rebooting on game launch...

[nodulo]

Hi,

Here is the "little" story about my problem.

A few month ago i installed a new game (fallout 3) and after a few hours of play the pc just rebooted. The reboot were happening in all other games as well (oblivion, splinter cell, etc...). After some internet searching i decided to format and reinstall everyting.

I wasnt able to reinstall windows because the pc was rebooting before the install was over and could not partition my hard drive. I called a technician home who after plugging and unplugging everything said it was my graphic card that caused the problem. Indeed once the GC removed i could install windows and everything worked fine (except i couldnt play anything anymore)

So i went and bought a brand new GC. I plugged it in but i couldnt even install the drivers because the reboots started again. So i thought it could be the motherboard or power supply...

I brought the computer to a workshop and they tested it. At their workshop EVERYTHING works fine!!! no problems, no reboots, games run as smoothly as they used to!!!

I then thought it might be an electrical problem in my home so i tested at my office but it reboots there as well.

I have tried it with different mouse, different keyboard still no luck. The computer has no other peripherals (no printer, scanner, etc...). Its not connected to internet except once in while to get updates and the like so its not a virus.

If u have read thru this THANK U.
Now has anyone any ideas to what may cause these reboots that happen ONLY at game launch.

for info here are my specs:

Intel dual core 2GHz
2GB ram
ATI RADEON X1900XT
500W power supply

thks for ur help.

 

[Mr soft]

I don´t know if this will help but ,

I was having a similar problem and I went crazy trying to find it . I ripped my Pc apart , bought a fat PSU, and new graphics card , I updated to SP3 and my problems have stopped . I had turned off updates , hence I was on SP2 for ages.

Whether there has been anything implemented into games that require SP3 , I don´t know, but it seems to have solved my problem.
Yeh it´s a pita when your not sure if it´s going to reboot every time you launch a game, at least I used those reboots to get familiar with my Bios

 

[nodulo]

thks for ur answer Mr Soft.
It is true that my pc had not been updated for a while when all this started but since then i went and got all the updates, upgraded to SP3 so i guess i'm up to par with all of that. I didnt think it would work from the start though since the problem happens with games older than SP3...
Anyway, i dont have another computer to test my hardware with and no willing soul to crash their computer with my GC or powersupply. I would like to make a final diagnosis of my problem before i start spending too much cash on new hardware for nothing. I live in France and out here its not so easy to buy stuff and bring it back to the store when its not what u wanted.

Any other suggestions would be great thx!

 

[just a noob]

its the powersupply, thats the only thing that i could think of, especially since it happens during games