PC won't boot after reapplying GPU thermal paste!

[cypress]

I just cleaned my GPU (Sapphire 4870) an applied new arctic silver and now nothing happens when I switch my pc on. It starts up but the monitor just remains blank. Any ideas?

 

[OptimaLnrg]

double check you've inserted it fully and plugged in both required pci-e power cables would be my initial advice

 

[cypress]

Yeah its definitely in fully and powered on, it's lit up and the fan runs. My mobo has no onboard graphics so I can't even boot without it just to be certain it's the card. I think I must have damaged it trying to clean it!

 

[rallyslag]

Does the fan on the gpu spin? Is it properly seated in the mother board? One word on arctic silver It is electrically conductive and i once killed a gpu using it . I now use IC diamond.

 

[cypress]

The fan on the GPU spins and its fully seated, looks like I killed it

 

[tommybhoy]

Switch off PC and re-seat the gpu, check power cables are connected.

Arctic Silver is conductive, hopefully you haven't bricked your gpu.

 

[cypress]

Yeah I've done that twice now to be sure, I'd say I've bricked it. Whats a good option for a replacement to a 4870? I don't game but watch a lot of video

 

[OptimaLnrg]

remove the cooler again first to check you've not physically damaged anything, then re attach it. Could be screwed down too tight or something too.

 

[cypress]

Just did that and still no luck. Thanks for the help guys but it looks like I need a new card

 

[C64]

remove and reseat the card a few times also try resetting cmos on the board

 

[cypress]

Reset the cmos now, still nothing

 

[Uncle Petey]

How did you apply the AS5? Did any spill over the edge of the core?

 

[cypress]

Just back from pcworld, bought a replacement card, sapphire 5450...and this isn't working! What have I done to my pc?!

 

[Yaayuh!]

You haven't by chance bent the pins on the VGA/DVI cable have you?
On done something horrible to the PCI-E slot?

 

[Hybridtheory]

Just back from pcworld, bought a replacement card, sapphire 5450...and this isn't working! What have I done to my pc?!

Just out of interest, why PC World ?

 

[cypress]

Problem solved, bloody typical too! I had obviously tapped off one of the RAM slots while removing the graphics card. Secured RAM and I'm back in business thankfully. Thanks for all your input! PC World is the only show in town unfortunately, and I wanted to solve this tonight rather than order online. Phew!

 

[Tonester0011]

Dose your 4870 work now by anychance? Or was that dead long before you knocked the ram?

 

[cypress]

Now the 4870 is working perfectly now. Lesson learned (which I should have learned by now), check every bloody connection when something's wrong. I'll bring the 5450 back tomorrow. Annoyingly, this all stemmed from wanting (just for the sake of it) to lower my 4870 temps with the AS5 and they have hardly dropped at all!