Did I just kill it?

boYce · 6 Dec 2009 at 18:56

My parents use one of my old computers which the gfx card has been dodgy on for a little while. its a EVGA 7900GT, think there were loads of dodgy cards in this series a while back. So I ordered a Sapphire 4650 from OcUK and popped it in the machine for them. It started to power up then after about 5 seconds just died. Now it would turn on with or without the new card in.

Only thing I can think is that the older card had a power cable going directly into it, where as the new card didn't. Has it killed the mother board, which is an ASUS a8n-sli?

I could do with getting this sorted tonite while i'm still at there house,
cheers.

Spyke_UK · 6 Dec 2009 at 18:59

Will it start up without a GFX card in, just using the onboard GFX chip?

simbady · 6 Dec 2009 at 19:00

Double check all your connections maybe you PSU has blown. You can test your PSU by getting a paper clip and putting one end in a green pin and one in the black .. make its not plugged into anything whilst you do it and be careful

More Info : http://www.overclock.net/faqs/96712-how-jump-start-power-supply-psu.html

boYce · 6 Dec 2009 at 19:03

Spyke_UK said:
Will it start up without a GFX card in, just using the onboard GFX chip?

no, nothing

boYce · 6 Dec 2009 at 19:11

simbady said:
Double check all your connections maybe you PSU has blown. You can test your PSU by getting a paper clip and putting one end in a green pin and one in the black .. make its not plugged into anything whilst you do it and be careful

More Info : http://www.overclock.net/faqs/96712-how-jump-start-power-supply-psu.html

Sounds a bit dodgy...

I just pulled the connection between the motherboard and the PSU off and back off. tried it again and it powered up for about 5 seconds, the fans started but sound like they were going at about 1/4 speed, then it died again.

boYce · 6 Dec 2009 at 19:45

Looks like it must be the PSU.
disconnected everything from the PSU then as soon as i turn the 1/0 switch on the back of the PSU on its fan starts spinning at about 1/10th of normal speed. (obvioulsy it shouldn't start untill told to by the motherboard)
Adding a paper clip as shown in simbady's link has no effect either way.

why on earth would changing the gfx card blow it?

Greebo · 6 Dec 2009 at 20:08

boYce said:
why on earth would changing the gfx card blow it?

The new card required more amps and tipped the psu over the edge?

That's how most psu's go when the op changes something in the system.

boYce · 6 Dec 2009 at 20:38

Greebo said:
The new card required more amps and tipped the psu over the edge?

That's how most psu's go when the op changes something in the system.

well its a 580W Hyper PSU which I would have thought would have been enough to power that card seeing as the rest of the spec isn't that high either.

Can it be fixed at all or do i need to order another?

mothermachine · 6 Dec 2009 at 22:19

aren't Hyper PSUs renown for blowing up? :/

go Corsair, maybe 750W or more.

skippy2421 · 6 Dec 2009 at 23:07

mothermachine said:
aren't Hyper PSUs renown for blowing up? :/

go Corsair, maybe 750W or more.

750 watts for a 4650 you can't be serious!

A quality 400 watt one would be suffice, but should you ever wish to upgrade 600/650 seems the sweet spot. May i ask how old was the PSU? Your PSU in its prime may of been fine but PSUs do degrade over time and with Hyper's being a little suspect of late i would guess it's finally kicked the bucket.

Have you another PSU to try it with before buying a new one?

sastusbulbas · 6 Dec 2009 at 23:39

It seems unlikely that a new GPU not requiring a cable from the PSU would tip things over the edge?

Aegis · 7 Dec 2009 at 00:43

Sadly, Hiper PSUs are notorious for blowing up - had one go on me myself (and a Tagen - they're crap too)