Eeek!
So tonight I finally get around to booting into windows 98 to install that free anti-virus (I don't do email in windows, and rarely even web browse so on the whole I'm not at high risk of viruses) and try out a few more game demos.
AV goes in OK, then IGI2 single player demo. Start playing *crash*, hard lockup. Ok, hit reset button, lower graphics settings, try again... *crash*. Hard reset again, lower graphics settings some more, play, *crash*. OK, so IGI2 is just a shoddily coded piece of crap... let's go back and play some more BlackHawk Down MP demo...
... 10 mins into that the computer completely shuts off. My first thought was power cut or I'd somehow used a LOT of electricity in the meter since last checking it. Except the lights and other computer are still on. So, check the computer time, power lead still fine, turn it off and on at the back, try power swich, nothing.
Then I notice the top of the case around the PSU is VERY hot. So, time to open it up and see if anything's exploded. End up with the thing in the kitchen, 'cos it's COLD in there and will cool things off quicker if I'm just looking at a thermal cutoff. Nope, try unplugging everything but the motherboard, which on ATX is needed for the power button on the front to do anything, still nothing. Well, ok, the case and CPU fan spin maybe 10 degrees if I leave it powered off, switch on and press the power button on the front, then nothing more.
So, time for a new PSU to replace this 300W piece of crap. Hopefully it's only the PSU that's gone and it didn't fry the motherboard, CPU or graphics card with it too. I can just about cope if the graphics card is toast, as I still have my old GF2MX400, but it'll be a big step down from my lovely gf4ti4600 :(.
Now I'm wondering if the local (10 mins walk) computer shop is open today, and if they carry any 350W (let's be safe this time, eh?) PSUs with the two fans recommended by AMD. I just about have enough money, £38.44 in the bank right now, with £171.70 going in by tomorrow morning, for this. I might have to juggle things a lil round the end of the month though if I'm still going to SavLAN8, including not paying the two credit collection agencies until a few days into February. It's that or cancel going to SavLAN8, which I haven't *actually* paid for yet.
Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.
AV goes in OK, then IGI2 single player demo. Start playing *crash*, hard lockup. Ok, hit reset button, lower graphics settings, try again... *crash*. Hard reset again, lower graphics settings some more, play, *crash*. OK, so IGI2 is just a shoddily coded piece of crap... let's go back and play some more BlackHawk Down MP demo...
... 10 mins into that the computer completely shuts off. My first thought was power cut or I'd somehow used a LOT of electricity in the meter since last checking it. Except the lights and other computer are still on. So, check the computer time, power lead still fine, turn it off and on at the back, try power swich, nothing.
Then I notice the top of the case around the PSU is VERY hot. So, time to open it up and see if anything's exploded. End up with the thing in the kitchen, 'cos it's COLD in there and will cool things off quicker if I'm just looking at a thermal cutoff. Nope, try unplugging everything but the motherboard, which on ATX is needed for the power button on the front to do anything, still nothing. Well, ok, the case and CPU fan spin maybe 10 degrees if I leave it powered off, switch on and press the power button on the front, then nothing more.
So, time for a new PSU to replace this 300W piece of crap. Hopefully it's only the PSU that's gone and it didn't fry the motherboard, CPU or graphics card with it too. I can just about cope if the graphics card is toast, as I still have my old GF2MX400, but it'll be a big step down from my lovely gf4ti4600 :(.
Now I'm wondering if the local (10 mins walk) computer shop is open today, and if they carry any 350W (let's be safe this time, eh?) PSUs with the two fans recommended by AMD. I just about have enough money, £38.44 in the bank right now, with £171.70 going in by tomorrow morning, for this. I might have to juggle things a lil round the end of the month though if I'm still going to SavLAN8, including not paying the two credit collection agencies until a few days into February. It's that or cancel going to SavLAN8, which I haven't *actually* paid for yet.
Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.