Just one other thing. It wouldnt be right if i didnt post info about re-setting your power supply. A lot of people know about re-setting the bios but dont know about re-setting the the power supply, so here it is.

RESET POWER SUPPLY

Having problems with computer, cant get it to boot? Tried re-seating your components and other troubleshooting methods have failed?

Reset the power supply by turning it off at the back and removing the supply lead, then press and hold the computers power on button for one minute. This is with the motherboard connected to the power supply.

This is a very handy piece of info, can save you hours of work!

Hehe, I didn't know anybody else did that.

I used to use the power supply draining (or resetting) technique when I needed my motherboard to reset the BIOS...since the power supply was giving the 5v standby voltage, even though the CMOS battery was out, it was retaining the data due to that power. Although I didn't really have to wait that long. If I turned the power switch of the PSU off and waited for about 15 seconds or hit the power button on the front of the computer, I'd hear a "zap" noise and the light on the motherboard would switch off, and then I could reset the BIOS.

I don't need to do that anymore with my new board. I kind of miss having to babysit the thing so much (e.g. sitting next to the computer on the floor ready to yank the plug and set the BIOS reset jumper) when trying to tweak it. Now if I screw up a tweak all I have to do is reset it and it reverts.

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Sorry

Thanks heaps for your posts guys, much appreciated. That PSU drain trick is nice, I should've tried it before I blew the thing up :P

I'm not expecting to have this system much longer - I'm looking to buy a whole new system in march-april, so all I need is something to last that long.

I've gone with a cheapo (sorry!!) 450w power supply - I think this is all I'll need. Readings are as follows (or so it says on the unit)

+12v 18A
+5v 30A
+3.3v 20A
-5v 0.5A
-12v 0.8A
+5vsb 2a

I'm sure this'll do the job... It only needs to last me what, 4 months max? So it should be fine. I'll update you when I get something going!

Well, everything looks fine! New PSU went in, I've now got my Radeon 9800 and 1gig DDR400 RAM in and just enjoyed an hour of The Movies with no hitch at all. So it appears the problem has been resolved.

Thanks for your help everyone, and for spending time assisting a hardware novice. I think I've learnt a fair bit from you all... Much appreciated!

Cheapo 450 is probably about as good as a brand name 350. Just make sure you don't overclock it like crazy or use PSU-powered watercooling or anything fancy like that. Lighter loads are less likely to make the PSU generate out-of-spec voltages and other problems that can cause irreversible damage to your hardware and your home's electrical wiring.

A cheapo 450 will likely get anyone by, depending on what they are running, but only for a while, even up to a year or so.
However, please dont say a cheapo 450 is as good as a good 350, simply NOT true. Im not arguing, only giving you the real facts.
You see, a ps is more than just watts! That is where my argument clicks in.
A cheapo has junk inside, all the parts. A good ps has thermal cutoff protection that a cheapo just doesnt have!! There are other parts inside a good ps that are lacking or cheapened down in a cheapo, so you cant say its just as good. Honestly, i am not writing this for nothing.
Just the thermal protection alone is worth paying for a good ps!!
cheapo - can lie about the wattage and really be only 350 anyway, and no thermal protection. When the cheapo burns up it often takes the mobo, vid card, and other parts down with it!!
When a good ps dies, it kills itself and it saves the mobo and other parts.
So you cannot say what you said, honestly.
However, the cheapo will get you by for a while as is, usually.
Dont believe me? Read:
http://www.fonerbooks.com/power.htm
http://www.pcguide.com/ref/power/sup...oltages-c.html
http://techrepublic.com.com/5100-103...g=feed&subj=tr
http://www.informit.com/articles/art...&seqNum=2&rl=1
http://www.directron.com/psu.html
There are other web pages with more info, just use google.
But what i printed above should keep you busy, lol.
Sorry, i dont mean to argue or sound like a know it all, im not, but i do know a bit about ps's! Not as much as i should know, but a bit anyway.
One last thing, a good ps doesnt have to cost a lot. I see newegg.com and directron.com and other places have sales on good ps's and even full price can be had for only $40 or so.
When you often have $600 to $1,000 and more tied up in your pc, how could you not spend $50 for the most important part!!
I realize you already bought the ps, im only saying all this for your future purchases and because i hate to see people uninformed. So i hope you take this info with the care and spirit in which it is given.
Dont forget, it comes my turn for advice around here too, im not Mr know it all, lol.

Cant help myself, lol. I forgot one thing.
As i said, the thermal cutoff protection that is built into a good ps is worth the price alone. But, remember that wattage is arbitrarily obtained and the good ps mfgrs understate the wattage on their ps's, or at least they state the wattage based on good principles, whereas the cheapo mfgrs simply and flat-out lie!!! You see statements like 680 watts for a cheapo ps. Bull! A real, proper 680 watt ps cannot be built for that price! A good 680 watt ps would run over $150! Im not suggesting a person has to spend that amount, just making a point.
As i stated above, a good ps can be had for $40.
end of rant.

Sorry, my mistake. Should have clarified

I mean in general, a generic 450 watt will probably run about the same system as a good 350 watt will, not that it has the same/better ratings in each rail or has any of the advanced protection features that the typical decent 350w does. Assuming the load doesn't often exceed what's typical, then there won't be very much of a difference running short-term on a cheap 450w vs a good 350w.

I totally did not mean to equate cheap 450's with good 350's. It just came out wrong.