OK an update.
i decided that maybe indeed a PSU replacement is in order.
i have a brand new Antec TruePower 480W power supply. i didn't put it in the computer till now since it has lots of cables and that case of mine is cramped already, but i said i'll give it a try.
the results in the pic below. i did a pretty good job of shoving all those extra cables i've no use for to the space under the DVD.
<off topic>
incidentally, i nearly fried my CPU.
the computer had been off overnight, so i turned the floor fan (the one throwing air on the computer) off and forgot to turn it on again. and after the PSU replacement and power-up, the CPU fan didn't turn (it does this sometimes...one of the reasons i don't generally bother turning the computer off).
after the PSU installation i checked the mobo manual and messed around with some jumpers, and accidentally cleared the CMOS. so after powerup i was checking the BIOS and making adjustments. when i got to the harware section the CPU tem was 88 C !!!
![:o](http://www.cdrlabs.com/forums/images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
LOL
<on topic again>
after replacing the PSU i was still getting reboots, random lockups, blue screens !!!
it was worse than with the older shitty PS!!!
![:evil:](http://www.cdrlabs.com/forums/images/smilies/icon_evil.gif)
and they were with a (relatively) cool CPU - around 60-70 degrees, it wasn't because of an overheated CPU. i thought maybe the new PS is at fault.
well a couple of days later it seems to be OK. can it be that a new PS needs some time to "settle down" ?
well, the computer is a little more quiet now
i think also the CPU temp is down a bit, maybe 2 degrees C. perhaps because the new PS has an intake fan pulling air from below, maybe it's pulling hot air away from the CPU's heatsink.
by the way, the new PS is better than the old one on the +3.3, +5, -5, -12 voltages, but on the +12 it's worse - it's more or less constant at 11.43-11.49 volts. the old was was closer to 12.
is this bad? how far from 12v is it OK to be?
according to the manual (if i'm reading it right), the regulation on the +12v is +/- 3% which translates to 11.64-12.36 volts. does this mean the PS is faulty? or maybe Motherboard Monitor monitoring of voltages is'nt accurate?
is there a more accurate way to measure the PSU's 12v ?
BTW
can a bad HD be causing such symptoms - lockups, spontaneous reboots, occasional blue-screens?
i'm starting to think maybe the main HD is causing trouble.
it's a 40GB IBM 60GXP - that's right the DeathStar!
over 3 1/2 years and so far not a single problem with it, but i'm not sure... for a while now i've thought i might be hearing clicks from it...well i know i'm hearing clicks but i'm not sure if they're from this HD...
![d'oh! #-o](http://www.cdrlabs.com/forums/images/smilies/eusa_doh.gif)