfx gforce 6800gt (256mb) latest drivers
2x 512mb corsair xms pro pc3200 cas 2in dual channel mode)
Audigy 2 latest drivers
maxtor 20gig (ide)
seagate barracuda 80gig (sata)
sony dru700a dvd rw
samsung 616q dvd rom
2 led 8cm case fans
1 pci slot case fan
northbridge led fan (akasa)
jet4 cpu cooler (coolermaster)
cold cathode tube.

i also notice that my oldest led casse fan dimms when the system is under load so is my psu the culprit here or is it something less obvious?

Thanks for any help given

[kayFX]

what psu are u using now?.. is it a true/ pure power or no brand one.. one thing i've learn from my experience, never oc using al cheapo psu.. and you sure have quite a few peripheral and that mean you must have a psu (a good one) with at least 450 watts..

[Womb-Raider]

im using the same psu at the moment because it works no prob using the internet, listning to music DL etc.

But it doesnt carry a brand name it just says 550 wat max and has some german writing "achtung", but personally i think it is the power supply unit myself but i wanted to know for sure if people agreed with me because it means £70 ~ £80 for a hiper Type R or a targan. Alot of money for nothing if im wrong...

[kayFX]

i can't guarantee it for sure that it is a power supply problem.. but many cases i've been through, some of my friends did oc a little bit using a no name psu and half an hour later they came to me asking why are their computer shutdown itself (in this case the psu already burnt).. you will not hear any poping sound (in my experience).. if their computer did not shutdown by itself and they manage to undo the oc, they'll find that their computer will shutdown randomly.. my suggestion try another available psu and see if there is a shutdown or not..

[Womb-Raider]

well that pretty much says it all then doesnt it - were they're machines ok again after replacing the psu 's?

[kayFX]

yup.. many of my friends manage to buy a no name brand psu coz a good psu is too expensive (for many ppl).. for the one that buy no name brand, my advice is stay away from oc.. and the wattage rating not exactly what they write on the psu.. for example your psu rating is 550W, actually it cannot achive the rate continuously.. only a good psu will do..

[m0dD3r]

So true. I've also had many friends that have the same problem. A PSU replacement and they are all OK. Both of them actually run overclocked machines at this point in time. Hope you get it fixed soon.

[Womb-Raider]

Thanks a lot guys ill sleep easier tonight now i know for sure,
the psu i got lasted a while but obviously they just dont last long enough.

Im gonna go for a ' Hiper Type R 580' what do you guys think of this one because at www.overclockers.co.uk the guy said its good but it doesnt say true power... but he said to definately stay away from q-tech and antech. He also said it sounds like mine is a q-tech because of the gold casing (must be a trade mark of there's) well when i get it it'll be happy frgging again....lol

Thanks big much again.

[Womb-Raider]

Hi Guy's,

I got the ' Hiper Type R 580' installed it and all is well again "AHHhhh", All i need to do now is change my CPU Cooler as the large 120mm fan on the underside is choking my jet4 aero-cooler as the intake is at the top and only clears the psu by 2".

So for the timebeing i turned the cooler upside down the temperature of the case (ambient) is the same temp as the cpu and this i believe is setting the the 'Corcentre temp alarm' off seems to be when cpu40/ambient temp40.

Well guys thanks for your help...

[Chai]

Hmm...I have no issues with my Antec 480W TPII