Power Supply and GFX cards...
By
AwesomusPrime,
Posted on: 2010-03-03 19:43 in ALL ACCESS Gameplay Technical Issues Bugs
Upgrading a PSU is way cheaper and easier than you'd think. Popping into your nearest Staples store will get a new one installed for ~56 bucks. At least that's here in Canada, and if I remember my price chart at work right. If you want to do it yourself, just check out a local computer retailer, I've bought 450-550 watt PSU's for ~30 bucks. Swapping them out is a breeze.
I also ran a card that wanted 400 watts on a 300 watt supply for more than a year and then put that card into another system I made for my sister. Sometimes you can make things do things their not supposed to. It's only bad when you don't notice you did it.
might have to look into that, I just remember the last time I upgraded my first comp that was also store bought, the power supply I bought didn't fit inside the case, so I had to get a new one that it would fit in.
If everything runs fine, let's not change it. 
If you want to buy a new power supply and worry that it won't fit in, you can take out your power supply from your computer to the store and compare the size before you buy. I think there are only a couple standard sizes, which correspond to the size of the computer case.
Not just a few standard sizes. Yes, for most stock cases there is a standard sizing of the power supplies, whether it's a Full Tower, Mini Tower, Micro Tower or what have you. The only general exception to that is power supplies for some of the Small Form Factor computers.
The real problems come when you are looking at OEM computer such as Dell, Gateway, HP, etc. Many of them have a proprietary power supply that is completely non-standard and is made to fit only specific models of their computers. They've been known to change Power Supply size specs between one model and the next, just so that you can't easily change it out unless you buy it from them.
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well I was looking at a Antec TruePower 650w, talked to a couple friends and they believe it should fit in my mini tower hp a6040n
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"Hey, Mr.DJjjjjjjjj!" :-P|
Originally Posted by Mr. DJ
well I was looking at a Antec TruePower 650w, talked to a couple friends and they believe it should fit in my mini tower hp a6040n
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...ones who are not as tech savvy, can benefit from buying PSU's local...nice to have a reciept and not have to wait for RA requests and return shipping times. ;-)
(PSU's are some of the most underestimatedly annoying things to buy when fooling with OEM pc's...yeesh, they are PITA's)
yeah was considering that as well, but for now...I seem to have a lot of patience today :3 crashed 10 times while going from lv3-lv18 on my DP/Kin Corr
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what!?! no problem, that's less than once per level! i fail to see how that could be at all an issue...i think you're overreacting...major!|
Originally Posted by Mr. DJ
yeah was considering that as well, but for now...I seem to have a lot of patience today :3 crashed 10 times while going from lv3-lv18 on my DP/Kin Corr
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:-P
Quote:
One moment as I check ...|
Originally Posted by Mr. DJ
well I was looking at a Antec TruePower 650w, talked to a couple friends and they believe it should fit in my mini tower hp a6040n
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As the service manual is downloading (dial-up) let me tell you my concern. Most of the larger power supplies are exactly that, larger. In the case of the TP-650, it's 1 cm longer. Doesn't seem like much but if HP used some friction latch to help hold the PSU in place you will run into complications.
Done downloading and unlike Dell or Gateway, it doesn't include how to replace the PSU or have a clear picture or drawing that I can reference. Grrr.
Well it appears that the case does uses the standard mounting holes for screwing the PSU to the rear of the case. It looks that the PSU fan will be facing down when mounted so that's good. I would crack open the case, take a ruler or tape measure and measure 6"/15 CM from the rear of the case and see if there is any obstructions inside the top or on the side near the current PSU. If not, you are good to go with the new one.
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sweet, thanks FXM
okay...so it never occurred to me till now that having a inefficient power supply was causing my crashing issues.
I looked at my Radeon x1650 Pro and it says it requires a power supply of at least 350w. I then looked at my power supply and it says it's 250w max. I guess somehow the card managed for some time despite having a inefficient power supply.
Now for my question...upgrading the computer is out of the question, though I don't think I can upgrade a factory model PSU anyhow...but, are all graphics cards able to be hooked up outside of using the PSU? I know I've read a few times here about some cards needing to be plugged in to a outside source.