Just came back from HELL

[GodPigeon]

Another Question, what Video card do you have?

[Alpha]

700w doesn't mean a damn thing, it's the 12v AMPERAGE that is important with respect to a component like a high end video card. 700w will deliver enough consistent current, but AMPS is how high power that current is.

 

It's recommended for the latest graphics cards to have at LEAST 40 amps on a single 12v rail PSU, or 30 on 1 rail and 16 on the second with a 2 rail PSU. Check out the label on the side of your PSU and check 12v amps. If you don't have at least 36 amps on 1 or more 12v rail, buy a new PSU or risk wasting money on that video card.

You strike an important point that I should check. However, I am upgrading from a nVidia 7900GT (256mb) to a nVidia 8600GTS (256mb), which is basically an upgrade to the same card. I only did the upgrade because I think my 7900GT was nearing its death, since I began seeing green dots whenever I'd scroll down web pages (i.e. 1emulation), and other software(s) seemed to not show correctly.

 

I ran Windows Memory Diagnostic's Extended Test for over 10 hours yesterday, and 8 passes, and it found no errors. I then ran Memtest86 (not + version) for over 14 hours, and 8 passes, and it found no errors. Could the problems I'm having still be with the ram or a now bad motherboard? I am mixing two brands of ram, the Corsair (x2 512mb) which I previously had, and the new ram OCZ (x2 1GB).

 

To clarify about the problems I'm having or had (for now) -- when I mentioned the computer went "unresponsive" twice. The first time was when I was browsing FireFox after "upgrade was complete" and it seemed that every page I loaded via the tabs, FireFox would go unresponsive for a few seconds, when I would load the page or scroll the page, then continue like normal. I then tried to download 3DMark06, and while browsing web pages, FireFox went completely unresponsive, then everything went unresponsive (start menu bar, etc.). Mouse worked and Alt-Tab worked, but nothing else. The second time I decided to download 3DMark06 via FireFox overnight, since it never finished the first time. Then the morning after, when I maximized FireFox from the start menu bar, the start menu bar became unresponsive, and FireFox never maximized. No app would load. Alt-Tab worked and the selected window would show up, but only the border of the window, not loading any of its contents, and the mouse worked (showing the cursor with the hourglass over FireFox). That was the second time it happened.

 

Wizard also reminded me that I forgot to remove the previous drivers for the nVidia 7900GT before I proceeded with the upgrade. When I turned on my computer the first time with the nVidia 8600GTS, Windows appeared in 800x600, with the "Found new hardware wizard", and I immediately downloaded and installed the latest nVidia driver, and the display was then corrected. Could that be a big problem?

 

As of now, I am using the PC that was upgraded, and it seems to be working fine. But I am hesitant to do anything important on it, in fear that it would freeze / go unresponsive again.

[solidius23]

so wat are u gonna do just sit there afraid of your upgraded computer forever not doing anything on it isnt gonna fix the probs.

[Alpha]

so wat are u gonna do just sit there afraid of your upgraded computer forever not doing anything on it isnt gonna fix the probs.

Well, no. But I would like to find out what the problems are and fix them.

[Wizard]

After reading the thread, you did some things very poorly. Nearly forcing ram to fit in slots? Take it slow and steady. It'll fit, don't force it. Or you placed them the wrong way, which I doubt.

 

Secondly, do what Cinder said. Triple check if your getting the right ampage into your video card. It maybe be the same card on a technicality, but you never know what changes were made to the board itself.

[ken_cinder]

You just reinforced my point GC, video cards (or any electronics for that matter) don't just fail out of nowhere. Something causes them stress, be it a faulty component on the card itself (rare given QA in reputable manufacturers) or some outside source (Your power supply) causing it, like underpowering it.

If your video card is eating all the 12v power it can and not getting enough, it's going to starve other components such as your CPU, which will cause system instability in general.

 

Not enough power, the card tries harder with less energy than it requires to work at full capacity. It will burn itself out. Think of not getting enough sleep and trying to run a marathon........