stock PSU to small?

[loser12]

i am helping a friend who keeps running into problems with "system not responding" issues with programs. She has an Intel Q6600, 4gb RAM, Windows 7 and a 240 watt stock PSU (small for factor case). She mostly runs Firefox, outlook, and adobe photoshop all at the same time with multiple windows open at once. She also watches TV shows online while she works. I know that when she is working she has a lot of program windows open, more than anyone I know, and I assume that eats power - I just don't know how much.. I also know that if she is ripping a DVD while she is working, the DVD will sometimes stop ripping, which I thin might be power related.

 

I am going to have her computer for a few days and was hoping for some advice from you all here. I plan on doing the standard scans (virus, HD, malware, etc) and cleanign out the startup menu, but wondered if I should tweak windows 7 to use less power or try something else.

 

Is there a way to see how much actual power the running system is using?

 

thanks!

[rmb938]

If you have a UPS(battery backup) that tells you how much watts w.e thats plugged in is using use that. If not go out spend $20 and get a electeric meter that you just plug into the wall and you pulg the computer into that. I would give you a 50-75w line meaning if the pc uses 175-200w get a better psu. If the pc is fairly new I would call the manufacturer to see if you can get a new one for free.

[paulktreg]

So you have onboard graphics?

 

My E8500 with a single 9600GSO pulled under 250W when folding so if your not running anything too graphic intensive then 250W should be more than enough providing it's still delivering that. If it's run hot for most of its life the available power may very well be less than 250W. How old is it and does it look like a cheap generic?

 

The Kill A Watt meter, suggested above, doesn't cost too much and will tell you what's being pulled from the wall but without an efficiency figure for your power supply it will be difficult to say how much DC power is being pulled, depends on the quality of the power supply.