Crying again

[*BiGBonES**]

Just a quick reminder of my history:

 

I have an asus s-presso, 3ghz pentium 4, 1 gb ram, 460watt psu and a 6600GT.

 

Everytime I try and run a graphically demanding program (anything more than web browsing pretty much) my computer will die on me.

 

I thought I had the problem fixed when I bought a new psu as supposedly the others were not powerful enough. Having spent $100ish on the psu, im pretty tinkled to find that my problem still exists. I'm so annoyed that I just think the whole thing is a joke right now. 5months down the line, and I still havent sorted this problem out.

 

Today (first day home from uni),I finally got to reunite my 6600GT and computer with the new PSU. I set it all up, downloaded benchmark 3d, tried to run it and a couple of seconds into things my computer dies.

 

When I booted up, the nvidia tool displayed a message saying that my graphics card was not getting enough power, and that it had lowered the power demands or something of that nature. I tried benchmarking again, but once again ther computer died. In a final attempt I swapped the power connectors around and put every setting on lowest at a 400x200 resolution or something and the same problem occured.

 

Can anyone explain this? I'm thinking its a motherboard problem. I know this system can run my card, it ran it well for a couple of days before this problem started.

 

Please help

 

I'm going to put a 5700LE in there tomorrow, but that is not as power demanding as the 6600GT, so is this worth it?

I'm going to try and put my 6600GT in another computer tomorrow aswell to make sure that isn't the problem. The computer I'm putting it into doesn't have enough power connectors though. I'm wondering if I can power the graphics card by just using my psu without have any of the other psu cables plugged into anything else?

Also, can someone explain about the voltage/watts these cards need. Is it possible that my card needs more/less, have i got the cables mixed up?

 

If we get rid of all the solutions here then I'm going down to the tech shop because I'm sick of things not working... I better stop ranting before I start, so please help!

[mookie]

If you've got time on your hands, and know someoone with a machine they can mess with a lot, the best thing would be to test each of your components in his good machine to see if any cause any trouble.

[*BiGBonES**]

Can someone check through my specs to see if somethings up? (copied from benchmark 3d specs page). Im n00bishly concerned about the motherboard aperture size being 64MB under the AGP settings?? I dont understand what it means but my card is 128mb - anyway see the bold highlight for that.

Display Device 1/1

NVIDIA GeForce 6600 GT Driver 8.4.2.1

 

Description NVIDIA GeForce 6600 GT

Manufacturer NVIDIA

Total Local Video Memory 128 MB

Total Local Texture Memory 128 MB

Total AGP Memory 64 MB

Driver File nv4_disp.dll

Driver Version 8.4.2.1

Driver Date 3-9-2006

Driver WHQL Certified true

Max Texture Width 4096 px

Max Texture Height 4096 px

 

Max User Clipping Planes 6

Max Active Hardware Lights 8

Max Texture Blending Stages 8

Fixed Function Textures In Single Pass 8

Vertex Shader Version 3.0

Pixel Shader Version 3.0

Max Vertex Blend Matrices 0

Max Texture Coordinates 8

VGA Memory Clock 900.0 MHz

VGA Core Clock 299.3 MHz

Motherboard Info

Supported Slot Types ISA, PCI, AGP

Manufacturer ASUSTek Computer Inc.

Model P4P8T

Version Rev 1.xx

BIOS Vendor American Megatrends Inc.

BIOS Version 1008.003

BIOS Release Date 10/19/2005

BIOS Properties Plug and Play, Flash, AGP

 

AGP

Revision 3.0

Rate 4x, 8x (8x enabled)

Available Rate 0x0000000c

Selected Rate 0x00000008

Aperture Size 64 MB

Sideband Addressing supported (enabled)

Fast Write supported (enabled)

 

Card Slots

Slot 1/2 (AGP)

NVIDIA GeForce 6600 GT

Order 0

Designation AGP

Type AGP

Characteristics 3.3V, Shared, PME Signal

Data Bus Width 32 b

Details In Use, Long

Device Class Display Adapter

Manufacturer NVIDIA

Driver Version 8.4.2.1

Driver Date 3-9-2006

IRQ 16

[TheReverend(c)]

Check the large capacitors on the motherboard around the atx header and cpu socket. If there is alkaline or residue leaking out, that could cause the computer to die like that. And if thats the case the mobo has to go. Also check and see if theres gunk in the cpu heatsink and maybe clean the the cpu and heatsink and reapply some arctic silver thermal compound. See if you can swapout a mobo from someone else if you can or go to a service center and see if theyll test it.

[Laz.e.rus]

I have the same vid card, and I got the same "not enough power" nvidia message shortly before my PSU gave it up amd croaked.

 

Im still thinking underpowered psu.

Can you post the specs on your new one?

[*BiGBonES**]

I have the same vid card, and I got the same "not enough power" nvidia message shortly before my PSU gave it up amd croaked.

 

Im still thinking underpowered psu.

Can you post the specs on your new one?

 

Its the top one

 

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Onl...alTake_456.html

[Cobalt]

Do what rev said and check all the capacitors on your motherboard, video card, and power supply. They normally have X like etchings on the top and should be perfectly flat. If any of them are even so much as bulged up that component should be replaced.

[Laz.e.rus]

I have the same vid card, and I got the same "not enough power" nvidia message shortly before my PSU gave it up amd croaked.

 

Im still thinking underpowered psu.

Can you post the specs on your new one?

 

Its the top one

 

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Onl...alTake_456.html

 

not as bad as I had feared, but not great. As I understand it, the 6600 and 6800 use more power than the 7800 and up. Nvidia had **lowered** the PS requirement to 30amps for an sli system. You just barely meet that requirement with that psu, but you arent running two cards.

 

I gotta step out and leave it to the more techie people. Still sounds PSU'ish to me.

BTW, heres a list of recommended PSUs from DFI ( makers of OCing motherboards). Dont read the whole thing, just the first list.

http://www.dfi-street.com/forum/showthread...54&page=1&pp=15

[Leveller]

Not sure if your card has a separate power connector/input, I'm guessing it does. Make sure that the lead you're plugging in from the PSU has nothing else on it (i.e. not connected to a DVD drive before or after it gets to the GFX card).

A mate of mine was getting the same low power error erratically and just by making sure it was on a connector by itself he got rid of the warning and all associated problems (I think his was connected to a HDD then to the GFX card).

[dragonfly]

I have the same vid card, and I got the same "not enough power" nvidia message shortly before my PSU gave it up amd croaked.

 

Im still thinking underpowered psu.

Can you post the specs on your new one?

 

Its the top one

 

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Onl...alTake_456.html

 

not as bad as I had feared, but not great. As I understand it, the 6600 and 6800 use more power than the 7800 and up. Nvidia had **lowered** the PS requirement to 30amps for an sli system. You just barely meet that requirement with that psu, but you arent running two cards.

 

I gotta step out and leave it to the more techie people. Still sounds PSU'ish to me.

BTW, heres a list of recommended PSUs from DFI ( makers of OCing motherboards). Dont read the whole thing, just the first list.

http://www.dfi-street.com/forum/showthread...54&page=1&pp=15

 

Heh. I got the third one down last week. Havent used it yet, but i guess it was a good one (enermax 600 sli)

[*BiGBonES**]

I traced the problem back to a faulty power extension lead (plug this into mains socket, then this provide power for 4 plugs). Plugging the psu directly into the mains worked a treat. Kind of basic yes I know but I usually have all the wires stored away out of sight and this didnt catch my attention early on.

 

Well, problems are still occuring, I benchmarked at 5770 (benchmark 3d 2003), which isn't good for my specs correct??

 

1) When I installed the graphics card and the system failed for the first time, on the next boot up it told me that there was not enough power and that the graphics card was lowering its power requirement. Is this low power setting still on? I've gone through all my driver settings and options but I cant find nothing related to power, so is this automatically controlled?

 

2)I noticed my gpu temp is at 127 inside the gpu, and about 75 outside (celcius) - are these good temperatures? I ask thi because there is a tv card directly infront of the graphics card which may b blocking airflow leading to the g-card heatin up and underperforming

 

3) Any other possible solutions for my poor benchmark? I can get a reformat done this coming weekend.

[VooDooPC]

127!

 

I can't belive it even still works.

 

My card is between 60-65 under full load and around 35-40 sitting in Windows (X800 Pro O/Ced).

[TheReverend(c)]

Im going to do some better checking Biggie. Could you type the exact message you get in this thread so I can verify it? Might also matter is the psu you have is a good brand like Antec or a generic one. You can also go into your bios and set these up like this:

 

Reboot and go into the BIOS, make sure that these settings are disabled:

System BIOS Cachable

Video BIOS Cachable

Video RAM Cachable

 

Set your AGP Aperature Size to 128mb or 256 (This may even give you a little boost in fps games)

Make sure that AGP Fast Writes are enabled.

Apparently your not alone with these issues and the 6600gt. Heres a link that might help:

 

http://forums.nvidia.com/lofiversion/index.php?t1029.html

 

But anyway give me that exact message. Youve intrigued the Rev and I will hunt it down!

Edited May 16, 2006 by TheReverend(c)

[*BiGBonES**]

Problem solved, tv card had a little notch blocking the gpu fan from spinning. Luckily I found it today on my first boot up, so I dont think anything is damaged.

 

Benchmarked again and I got 8046. This is reasonably good for my specs right?

[TheReverend(c)]

Problem solved, tv card had a little notch blocking the gpu fan from spinning. Luckily I found it today on my first boot up, so I dont think anything is damaged.

 

Benchmarked again and I got 8046. This is reasonably good for my specs right?

Lol its always the little thinks you dont see right away.

[Laz.e.rus]

so in summary,

faulty power cord caused power problems

tv card thingy was blocking the fan on your vid card so it overheated.

 

Double whammy ftw!

[*BiGBonES**]

The tv card was only blocking the for a small while wen i put everything back in the case.

 

anyway, I'm back to the same problem, but its got a little twist this time just to make things interesting:

 

If I run cs on high settings (no cfgs or anything) then it will do the old turn off trick.

If I run cs in low cfg settings/800x600 resolution, it will work just fine.

 

I'm still trying to work out what exact settings cause it to turn off but any ideas on the solution?

[VooDooPC]

Your graphics card might be overheating on the higher setting but cool enough on the lower setting?

[Cobalt]

Your graphics card might be overheating on the higher setting but cool enough on the lower setting?

 

 

Seems like one of the more likely cases in this situation.

[appalachian_fox]

Water cooling! Get the hose!

[Cobalt]

Hahahhahaha

[Tek-Almighty]

Problem solved, tv card had a little notch blocking the gpu fan from spinning. Luckily I found it today on my first boot up, so I dont think anything is damaged.

 

Benchmarked again and I got 8046. This is reasonably good for my specs right?

 

I was about to say...check to make sure HSF is spinning on card...

 

There you go.