Strange new crash

[TheXmarkstheSpot]

Hi all, pirst fost here.

I've been experiencing a strange new crash lately, and I want to know if anyone has had this before, or has any idea of whatever the hell that is.

It seems to happen while playing MOHPA (medal of honor pacific assault) or a game that really taxes the video hardware (DooM 3 and Half-Life 2 don't make it crash like this). The crash never occurs in windows, doom 3, half life 2 or anything like that.

It happens while playing, the game is going normally, then the screen turns all sorts of scrambled colors (the image disappears completely, it's not a badly rendered image, it's NOT an image at all, it's squares of many colors). This stays on for maybe half a second. Then the screen turns black. Then the screen acts like it's not plugged in the computer. The computer does not reboot or turn off, it is unresponsive to all commands but still on. And the screen acts like it's been turned off (that same static noise you hear when you shut down a TV or any CRT display).

EDIT: Forgot to mention this usually happens after a while of playing, usually some 15 odd minutes, up to 30 minutes. Never in the same place however.

EDIT: I'm doubtful it's a cooling issue. If you think it is mention it, but it's doubtful, not that I have such great cooling, but it's just that the videocard's massive heat sink and fan pretty much take care of cooling that.

My theory is that my terrible POWMAX 350W power supply isn't doing its job correctly, and when it hits a peak of power because of some particular activity, the +12V can't give enough power ( I think there's only about 140W on the +12V on this garbage power supply! ), crashing everything. Why it happens in MOHPA is a mystery, but probably due to the fact that it's an ancient engine pushed to the extreme limit and probably not all that well thought out.

Those garbage low quality power supplies always have all the power on the 3.3V and 5V.

Anyone thinks anything different before I throw out 100$+ for a (quality) power supply?

Remember that 6800GTs have a secondary 12V plug! They don't draw all their power from the mobo!

If you need specs:

Mobo: ASUS P4C800 deluxe
CPU: Pentium 4 2.6GHz C
RAM: 512mb (I don't remember timing and all)
Video: Leadtek Winfast A400 GT TDH (nvidia Geforce6800 GT)
Various:
A DVD burner (Plextor PX-708A)
A DVD reader (Some Sony thing)
A floppy drive
A network card

Well, thanks to anyone who can figure out what that problem is about! And all who are about to try too!

[ccb056]

you could try updating the firmware or drivers for the card

you could aslo check if other people are having problems with the same game and graphics card

is there an updated version of the game?

try playing with the side panel off the case, this will help cool, and will allow to tel see if its a cooling issue

are you overclocking?