about 2 weeks ago all my games started to crash to desktop, restart the pc, or just shut it down.

i have a radeon 9600 xt video card, mobo by gigabyte with nivida nforce 2 chipset, crative sb auidigy [c400] for sound, AMD athlons xp 3000+ and 1 gig of mem.

The games crash like 5 - 10 min to them, the games that i play are: hl2, css, c&c renegade, cod and CoD:UO.
all of the games worked fine before. i didnt install any new software. i have no spyware/viruses. I tired to truble shoot everything and updated all the drivers and nothing worked. Also i some times hear a reving noise coming from inside my case(not optical or hard drive). So far nothing has worked.

Re-install Catalyst 5.1 driver after removing the current driver. Don't use the Catalyst 5.2 driver unless you use the .NET system.

it could be a problem with your power supply.

I was thinking PSU too, since you've made no hardware or software changes. Is the fan working? Could be overheating if not.

I would think a heating issue might be the problem as well. You could try downloading something like moslo and setting it at a low percentage(so that it pushes your CPU to full load), and see if the CPU shuts itself down.
Also, you could try downloading Hardware monitor and reporting those temperatures back to us.

temps are
mainboard 47.0 c, cpu1 27.0 c, cpu2 86.0 c, hdd1 23.0 c
cooling fans power 4326 rpm

+1 for this problem.

I too get the same aggrivating crap.

Specs listed below, machine can't even run some Flash games [DirectX issue?]

I'm using ... well I'll be damned ... DirectX 8.1 - That's a surprise - lol.

And version 6.14.10.6505 [English] of the Catalyst Drivers [Swiped from a PCGamer DVD].

I had the same kind of problem before only it involved the ati2dvag.dll error - I no longer get this since my cousin traded cards with me [Pretty much the same card apart from length and power in-take cable].

I'll do what I can to help solve this problem - I play pretty much the same games as Kevin. (It was Kevin wasn't it? Sorry for my ignorance.)

what kind of psu's do you guys have??

I strongly believe its Power Supply, but Mc Nally is also right, it could be heating Issue too.

Could you please tell us volts on each rail?

for example: -

+12V
+3.3V
+5V

Sorry, I should have been clearer-I was referring to the fan on the PSU itself, i.e. I'm thinking that maybe the PSU is overheating.

+12v = +12.22v
+5v = +4.19v
Core = 1.71v
aux = +2.77v
i/o = +3.34v

It could be your PSU, as your 5V. rails a quite low. But on first gander, I was thinking overheating videocard. Try either running with the side of your case off (maybe a box fan next to the PC if you can get one).

Try the case + fan test, if it runs like that, then its a heat issue, and consider getting more case fans or a new video card cooler.

If it still re-starts, Grab a new PSU.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=293078

could that be the problem?

There is an existing thread on the same topic. I've been having trouble with the same issue and very similar hardware.

Read this (long) thread first. http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/topic/15646/?o=0

It took me all day to read it, but I think it's very well worth the time.

Good luck.

Now it restarts when im not even doing anyting. one time it restarted 4 times in a row

Get yourself new Power Supply Kevin, preferbly Antec or Thermaltake, i see ur +5V rail is quite low. My suggestion would 430W by Antec.

First of all get PSU, and then we shall see.

yeah, ive been saying that too. when i first built my rig, i had a 330w psu and that was causing my computer to restart. i got the Antec 430w TruPower PSU and havent had problems since.

My PSU is 350W.

The side has been off the case for months in attempts to solve this problem - I even added an extra fan to blow air to the card to keep it cool.

I'll get my hands on a new PSU sometime [I hope].

There's one for £30 for a 650W, though it's unbranded.

Should I just got for a Thermaltake or Antec?

I wouldn't go with unbraded products, especially when it comes to PSU or RAM, if ur on tight budget then look for Qtec PSU.

However Antec or Thermaltake would be awesome !

What prices can I be expected to pay?

I'm about to eBay it just now - Either that or if someone knows of a next-day delivery site within the UK?

Don't discount Rosewill's PSU's. They're very solid and afforadble. They also offer very good aperage on their 12V rails.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=17-1...amp;depa=0

I have one of these, and it's been great.