PC restarts or closes games in mid play. HELP!!

[B0rb0rigmus]

I just built a PC for my in-laws a couple weeks ago. It works just fine for most applications. But whenever my brothers try to play games on it, it will do one of 4 things:

A) The screen goes black and the system restarts.
B) The game closes and goes back to the desktop.
C) Nothing, the system will do everything normal.
D) The system will completely freeze up and they have to kill the power and restart.

It seems to happen completely at random and with an assortment of games (Starcraft, Sid Meier's Pirates, Tiberian Sun).

Here's what I used when putting it together:

AMD Athlon 64 3200+ CPU
Abit AX8 / K8T890 Mobo
EVGA GeForce 6800XT PC-Express Video Card
1GB DDR400 RAM
350W Power Supply
Windows XP w/SP2

The PC has never been used for internet purposes and has never been hooked up to the net. Is it possible that it needs some patches from Microsoft before it will work properly?

I'd appreciate any help anyone can offer.

Thanks!!

 

[SOcRatEs]

Howdy to Cascadia

Yes, you will in some way, need to get updates for more that just windows. Any update drivers for video, chipset,audio etc. You could burn everything to cd and not setup Inet connection, most drivers are at the top of this page ^.
I don't know how you'll get the windows updates tho...
Nice system
G'Luck!

 

[mattw]

possibly the service pack 2?

what is the brand of your power supply aswell? is it one that came with the case? cos that might be causing it.

 

[B0rb0rigmus]

Yeah the power supply came with the Antec case.

 

[SOcRatEs]

That should be a good PSU.
I'd work on getting all the updates.