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Swapped out Video Card, computer won't stay on
Kotenk
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So I got a new video card today, and after swapping it in, the computer boots for about 1 second, then dies.
I figured that I didn't have enough power with my PSU (went from a ATI 4870x2 to 6970), so I put in the old card... same story.
with a brand new psu and nothing plugged in except the motherboard, same story.
the following factors are in play
A) i grounded myself but theres of course the off chance i somehow shocked my mobo to death
i recenty spilled a bag of natural sunflower seeds+shell near the case, and a few got in. while moving the case around to install the card, i saw a few rogue seeds that were moving about the case. maybe they are somehow causing a short? ive removed them of course but i dont know how much of an impact they can even make.
is my mobo done? my next action item is to remove it from the case, blow it all out due to the dust or whatever, and put it all back together. additionally, im going to reapply thermal paste and reseat the CPU.
any help is appreciated.
im okay with just sucking it up and buying a new mobo, but ive never ever done that sort of install so i dont know where to begin on that. would prefer to troubleshoot first.
I figured that I didn't have enough power with my PSU (went from a ATI 4870x2 to 6970), so I put in the old card... same story.
with a brand new psu and nothing plugged in except the motherboard, same story.
the following factors are in play
A) i grounded myself but theres of course the off chance i somehow shocked my mobo to death
i recenty spilled a bag of natural sunflower seeds+shell near the case, and a few got in. while moving the case around to install the card, i saw a few rogue seeds that were moving about the case. maybe they are somehow causing a short? ive removed them of course but i dont know how much of an impact they can even make.is my mobo done? my next action item is to remove it from the case, blow it all out due to the dust or whatever, and put it all back together. additionally, im going to reapply thermal paste and reseat the CPU.
any help is appreciated.
im okay with just sucking it up and buying a new mobo, but ive never ever done that sort of install so i dont know where to begin on that. would prefer to troubleshoot first.
Kotenk on
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did you plug the 6/8pin connector into the card?
Did you set the bios to use pci-e over on board?
is the computer shutting off when you say dies, or just nothing on the monitor?
Yes, the card was plugged in fully. I'm not sure what you mean on the 2nd item, but I can't get to BIOS in any way. I didn't do anything to the computer before this other than turn it off and pull the card out.
The computer and fans all go active for about 1 second, and then it all cuts out. The fans will then turn on for a very brief moment about 5 seconds later, and then are off for good until I next hit the button.
http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/amd_hd6970_hd6950_review/images/11.htm
Bottom left corner
Do you have the power for that plugged in there? I'm not familiar with the card to know if you plug in both or one or the other, read your instructions and plug in the appropriate one.
Electronic composer for hire.
When you say just the PSU and the motherboard, and nothing plugged in, did you do this with both the original and new PSU? Did you do it with the new PSU before trying the video card on it? Is it a strong enough PSU to run all your stuff? With just the motherboard and the PSU, did you get the same behavior with the fans that you describe, or was that with everything hooked in?
Most motherboards have a little red light on them. Is the light on when the PSU is plugged in, or come on when you push the power button?
You mention you've never installed one before, motherboards are pretty easy. There's several good sized screws in them. Take them out and most boards will lift out. If it doesn't come out easily you missed a screw, check all around for screws or other fasteners, don't try to force it out. Some cases will have little plastic clips at the edges, others will have something around the back panel where the ports stick out that keeps the board in place without the screws.
The layout of the screws is standardized, unless you have one of those freakish H shaped motherboards HP and Compaq used to love so much. Just set the new one in gently, line up the ports with the back panel, and screw it down snugly so it can't move, but not too tight (it is possible to crack the board if you horse them down too much).
Steam Username:Glirk_Dient
And since I was running on my new Video Card, I went to install new drivers. I noticed I forgot to plug in the case fan, so after I get the new drivers, I shut down, plug in the case fan, turn it on.... and it's dead again...
So after an ungodly amount of trying off and on, I've ended up with the mobo on a carboard box, case on the other side of the room, and everything plugged in... and it worked...
My motherboard (P6T-SE) has a power switch on it, and I had to try power a few times but, it's working.
Either way, I'm guessing the mobo is fried in some way, or theres some debris somewhere that is shorting it out under certain positions/etc.
I think my best course of action is to sit with the cardboard computer for now, and get a new mobo in the next few days. I want to wait for Sandy Bridge to come out before I get a new mobo just as it will fluctuate the market highly.
Something must be shorting out the motherboard as the problem seems to be with the case. Double check the stand offs and make sure nothing else is touching the motherboard.
Steam Username:Glirk_Dient
Don't just check the case, though, also check around the ports, screw holes, and the wire bundle on the PSU. Look for protruding wires or solder points that would touch the screws or back panel and wires with cracked or stripped insulation. It might help to put the board back in without power to better see where it's contacting metal parts of the case.
Have you tried putting it back in, yet? It's even possible just taking it out dislodged an object stuck behind the motherboard causing the short.
Edit: when you say you had to try the power switch several times, that was on the cardboard, correct? That could bode worse for the motherboard. Has it been working normally set up on the cardboard other than that?