I just got a second hard drive, the SB Audigy Platinum eX, and a GeForce4 ti4200. When running any kind of strenuous audio in programs my computer freezes and only a high pitch tone comes from my card(speakers and head phones). I have updated my drivers through creative, and my graphics card seems alright, but my graphics card doesn't seem to be working as well as expected. I'm XP Pro, pentium4 1.4 ghz, 256 ram, Demension 4300. I can't fix it!

I think it's my power supply. I have a Dell with a 250W output. What PSU should I look to buy?

Can someone help me?

Is this a good PSU? I saw that it was rather cheap, but the manufacturer claims it performs as good as the Enermax 320W.

http://store.yahoo.com/xoxide/350waicposuw.html

My setup:
Dimension 4300 P4 1.4
256 Ram (came with PC)
GeForce4 ti 4200 8x
Audigy 2 Platinum Ex
DVD 10x
CD/RW 24x
40gb 5200 HHD
60gb 7200 HHD

Well I would have to agree with you, the power supply is needing of being increased. But as well I would look at increasing the memory to 512 Mb. My sound card is an Audigy and some of the same thing happened but went away when I increased the memory to 512Mb. As far as the power supply I would get one that will meet my needs in the future as well. I have two 550W supplies as well as a couple of 300w in smaller PC's. The 300 watt supplies are in systems that have on board audio and only one HDD.

So more memory and I would shoot for at least a 400W PS.........

Thanks for the post. Do you recomend any specific manufacter for the ram and the PSU?

There is a lot of information on the internet about power supples that you may want to look at. ** This ** might be a good place to start. Remember the power supply is the heart of your system, without it the whole thing is just a money pit........



** Here ** is the spec sheet for the 4300. Looking at this I see that you can only get 512MB PC133 on your system. If you have 256 now and it is a single stick you are in luck, you can just buy on more and you are good to go. However if you have two 128 MB sticks to make the 256 then you are going to have to decide on buying one 256 MB stick and have 384MB and have one 128 left over or buy two 256MB sticks for 512MB and have two 128MB left over. With the price of PC133 being so low at this time if you can afford it and are planing on keeping you PC for awhile I would get the two 256MB for 512MB total........

ummm.. things like that happened to me but it in fact was my GeForce4 ti4200 .. had to disable SBA(sideband addressing) and fast writes.. but it probably is ur psu

also.. this meaning ur sound card like repeats what the sound was during a game in lock up?

Doggie has a good point. I have a PNY Ti4600 and it wants to see things set up just right in the BIOS. You might give that a check, or not... One does not want to let go of a good reason to upgrade...

get rivatuner (http://www.guru3d.com/rivatuner)
look at your system information in this program..
it will show whether your motherboard can take certain features.. like mine.. my mobo doesn't allow SBA (Sidebanding address) and Fastwrites(FW).. so if thats the case.. go through riva tuner and disable the ones if this problem is this

<<also.. this meaning ur sound card like repeats what the sound was during a game in lock up? >>

It is a constant beep tone. unlike any sound.

Thanks for the posts

I fixed it!

Creative support helped me. It was my bios. The dell website had a bios update just for the Audigy cards. My systme seems to be running fine, but that doesn't mean I wont still upgrade.

I have 256mb in one slot, so i'll get the other 256.
And I've been looking at a Thermaltake 420W power supply.

good to hear man

Congrats and great job. Glad to hear that are still thinking of upgrading......