Is this a symptom of a dying PSU or is it just too weak?

[screwd01]

Fan in PSU will spin. GPU fan will spin on very low. And CPU fan will sometimes spin on low, totally not spin or stutter indefinitely as if it wants to start spinning. HDD light will flash in rhytm will the fans. The speed of all these things are not constant, sometimes faster/slower. This will happen in hibernate or sleep mode and on both s1 and s3 bios power settings.

I've been clinging to old components after buying a new cpu and gpu. Here's the list:
Athlon II X2 250: Overclocked from 3.0 to 3.5
ATi HD 3870 Overclocked a bit
2x1 GB DDR2 667 (underclocked a bit, 1.8V is the voltage written on the sticks but the lowest setting in the bios is 1.9V)
3 ide pata HDDs, around 7 years old-two using ide to sata converters.
1 pata DVD drive
The psu is a 300W (I KNOW!) antec, also around 7 years old. Model SL300S

Funny thing is, I've finished some new demanding games (Metro 2033, Just Cause 2) without lockups.

 

[Stefan Payne]

Yes it could be the PSU, especially when it's 7 yeas old.

So you should get a new one.

 

[Gambit808]

it's your PSU and you should get something around 600 or more watts just to be on the safe side

 

[TemjinGold]

it's your PSU and you should get something around 600 or more watts just to be on the safe side

No need for something that big. A good quality 400w would be fine for you.

 

[Meghan54]

No need for something that big. A good quality 400w would be fine for you.

Really! Something like the Corsair CX400 or the Antec Earthwatts 430 or a Seasonic like the S12 II series. No need for huge overkill, despite the fact most of us do exactly that.

 

[cheap5.0]

I just had similar problems on my new build (I7-930 + GTX 260) on a 430 watt psu....yeah i know. Everything is back in line now with a 750 watt psu.

 

[TemjinGold]

Err... a i7 + a 260 is a good bit more power hungry than the OP's system...

It'll also depend on the model of your 430watt. Just because the PSU's wattage was the issue on yours, doesn't mean it'll be on the OP's.

 

[cheap5.0]

Err... a i7 + a 260 is a good bit more power hungry than the OP's system...

It'll also depend on the model of your 430watt. Just because the PSU's wattage was the issue on yours, doesn't mean it'll be on the OP's.

Yeah, just providing an example of a system that did similar things and had a psu problem. Im not saying hes in the same situation.

300 watts with his combo is a problem.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Too weak to begin with, and old on top of that. Cut your losses and get a new power supply before you burn something out with that poc

 

[MagickMan]

Yeah, your PSU is probably reaching the end of it's life. A 400W Corsair would be a good replacement.

 

[TemjinGold]

Yeah, just providing an example of a system that did similar things and had a psu problem. Im not saying hes in the same situation.

300 watts with his combo is a problem.

My bad, I mistook what you meant.