PSU/GPU Failure?

Shadin · 10-28-2009, 01:07 PM

I can't check my PCs specs at the moment, but this morning when I woke up my PC was powered down, when it should have been on. If I held down the power button for ~4 seconds, then pressed it again, the light behind "Aspire" would flash and then die. I unplugged then main connector from the PSU to the motherboard and plugged in an old one, and it came on and stayed, so that told me it was a either a bad connection or a bad PSU, so I plugged the old one back in and tried it, without the graphics card or second hard drive, and it also stayed on. I then plugged it back into the monitor (had swapped tower for my laptop) and it came on fine. however, after I connected the GPU and second hard drive, the problem resume. Would this indicate that the graphics card is bad, or perhaps the PSU is failing and cannot provide power for everything, and just shuts down? Sorry for the wall of text.

Edit: OCD spelling correction

**Tyree** · 10-28-2009, 02:08 PM

Sounds like a PSU. What Model & Brand is the PSU?

Shadin · 10-28-2009, 02:36 PM

SAGA ATX12V V2.2
450 Watt

Graphics:
GeForce 9800 GT
512MB GDDR3
XFX

Everything else is stock Acer Aspire M5641-U5520A
and has been running Windows 7 RC since it was made available

Shadin · 10-28-2009, 03:56 PM

Sorry for the double post, but I just want to report that i'm now able to boot and i'm posting from the pc in question, and it boots as long as I used integrated graphics. the card is still in the slot, just not powered.

**wrench97** · 10-28-2009, 04:15 PM

450w is really small for that card, either the power supply is failing or the card is failing most likely from under powering it.> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139005

**Tyree** · 10-28-2009, 04:58 PM

The 750W Corsair is on special for the same price as the 650.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139006

**wrench97** · 10-28-2009, 05:00 PM

It's actually $10 cheaper after MIR, that price seems to be changing daily:)

Shadin · 11-02-2009, 12:18 PM

After installing the 750w, I have the same problem and have to unplug the graphics card and use integrated graphics to boot. I suppose I'll upgrade the graphics card, which somewhat sets back my plans of upgrading cpu, HDD, and ram.

**wrench97** · 11-02-2009, 12:39 PM

Have you tested the card in another PC?

Shadin · 11-02-2009, 12:44 PM

My only other desktop has a fried mobo, so no go.

**wrench97** · 11-02-2009, 12:58 PM

How about a friends, you just want to see if it will post so drivers won't be an issue.

Shadin · 11-02-2009, 01:04 PM

all of my friends think I "tinker" with my stuff too much, and won't let me touch theirs.

**wrench97** · 11-02-2009, 01:43 PM

Been there, it will come to pass when one of their PC's goes down and you can fix it.

Shadin · 11-02-2009, 02:04 PM

already happened, about a year ago. i pulled the gpu and it worked fine. of course now it seems that's happened to me, i just wouldn't settle for not having it. I had completely forgotton about ths incident until just now. sadly, that friend has since moved, or I would try it in his now graphics-less pc.

Shadin · 11-04-2009, 11:56 AM

update: ordered a XFX GeForce GTX 260 from newegg, and it arrived today. I barely managed to slide it in between the rear of the case and the HDD cage. however, because of the hdd cage, it is shifted about a millimeter to the rear, and will not go into the slot. to add insult to injury, it also covers the sata connections. I suppose i'll just order a new 9800 and send the 260 back.

**wrench97** · 11-04-2009, 12:24 PM

Is it hitting the cage or the drive itself?

Shadin · 11-04-2009, 12:33 PM

just the cage. I thought about cutting out a slot for it, but then theres the problem with the sata connections

**wrench97** · 11-04-2009, 12:41 PM

How many does it block? All of them or 2 out 6?
They do make a 90 degree Sata cable you would need 3/8" to 1/2" clearance between the top of the slot and bottom of the card to use one.> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16812123174

Is the hard drive cage removable? if it is you could put the drive in a unused 3.5" bay.

Shadin · 11-04-2009, 01:00 PM

It appears to be one big unit containing both 3.5 and HD bays, held together and to the case by rivets. The Sata cables you mentioned might work, and the card blocks all four of the ports on the motherboard, but there just might be enough clearance.

edit: actually, i believe that the sata cables that I currently have are 90 on the drive side, perhaps i could reverse them and make it work, but then I would still need to remove part of the cage.

**wrench97** · 11-04-2009, 01:22 PM

It's possible but if the case is that tight cooling could be an issue, perhaps the smaller card or swapping to a larger case would be the correct solution.

10-28-2009, 01:07 PM	#1 (permalink)
Shadin Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Altoona, Alabama, United States Posts: 12 OS: Windows 7	PSU/GPU Failure? I can't check my PCs specs at the moment, but this morning when I woke up my PC was powered down, when it should have been on. If I held down the power button for ~4 seconds, then pressed it again, the light behind "Aspire" would flash and then die. I unplugged then main connector from the PSU to the motherboard and plugged in an old one, and it came on and stayed, so that told me it was a either a bad connection or a bad PSU, so I plugged the old one back in and tried it, without the graphics card or second hard drive, and it also stayed on. I then plugged it back into the monitor (had swapped tower for my laptop) and it came on fine. however, after I connected the GPU and second hard drive, the problem resume. Would this indicate that the graphics card is bad, or perhaps the PSU is failing and cannot provide power for everything, and just shuts down? Sorry for the wall of text. Edit: OCD spelling correction Last edited by Shadin; 10-28-2009 at 01:12 PM.

10-28-2009, 02:08 PM	#2 (permalink)
Tyree Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: May 2009 Location: Illinois Posts: 5,715 OS: XP Pro-7RC-Mandriva My System	Re: PSU/GPU Failure? Sounds like a PSU. What Model & Brand is the PSU? __________________ Posting your PC specs will help us to help you quicker and more efficiently.

10-28-2009, 02:36 PM	#3 (permalink)
Shadin Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Altoona, Alabama, United States Posts: 12 OS: Windows 7	Re: PSU/GPU Failure? SAGA ATX12V V2.2 450 Watt Graphics: GeForce 9800 GT 512MB GDDR3 XFX Everything else is stock Acer Aspire M5641-U5520A and has been running Windows 7 RC since it was made available Last edited by Shadin; 10-28-2009 at 02:39 PM.

10-28-2009, 03:56 PM	#4 (permalink)
Shadin Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Altoona, Alabama, United States Posts: 12 OS: Windows 7	Re: PSU/GPU Failure? Sorry for the double post, but I just want to report that i'm now able to boot and i'm posting from the pc in question, and it boots as long as I used integrated graphics. the card is still in the slot, just not powered.

10-28-2009, 04:15 PM	#5 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,672 OS: Win7	Re: PSU/GPU Failure? 450w is really small for that card, either the power supply is failing or the card is failing most likely from under powering it.> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139005 __________________ Power Supply and Selection

10-28-2009, 04:58 PM	#6 (permalink)
Tyree Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: May 2009 Location: Illinois Posts: 5,715 OS: XP Pro-7RC-Mandriva My System	Re: PSU/GPU Failure? The 750W Corsair is on special for the same price as the 650. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139006 __________________ Posting your PC specs will help us to help you quicker and more efficiently.

10-28-2009, 05:00 PM	#7 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,672 OS: Win7	Re: PSU/GPU Failure? It's actually $10 cheaper after MIR, that price seems to be changing daily:) __________________ Power Supply and Selection

11-02-2009, 12:18 PM	#8 (permalink)
Shadin Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Altoona, Alabama, United States Posts: 12 OS: Windows 7	Re: PSU/GPU Failure? After installing the 750w, I have the same problem and have to unplug the graphics card and use integrated graphics to boot. I suppose I'll upgrade the graphics card, which somewhat sets back my plans of upgrading cpu, HDD, and ram.

11-02-2009, 12:39 PM	#9 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,672 OS: Win7	Re: PSU/GPU Failure? Have you tested the card in another PC? __________________ Power Supply and Selection

11-02-2009, 12:44 PM	#10 (permalink)
Shadin Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Altoona, Alabama, United States Posts: 12 OS: Windows 7	Re: PSU/GPU Failure? My only other desktop has a fried mobo, so no go.

11-02-2009, 12:58 PM	#11 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,672 OS: Win7	Re: PSU/GPU Failure? How about a friends, you just want to see if it will post so drivers won't be an issue. __________________ Power Supply and Selection

11-02-2009, 01:04 PM	#12 (permalink)
Shadin Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Altoona, Alabama, United States Posts: 12 OS: Windows 7	Re: PSU/GPU Failure? all of my friends think I "tinker" with my stuff too much, and won't let me touch theirs.

11-02-2009, 01:43 PM	#13 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,672 OS: Win7	Re: PSU/GPU Failure? Been there, it will come to pass when one of their PC's goes down and you can fix it. __________________ Power Supply and Selection

11-02-2009, 02:04 PM	#14 (permalink)
Shadin Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Altoona, Alabama, United States Posts: 12 OS: Windows 7	Re: PSU/GPU Failure? already happened, about a year ago. i pulled the gpu and it worked fine. of course now it seems that's happened to me, i just wouldn't settle for not having it. I had completely forgotton about ths incident until just now. sadly, that friend has since moved, or I would try it in his now graphics-less pc.

11-04-2009, 11:56 AM	#15 (permalink)
Shadin Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Altoona, Alabama, United States Posts: 12 OS: Windows 7	Re: PSU/GPU Failure? update: ordered a XFX GeForce GTX 260 from newegg, and it arrived today. I barely managed to slide it in between the rear of the case and the HDD cage. however, because of the hdd cage, it is shifted about a millimeter to the rear, and will not go into the slot. to add insult to injury, it also covers the sata connections. I suppose i'll just order a new 9800 and send the 260 back.

11-04-2009, 12:24 PM	#16 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,672 OS: Win7	Re: PSU/GPU Failure? Is it hitting the cage or the drive itself? __________________ Power Supply and Selection

11-04-2009, 12:33 PM	#17 (permalink)
Shadin Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Altoona, Alabama, United States Posts: 12 OS: Windows 7	Re: PSU/GPU Failure? just the cage. I thought about cutting out a slot for it, but then theres the problem with the sata connections

11-04-2009, 12:41 PM	#18 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,672 OS: Win7	Re: PSU/GPU Failure? How many does it block? All of them or 2 out 6? They do make a 90 degree Sata cable you would need 3/8" to 1/2" clearance between the top of the slot and bottom of the card to use one.> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16812123174 Is the hard drive cage removable? if it is you could put the drive in a unused 3.5" bay. __________________ Power Supply and Selection

11-04-2009, 01:00 PM	#19 (permalink)
Shadin Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Altoona, Alabama, United States Posts: 12 OS: Windows 7	Re: PSU/GPU Failure? It appears to be one big unit containing both 3.5 and HD bays, held together and to the case by rivets. The Sata cables you mentioned might work, and the card blocks all four of the ports on the motherboard, but there just might be enough clearance. edit: actually, i believe that the sata cables that I currently have are 90 on the drive side, perhaps i could reverse them and make it work, but then I would still need to remove part of the cage. Last edited by Shadin; 11-04-2009 at 01:06 PM.

11-04-2009, 01:22 PM	#20 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,672 OS: Win7	Re: PSU/GPU Failure? It's possible but if the case is that tight cooling could be an issue, perhaps the smaller card or swapping to a larger case would be the correct solution. __________________ Power Supply and Selection