Update Video Driver + Crashing = PSU problem??

**Georgy Zhukov** · March 08, 2012, 09:18 PM

So recently I got Mass effect 3 and I installed it on my computer and it was lagging like all hell. I thought this was odd because I remember playing Mass Effect 2 without any lag with fairly good graphics. So I check my drivers and I realize my video driver hasn't been updated since 2008!!! So I update it, launch mass effect 3 and it barely improved performance. Than my Computer turned off, I reboot it to get blue screen of death. I also smelled burning/ozone smell coming from my PC, my PC also took like 10 years to boot. Eventually my computer just stopped turning on altogether so from my reading I thought this was likely a problem with the PSU? Is that fair to say? I also did standard PSU diagnostics like changing powercord/outlet to no avail.

Additionally: I rolled back the drivers from safe mode and the computer booted properly from there. I also had pc doctor run a diagnostic and my drive, motherboard and processors were all a-ok (doesn't test the psu for some reason)However, I re-installed the driver just to see if this is a freak accident but computer crashed for good.

Specs

ATI radeon 3850HD
6 gigs of ram
Windows Vista Home
Intel I5 Quad Core processor
1tb memory

**Darkpriest667** · March 09, 2012, 07:02 AM

you're running the game on a 3850 ATI Radeon. Im surprised ME3 even runs on that card to be honest.

I doubt its a PSU problem its probably a driver problem. Sounds like the latest AMD drivers have fragged your 3850.

On another site guys were reporting the 12.2 catalyst drivers causing problems with 5xxx and 6xxx cards.

**Georgy Zhukov** · March 09, 2012, 08:57 AM

Well that might be true, but now the goddamn thing wont turn on, no lights, no fans, no nothing. As far as I understand it, if it was a driver problem, it would still turn on right? (at least until it hit bios?). Also the latest driver for my card is from 2010, so I think it would already be troubleshooted like hell. . . .

And Mass Effect 2 ran very well on the card, no lag no hiccups no nothing. Only recently really did the computer start suffering a decline in performance.

Oh and its also a ATI Radeon 3650 HD

**Georgy Zhukov** · March 09, 2012, 08:58 AM

Double post

**Darkpriest667** · March 09, 2012, 09:19 AM

check the connections from the PSU to the motherboard... and the power button connection to the motherboard.

But yeah the more you describe the problem the more it sounds like the PSU has gone bad on you.