4870 make my pc crash

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georgy

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500w is a MINIMUM requirement for the 4870 (a GOOD brand such as corsair, antec, P&C). Don't cheap out the psu or you will regret it. You show us antec 430 and the other jewel shyt that will prolly cause you the same problems. If you know your system uses 430 watts don't buy a 430 watts.. it's stupid. You should be aware that the efficiency lowers with aging and heat so don't go under antec 500w and don't go a shyt brand.
 
+1 to Antec 500W.

Programs, no. Testers, sort of. Read any PSU review at Jonnyguru.com or Hardocp.com for their methodology, and you'll see that a commonly available PSU tester really can't tell you anything beyond the minimal-load voltages on the various rails. They don't test voltages under load, or show electrical noise, or any number of other things that differentiate a quality PSU from a bad one; they're really only good to identify DOA units.
 

The links have been posted already
 
Look at the specs on the page for the 500 watt psu. Your psu has 22 amps for 12 volt. Thats all. No dual rail. Not sure of the minimum for the 4870, Id guess at 32 amps minimum for the 12 volts combined.
 
Antec EA-500:
Output +3.3V@24A,+5V@24A,+12V1@17A,+12V2@17A,-12V@0.8A, +5VSB@2.5A
The label indicates that the max combined amperage on the +12V rails is the full 34A (on most PSUs, you can't just add the rails together).
 

cah027

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......

I agree. Many years ago I learned the hard way. I had a el cheapo and it fried my MB, Video Card, Sound Card, and a controller card.

I had to get MFG replacements and I was down for weeks.

don't skimp on the PSU. Even if that doesn't fix this issue it will save you from many to come.
 

cah027

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Where is zorg when you need him. Its probably actually a virtual dual rail like most duals are. So it might be all on one rail.

Not sure..I would research it and make sure. But That Antec 500 is pretty cheap on egg. maybe spend a little more and get 650 or better for head room but not much more..
 

zakash2

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i'm not from US dude... its gonna cost me 129$ :(
 

RME

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450W man.
Just is not enough for the system you have.
I would suggest about 600W at least!!!
You could go for the 620W version of the Corsair PSU ;-)
 

Noya

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utexgrad

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I have a 1000-watt Corsair psu with a Sapphire 4870X2 and I'm having the same problem as the others on here. MSI P45 Diamond mobo, Vista 64, 4 gig ram, 2.66 quad cpu, 8.8 Catalyst drivers, and HL2 and the others crash on me unless I play in a window or at 1024X768 (on a 24-inch HD-LCD that supports 1920X1200!). Everyone at ATI/AMD is telling me it's a card issue so I'm sending it back and getting a replacement. Should be interesting to see if it still happens
 

zakash2

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ok so... i used another PSU (450watt, 25a per 12v) and the games keep crashing...

i just came back from the PC store... i picked up new card (i mean i replaced the old one).

will check that and update.
 
Ummmm, 25 amps per rail, thats a total of 50. Lets assume thats ONLY 25 amps per rail at max, and actual is 2/3's of max. thats 34. 34x12 = 408, which only leaves 3 1/2 amps for the rest of the system. Not too sure about those numbers on that psu
 

zakash2

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anyway.. i went to the store and bring another 4870!

and you know what?! the same problem...

you can't blame the PSU, CPU, or any thing else... i tried any thing!

well, i'm will bring another 4870, but this time by another compony to check if its Sapphire problem or ATI.

btw, to wierd that on youtube and ATI all of the guys that have the same problems with 4870, got sapphire one...

any way, i will update you soon
 
Well, it could ve a defective rev design... I mean, the Phenom's B2 had the TLB bug, the ATI cards could have something on their ref. design boards or something... Also some kind of problem with the GDDR5 modules, defective chips of some sort... We should wait for more driver updates that issue this problem and see what really happens with the 4870. And this is seeing the worse case scenario, wich i doubt.

Anyway, get that 500w+ PSU (i'd also say get a 600w with at least 36A combined power on independent rails) just to be sure.

Esop!
 
You could be the unluckiest guy in the worls, or all the other owners of the 4870 have just been lucky. Make sure youve taken every possibility in check before you again blame the card. I find it hard to believe, after 2 cards youre still having problems, and after three, the problem simply is not the card
 


Then it could be a rev. design problem or a chip choice from Sapphire. Try other manufacturer and see how it goes.

Did u get the 500w PSU? I mean, it could also be that your current PSU is damaging the cards at some extent :p

Esop!
 

zakash2

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Then u have your answer there.

U can wait for a second rev of the card or just get another Vendor... Remember they ship in groups also, so it can be that particular group that got a manufacturing problem. Don't blame it hard on Sapphire, cause it is one of the best manufacturers for ATi out there. Just bad luck on this one.

And yeah... Remember getting that PSU, so u don't have problems =)

Esop!