How can I tell if my PC has sufficient power from its PSU?

[Caseem]

I have a home built PC which has an AMD Athlon 3200 processor, 1GB of
RAM, a single IDE hard disk, a Radeon 9600 graphics card, a video
capture card, a USB expansion card, a card for a joypad (with 2 more
USB ports), and an extra NIC (there is also a NIC and a soundcard
onboard on the motherboard), and 3 DVD ROMs\burners. I noticed that
when I added the last DVD burner, that it did not burn disks correctly
anymore and error checking always failed. I was wondering if this is an
issue with insufficient power for the PC with one component too many. I
have a 500 watt power supply, but it was a cheap one from a budget
manufacturer. How can I tell if it is inadequate power causing the
burning to fail (in both Nero and Plextor tools)? Is there a
downloadable software tool I can use?

Thanks,

Cas

 

[R. McCarty]

Why 3 Optical drives ?

There are all kinds of Motherboard monitoring tools for download.
Many have logging features where you can capture voltage readings
over time in a graphical display.

A 500-Watt supply should be adequate. I would suspect your
burning issues are due to fully populated IDE channels/taps and
interactions between the devices.

 

[JS]

Power Supply Calculator:
http://www.journeysystems.com/power_supply_calculator.php

JS

 

[Douggie]

I have a home built PC which has an AMD Athlon 3200 processor, 1GB of
RAM, a single IDE hard disk, a Radeon 9600 graphics card, a video
capture card, a USB expansion card, a card for a joypad (with 2 more
USB ports), and an extra NIC (there is also a NIC and a soundcard
onboard on the motherboard), and 3 DVD ROMs\burners. I noticed that
when I added the last DVD burner, that it did not burn disks correctly
anymore and error checking always failed. I was wondering if this is an
issue with insufficient power for the PC with one component too many. I
have a 500 watt power supply, but it was a cheap one from a budget
manufacturer. How can I tell if it is inadequate power causing the
burning to fail (in both Nero and Plextor tools)? Is there a
downloadable software tool I can use?

Thanks,

Cas

Um, are you trying to copy 2 disks (or burn 3 from image) at once?
If so, I'd guess power probs. Disconnect a drive you know works, see if
the problem drive then burns ok.

Douggie

 

[paulmd]

I have a home built PC which has an AMD Athlon 3200 processor, 1GB of
RAM, a single IDE hard disk, a Radeon 9600 graphics card, a video
capture card, a USB expansion card, a card for a joypad (with 2 more
USB ports), and an extra NIC (there is also a NIC and a soundcard
onboard on the motherboard), and 3 DVD ROMs\burners. I noticed that
when I added the last DVD burner, that it did not burn disks correctly
anymore and error checking always failed. I was wondering if this is an
issue with insufficient power for the PC with one component too many. I
have a 500 watt power supply, but it was a cheap one from a budget
manufacturer. How can I tell if it is inadequate power causing the
burning to fail (in both Nero and Plextor tools)? Is there a
downloadable software tool I can use?

Thanks,

Cas

500W OK. Cheap manufacturer +lots of stuff, not OK.

A better brand PSU is probably the cure more than the wattage.

 

[Jonny]

Generally speaking, find the +5 and +12V requirements for the vast majority
of the hardware. (These are the most important) Make a sum column for each
voltage leg mentioned. Add 10% for degradation of power supply. Add 10%
for degradation of hardware components. Add 10% for minor use items like
fans and such. Option, add estimated future +5 and +12V needed for any
future add-ons. Don't forget peak amperage for +12V for hard drives in the
total. Find a power supply that can provide both +5 and +12V amperage
delivery of both. Ignore the total wattage rating of the power supply.

 

[Anna]

Generally speaking, find the +5 and +12V requirements for the vast
majority of the hardware. (These are the most important) Make a sum
column for each voltage leg mentioned. Add 10% for degradation of power
supply. Add 10% for degradation of hardware components. Add 10% for
minor use items like fans and such. Option, add estimated future +5 and
+12V needed for any future add-ons. Don't forget peak amperage for +12V
for hard drives in the total. Find a power supply that can provide both
+5 and +12V amperage delivery of both. Ignore the total wattage rating of
the power supply.

Cas:
The chances that the problem you're experiencing with your latest DVD burner
is due to an inadequate power supply is next to nil.

If that device does "not burn disks correctly" and all the other components
of your system are functioning properly without problems, then your problem
is with that DVD burner. Perhaps you configured it improperly or it's simply
defective.
Anna

 

[w_tom]

500 watts measured how? A power supply intentionally designed to be
dumped in North America may claim 500 watts when it is really only
equivalent to the 350 watt supply in HP or Dell computers. They have
not lied. They simply hope you don't understand; instead buy on price.

No one can say whether the power supply is your problem. Only you
can do that by collecting numbers when the computer is running. That
means one minute with a 3.5 digit multimeter. Simply measure voltages
on one of red, orange, and yellow wires before and when DVD burner is
used. Report is even better if other peripherals are also accessed
simultaneously. Those numbers must remain above 3.23, 4.87, and 11.7.
Furthermore, those numbers may report more if posted.

Assuming voltage monitor hardware exists on motherboard, still that
software reported number is not sufficient. It is a monitor intended
to detect changes. Before it can accurately report voltage, first, the
monitor must be calibrated. Another reason why the 3.5 digit
multimeter is necessary.

 

[Caseem]

I replaced the PSU with a 650w one from an OK manufacturer, and now DVD
burning works again - but only with the slow free version of Plextor
Tools. Nero 7 doesn't work, which is much faster. Online power
calculators have given me totals of 293 watts and 750 watts, so I guess
I need to use a program. Installed Motherboard Monitor but did not
really understand it - might read the instructions tonight!

Thanks to everyone who offered their two cents.

 

[Caseem]

Thanks for everyone who gave advice. I used the power supply calculator
given by JS which told me that I need 297 watts for my PC, but I used
another one last week that told me I should not go less than 750! I
think I need to use diagnostic tools to get the most accurate result. I
downloaded Motherboard Monitor late last night, but could not figure it
out right away so I went to bed. I might have to bite the bullet and
read the instructions!

I have never tried to burn more than one disk at once, and have already
purchased a 650 Watt power supply from a reasonably reputable
manufacturer. Interestingly, after I installed this I could burn disks
again, but only using the slow free version of Plextor tools and not
through Nero 7.

 

[JS]

Does Nero 7 recognize your make and model of your DVD burner. If not you may
need to get the latest Nero Update.

JS

 

[w_tom]

Defined was that using those watts numbers report nothing useful.
Demonstrated was that a 500 watt supply may also be a 350 watt supply.
So which number gets applied to the estimator? Predictabley, your
estimators gave inconsistent numbers such as 297 and 700 - because
again they are 'magic solutions' rather than basic science. A third
reason - any power supply can be oversized and still not not provide
sufficient power on only one voltage. Appreciate that my post also
provided reasons. Any suggestion without important 'reasons why'
should be discounted. No 'reasons why' is symptomatic of popular urban
myths.

Also defined as ineffective is that motherboard monitor. Without a
meter, that monitor does not (is not intended) to provide accurate
voltage numbers. But then, does the motherboard have hardware for that
monitor? If not, software has nothing to read; just another reason why
the monitor would report nothing useful.

Maybe buying a meter means fear. Good. Another reason why it is
problably the best solution. A meter was recommended with reasons for
why. Meters are so ubiquitous as to be sold in Radio Shack, Wal-mart,
Home Depot, K-mart, Sears, and Lowes - because meters are as scary as a
screwdriver. Get the meter for $20. Sometimes meters sell for only
$10. Meter provides a complete answer in but two minutes. No other
post even claims to be so thorough. Also a meter provides numbers so
that replies can be significantly more useful - a faster solution.

Meanwhile, does that 600+ power supply include functions necessary
for power supplies even 30+ years ago? Many supplies that sell only on
price (and also hype a watts number that is larger) are also missing
essential functions. How do you know? A power supply that does not
include a long list of numerical specifications is how one sells an
inferior power supply for higher profit. Those spec numbers (that
almost all do not understand) are how the less than 1% of us know which
power supply contains essential functions. To sell a supply missing
essential functions, the 'forget' to include those specs.

Posted was not - 'try this and try that'. Posted was 'this gets
useful answers every time'. Get the meter. Get numbers. Have facts
that provide definitive answers the first time AND provides reasons why
those answers are accurate.

 

[Jonny]

A meter? What is being metered? Where is whatever being metered?

Amperage output, and amperage used is not a stagnant thing over a long time
period.