video card blackout question

[Acousticferret]

So whenever Im questing in WOW it runs perfectly, but whenever i enter and instance, i have between 5-45 min until my screen goes black, comp goes into sleep mode then restarts saying windows has recovered from a serious error. the vid card i have in my comp (which is old, dell xps 400 with psu and ram upgrade) is the geforce gtx 650 ti. Im wondering if the card is too much for my comp and ive been looking at dropping about $1200 on a new comp and transferring this card over. does it sound like the prob is a faulty card or is the card just too much for my current POS pc?

[chazus]

If you're going to spend $1200 on a new card, I wouldn't transfer it over simply because you'd be gimping an otherwise beast system. It's like buying a ferrari, but getting only a tape deck instead of a CD/MP3 player.

That said... could be power, could be the card. If you can try another card somehow to test with, or another power supply, it might help.

[majinsnake]

If you're going to spend $1200 on a new card, I wouldn't transfer it over simply because you'd be gimping an otherwise beast system. It's like buying a ferrari, but getting only a tape deck instead of a CD/MP3 player.

That said... could be power, could be the card. If you can try another card somehow to test with, or another power supply, it might help.

He was planning to spend $1200 on a new computer. Not a new card.




--acousticferret

The card might be overheating. Clean the dust off the fan on the card. It might be a faulty card, but until you rule out the other possibilities.....I would not hold to it.

[JadziaDax]

Simple way to check to see if the card is overheating is just run a temp monitor (EVGA Precision should do the trick, regardless if your card is EVGA or not) while playing WoW.

The GTX 650 Ti has a Thermal Threshold of around 98c according to a few websites.

[Butler to Baby Sloths]

It sounds more like his PSU cannot handle the power requirement of the new card (it is an old Dell, so probably a PoS 250W psu that doesn't manage more than 100W on the 12V rail), so when the GPU gets put under high amounts of load (LFR, 5 man heroics etc) the PSU shuts itself down to protect the computer from damage causing the computer to crash.

[Faithh]

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/blue_screen_view.html

Could you make some screenshots of the latest bsod's happened or freezes with that tool? Don't upload bsod's from 8months ago..

[Acousticferret]

Well i also installed a 750w power supply when i installed the card too...

[chazus]

He was planning to spend $1200 on a new computer. Not a new card.

Yes. I know. I was saying.. spending $1200 on a new system, but keeping a 650ti is silly. If you plan on getting a new system, get a new card too.


What PSU did you get?

[Acousticferret]

dont remember the brand, I got it from best buy

[Ravijn]

dont remember the brand, I got it from best buy

Probably a Thermaltake.

[Butler to Baby Sloths]

dont remember the brand, I got it from best buy

Have a look in your case?

[chazus]

It's entirely possible the PSU may be crap. I know Best Buy has (in the past) used a number of ultra-crap power supplies (Deer, Raidmax, etc)

[Acousticferret]

Yea its a thermaltake

[chazus]

Well, I'd still try the old power supply, if you have that power adapter.

ThermalTake is hit and miss. They have some good ones (Fortron) and some awful ones (Solytech). Unless you see a model number its hard to tell.