Thanks again for your prompt reply
I've checked the various PSU calculators like the one from Newegg here: Newegg.com - Recommended Power Supply Calculator.
Most pegged my power requirements at around 350W. My PSU is 600W, well over what I need.
Lets do these two tests
Run Hardware stress with Hardware - Stress Test With Prime95
CPU burn test with CPU - Stress Test Using IntelBurnTest (monitor temp with speccy)
Post back results
Having issues with downloading Prime95 from their website. The download never completes.
I downloaded IntelBurnTest. I ran a standard test according to the tutorial but the test fails. My Core0 runs at 32 Celcius at idle and goes all the way upto 63 degrees during the test.
Here's the screencap
Edit: Finally managed to get Prime95. Running test
Your PSU may say 600W but in fact be performing like a 250W. Coolmax isn't a reliable brand and it has 3 12V rails. One with a single 12V rail would better.
Check your BIOS hardware monitor section to see what voltages you have for 12V, 5V, and 3.5V and let us know.
Speccy will have this info too, compare both.
Here are the readings I got:
Speccy:
+3.3V 3.344 V
CPU CORE 0.968 V
VIN2 0.064 V
VIN3 1.423 V
+5V 5.718 V
+12V 8.360 V
VIN6 2.112 V
VSB3V 3.344 V
CMOS BATTERY 3.296 V
BIOS:
3.328V
5.129V
11.880V
The Speccy reading for 12V is 8.360 V, why is there such a large discrepancy between the BIOS reading and the one from Speccy?
Btw I've got 4 Coolmax 120mm fans connected to the PSU via a molex connector. Isn't that a bit too much on the same connector? or is the current draw small enough that it's of no consequence?
I think your PSU is bad.Once in w7, under load, it's not keeping up the 12V and that 5V is way too high, max should be 5.25V.
The fans shouldn't make any difference, but as a test you can disconnect them or plug them in different cables than you are now using. A 120MM fan should draw ~.5A and less, or less than 6W.
Thanks for getting back to me so soon.
Is it necessary I get a multimeter and confirm those values? I was reading that software readings of voltages can be unreliable. I'm still under warranty and so I'd like to take it in and swap it out for a Thermaltake PSU. So if I'm going to make a claim I'd like to be sure of that.
I've been looking up CoolMax reviews and they are terrible. I'd researched everything else but my PSU. Well, lesson learned.
Also should I still run the Prime95 test? or are we confident that we have diagnosed our problem?
A volt meter would be the next step I think, a digital one. Readings will be a no load condition though. A PSU tester will put some load on it, they are about $20USD.
PSU Testing
Check who makes your PSU:
How Do You Recognize The Manufacturer? : Who's Who In Power Supplies, 2011: Brands Vs. Manufacturers
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Thanks, I'll try and see if I can test it. If not I'm headed to the store. I'll let you know how it goes.
I went and replaced my PSU with a Thermaltake TR2 700W. The difference is remarkable. My video card driver no longer crashes. Also I can actually benchmark it my card without any issues. Before I'd see temperature spikes on GPU Shark and the fan RPM would climb rather slowly and then Furmark would just crash.
I pulled out my old stick of RAM and I'm just using the new one. Memtest86+ gave the old stick a clean bill of health (I used the RAM testing tutorial here) but I believe something wasn't right with it and it may have been causing some of the issues.
Speccy still displays the weird 8V on the 12V rail and 5.7V on the 5V rail but thats about it.
It's been 4 days and I haven't had a single BSOD. Seems like it was a whole bunch of issues caused by my PSU and probably the old RAM stick.
I'd like to thank both of you for all your help. I appreciate it. Hmm, maybe I'll join your ranks and help people diagnose their BSODs
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