[SOLVED] Accidentally plugged pcie 6+2 cable into 4+4 Pin on PSU Side (Fully-Modular PSU)

[kevindsouza113]

Hi All. Accidentally plugged pcie 6+2 cable into 4+4 Pin on PSU Side (Fully-Modular PSU). Both are similarly keyed so the pcie cable went in without problems. I have corrected it now and the pcie cable is connected where it should be. Should I be worried?

Just for reference this is my PSU connector diagram: PSU Connector diagram. Its a 2019 Corsair RM750.

Thanks gus

 

[ConanLock]

Did you turn the PC on like this? If so, what happened?
Either way, the only thing to do is to try it. If it works, then everything is fine, and there is nothing to worry about.

 

[kevindsouza113]

Did you turn the PC on like this? If so, what happened?
Either way, the only thing to do is to try it. If it works, then everything is fine, and there is nothing to worry about.

Yes it worked fine. except i couldnt update gpu drivers. Now when i switched back to the correct connection and tried to update drivers, the display resolution is locked to 800x600, and when i try to enter bios the computer freezes. I cannot enter bios, but can boot into windows without any problems

 

[mitch074]

Yes it worked fine. except i couldnt update gpu drivers. Now when i switched back to the correct connection and tried to update drivers, the display resolution is locked to 800x600, and when i try to enter bios the computer freezes. I cannot enter bios, but can boot into windows without any problems

RMA the lot - both your GPU and motherboard took a beating, and the CPU could have been damaged as well.

 

[kevindsouza113]

RMA the lot - both your GPU and motherboard took a beating, and the CPU could have been damaged as well.

But I am able to get into windows. How do I know for sure my CPU & Mobo is damaged?

 

[ConanLock]

You should try resetting the CMOS. To do this, unplug the PSU from mains and switch it to off. Then, take the round silver battery out of the motherboard and hold the case power button down for about 10 seconds. Put the battery back in and plug the PSU in. Now, turn the PC on normally to see if it works. You should also try reseating the RAM and GPU. Make sure the RAM slots are unlocked, then push the RAM in to the point where the locks automatically fully lock themselves. The GPU needs to also be pushed all the way in, so that it is not wonky or loose at all.

 

[kevindsouza113]

You should try resetting the CMOS. To do this, unplug the PSU from mains and switch it to off. Then, take the round silver battery out of the motherboard and hold the case power button down for about 10 seconds. Put the battery back in and plug the PSU in. Now, turn the PC on normally to see if it works. You should also try reseating the RAM and GPU. Make sure the RAM slots are unlocked, then push the RAM in to the point where the locks automatically fully lock themselves. The GPU needs to also be pushed all the way in, so that it is not wonky or loose at all.

I have tried resetting CMOS using CMOS jumper. Would doing it via battery make difference? I will also check RAM slots. For now I'm reinstalling windows to see if the resolution issue is fixed.

 

[kevindsouza113]

You should try resetting the CMOS. To do this, unplug the PSU from mains and switch it to off. Then, take the round silver battery out of the motherboard and hold the case power button down for about 10 seconds. Put the battery back in and plug the PSU in. Now, turn the PC on normally to see if it works. You should also try reseating the RAM and GPU. Make sure the RAM slots are unlocked, then push the RAM in to the point where the locks automatically fully lock themselves. The GPU needs to also be pushed all the way in, so that it is not wonky or loose at all.

Hi I have tried everything you mentioned. Even reinstalled windows 10. Im still having the same issues. computer freezes when I try to enter BIOS or even when I try to update bios via Q-Flash. Also the resolution seems to be locked and stays at 800x600. This all happened when I tried to install GPU drivers. it was working fine before.

 

[mitch074]

Hi I have tried everything you mentioned. Even reinstalled windows 10. Im still having the same issues. computer freezes when I try to enter BIOS or even when I try to update bios via Q-Flash. Also the resolution seems to be locked and stays at 800x600. This all happened when I tried to install GPU drivers. it was working fine before.

At the very least your motherboard is damaged - extra voltage or reversed polarities have a tendency to damage stuff like capacitors and chips. And since it's the CPU power supply that was affected, the CPU might just be damaged too (even if to a lesser extent). I repeat, RMA the lot. Consider that your bad plug caused damage similar to a thunder strike. A small one, but still.

 

[BFG-9000]

Um, the reason the cables plugged in so easily is because those jacks were designed to be interchangeable. That's why they are labelled "6+2 PCIe & 4+4 CPU." It's the other end of those cables that reverses the polarity if needed for EPS or PCIe use. This is possible because both require only +12v and ground, and it would be easier to see this if the wires weren't all black.

Whatever your problem is, it's not because you plugged the modular cables in wrong. The keying makes that impossible without brute force. I suggest a memory test first.

 

[kevindsouza113]

Um, the reason the cables plugged in so easily is because those jacks were designed to be interchangeable. That's why they are labelled "6+2 PCIe & 4+4 CPU." It's the other end of those cables that reverses the polarity if needed for EPS or PCIe use. This is possible because both require only +12v and ground, and it would be easier to see this if the wires weren't all black.

Whatever your problem is, it's not because you plugged the modular cables in wrong. The keying makes that impossible without brute force. I suggest a memory test first.

Hi thanks for your reply. Yes I've been thinking the same & your reply just reconfirmed that.

How do I do a memtest? Is it a software?

Also the entire PC runs in 800x600 resolution. Does this prevent the bios from displaying at that resolution. Because this issue started when I tried to update drivers and that failed. It worked fine before.

I have started RMA process for the graphic card. Do you think a replacement should fix this or is my Motherboard faulty too?

 

[BFG-9000]

Many boards have a built-in memory test in the BIOS... which you can't enter. Unless you can get in using Windows' reboot to BIOS feature.

The bootable Windows install media has a memory tester, as does Windows' Safe Mode. Besides that, MemTest-86 is probably the most popular bootable memory testing utility, and Prime-95 the most popular Windows software but they both take considerable time to run. IntelBurnTest is probably the fastest way--it uses Linpack which is supposedly what Intel uses to bin CPUs.

This is where it would be helpful to have any spare PCIe GPU around, because that would answer it without having to wait for the replacement GPU to arrive.

 

[kevindsouza113]

Many boards have a built-in memory test in the BIOS... which you can't enter. Unless you can get in using Windows' reboot to BIOS feature.

The bootable Windows install media has a memory tester, as does Windows' Safe Mode. Besides that, MemTest-86 is probably the most popular bootable memory testing utility, and Prime-95 the most popular Windows software but they both take considerable time to run. IntelBurnTest is probably the fastest way--it uses Linpack which is supposedly what Intel uses to bin CPUs.

This is where it would be helpful to have any spare PCIe GPU around, because that would answer it without having to wait for the replacement GPU to arrive.

Yes I've tried the boot to bios feature. Doesn't work either.

The DEL Key input to enter bios is detected by the computer but it just freezes at that point. If I don't press del key on startup it boots into windows, but the resolution is stuck at 800x600. Even the post screen and windows OS is stuck at 800x600. I feel the bios cannot display at 800x600.

Today I will be giving back my GPU for RMA. Should that fix it? I do not have a spare GPU unfortunately as I already sold my old rig.

 

[Karadjgne]

I don't see as any damage was done. The psu side sockets are all the same, not similarly keyed, same. Doesn't matter if you plug in eps or pcie, that's why it's printed as pcie 6+2 & cpu 4+4. There's actually 5 interchangeable sockets, the upper single socket is upside down from the lower 4, but the pin layout is also upside down, making it the exact same thing.

If you are having issues, it's not due to power connections.

I'd start with dealing with 800x600 for now. Get online and goto guru3d.com and download DDU. Run it in safe mode. That'll delete fully any gpu drivers. Goto piriform.com and get ccleaner. The free version is fine. Run it. Several times or until it comes up empty. Run the registry tool, (say Yes to backups!). In windows, Win Key + X, Command Prompt (admin). Type cd\ (enter), then SFC /SCANNOW (enter). That'll run through your windows and repair any system files that might be buggered.

Then download a fresh copy of your gpu drivers and try and install.

But none of that will fix bios issues, as bios is totally seperate from anything that comes after, all of which is software. Many recent motherboards have dual bios, A/B switchable, might see if that applies.

 

[kevindsouza113]

I don't see as any damage was done. The psu side sockets are all the same, not similarly keyed, same. Doesn't matter if you plug in eps or pcie, that's why it's printed as pcie 6+2 & cpu 4+4. There's actually 5 interchangeable sockets, the upper single socket is upside down from the lower 4, but the pin layout is also upside down, making it the exact same thing.

If you are having issues, it's not due to power connections.

I'd start with dealing with 800x600 for now. Get online and goto guru3d.com and download DDU. Run it in safe mode. That'll delete fully any gpu drivers. Goto piriform.com and get ccleaner. The free version is fine. Run it. Several times or until it comes up empty. Run the registry tool, (say Yes to backups!). In windows, Win Key + X, Command Prompt (admin). Type cd\ (enter), then SFC /SCANNOW (enter). That'll run through your windows and repair any system files that might be buggered.

Then download a fresh copy of your gpu drivers and try and install.

But none of that will fix bios issues, as bios is totally seperate from anything that comes after, all of which is software. Many recent motherboards have dual bios, A/B switchable, might see if that applies.

I've tried DDU. I've tried fresh windows reinstalls. Nothing works.

The problem started off with the PC screen being completely blank when woken from sleep mode. All the fans were spinning and everything was on. But display was blank. I restarted windows and it started startup repair. Then the computer booted into windows. I tried playing a game, but there was weird artifacts and buzzing sound from the headphones So I assumed somehow OS got corrupt.

I was able to access the bios at that time. So I did a Windows reinstall. I got display this time around and it was at native resolution. So I tried to install GPU drivers. But everytime the installer got around 10% progress, the computer would freeze with a black screen. I could tell it froze because the peripherals lights turned off. I could get into windows after loading a system restore point that was created. But now the resolution was messed up. 800x600. Even the post screen was 800x600. And from this point the bios issue started.

Could this be a bad GPU? Because i think the bios cannot be displayed at 800x600

 

[mdd1963]

Damaging a MB, GPU, and/or PSU (in this case it sounds as if 12 from PSU inntended for MB's CPU power was instead applied to the GPU's ground connection) and then returning them in an RMA action is hardly what I'd call ethical....

It's little different than using an old modular cable with a new PSU and burning up a drive....

It's a user error...potentially expensive, unless (hopefully) the PSU sensed the 12V to ground short in the GPU, and blew an internal PSU fuse...(If the GPU is bad, it will suck equally when tested in another rig)

The OP can try another PSU first...but be sure to use correct modular cables with the correct PSU, they are NOT interchangeable...connections may differ at PSU supply side connection points.

 

[kevindsouza113]

Damaging a MB, GPU, and/or PSU (in this case it sounds as if 12 from PSU inntended for MB's CPU power was instead applied to the GPU's ground connection) and then returning them in an RMA action is hardly what I'd call ethical....

It's little different than using an old modular cable with a new PSU and burning up a drive....

It's a user error...potentially expensive, unless (hopefully) the PSU sensed the 12V to ground short in the GPU, and blew an internal PSU fuse...(If the GPU is bad, it will suck equally when tested in another rig)

The OP can try another PSU first...but be sure to use correct modular cables with the correct PSU, they are NOT interchangeable...connections may differ at PSU supply side connection points.

Well I understand what you mean but I don't think they are not interchangeable. Because if you look at this PSU Connector diagram, one of the PSU Connector (marked) says "6+2 PCIe & CPU 4+4". That clearly means they are interchangeable, right? And they are not differently keyed.

Also I was still able to get into the BIOS and my resolution was still at 1920x1080 even after the PSU side PCIe cable was plugged into the 4+4 PIN CPU socket. So based on this itself I doubt that damaged my motherboard as I was still able to get into bios and the resolution was fine.

After my realization, I connected the PSU side PCIe back again to the correct connector and then tried updating drivers. The driver update failed, caused freezes to the computer (I knew it froze because the keyboard/mouse lights would simply turn off) & that lead to the problem of not being able to enter bios and the entire display (right from post screen to windows) was stuck in 800x600. This made me think the GPU was faulty.

 

[ConanLock]

Seeming as the cables are interchangeable on the PSU side of things, unless you also rammed the CPU cable into the GPU, and the GPU cable into the CPU, I don't think there is any chance at all of this being the cause.

What GPU do you have? It might be worth uninstalling the GPU drivers, looking into how to flash a GPU BIOS, then reflashing yours, making sure to use the correct one, and finally going back and reinstalling the drivers.

If all else fails, it could fall to the oven-bake method, in which you give your graphics card a quick blast in the oven..

Also, what are the rest of your PC specs, as before trying the oven method, there might be some other things you could try, hardware-dependant.

 

[Karadjgne]

Umm, updates are not always immediate. There is quite often long pauses, especially with gpu drivers, where it might seem like a freeze, but really isn't, it's files and code being shipped around in the background.

I'd unplug every drive. Reseat the ram. Reset cmos. Then boot. Without drive access or interference if the motherboard/bios is fine it should boot past post. If bios itself is corrupted, you'll either need to switch to alternate bios, or update the bios via USB stick. Follow directions exactly, that means Do Not turn off power/reboot until told to, you'll have extended periods of 'freezes' which aren't really freezes at all.

800x600 is a Vga resolution. Every gpu made in the last 20 years is quite capable of it. But thats got nothing to do with bios, gpu and resolutions all happen after bios, not during or before. Bios will appear no matter what other resolutions are available afterwards.

Installing drivers is all ram, storage, cpu. Got nothing to do with whether the gpu is active or not. You can install any gpu driver and not even have a gpu installed.

 

[kevindsouza113]

Seeming as the cables are interchangeable on the PSU side of things, unless you also rammed the CPU cable into the GPU, and the GPU cable into the CPU, I don't think there is any chance at all of this being the cause.

What GPU do you have? It might be worth uninstalling the GPU drivers, looking into how to flash a GPU BIOS, then reflashing yours, making sure to use the correct one, and finally going back and reinstalling the drivers.

If all else fails, it could fall to the oven-bake method, in which you give your graphics card a quick blast in the oven..

Also, what are the rest of your PC specs, as before trying the oven method, there might be some other things you could try, hardware-dependant.

Nope. the cables are plugged in correctly on the motherboard side of things.

Its a RTX 2060 Super. Anyway I have already given it to the Service Center for RMA. Should get a replacement within a week or two.

Lol. Here's the rest of my PC Specs:

Complete System Specs
-CPU make and model# AMD Ryzen 7 3700x(Stock Clocks/Voltage, Stock Cooler)
-Motherboard make & model# Gigabyte X570 Aorus Ultra (Bios version F4i)
-RAM (amount, clock speed, model#/link of kit, configuration)G.skill Trident Z RGB 2x8gb 16GB CL17 3600Mhz/http://www.gskill.com/product/165/1...BDDR4-3600MHz-CL17-18-18-38-1.35V16GB-(2x8GB)
-Graphics card(s) make and model# (clock speed, voltage if modified, Driver version and GPU temp both @ idle and load)Nvidia RTX 2060 Super Stock, no drivers installed.
-Power supply make,model#, "AND" age Corsair RM750 2019, Brand New
-HDD/SSD configuration (1x 250GB Crucial MX500, 1x Crucial MX500 1TB, Seagate Barracuda 2tb 5400rpm
-Case/Chasis make,model# NZXT H500, 2x Front intakes 120mm, 2x rear exhaust 120mm
-Operating System (If using Windows note Framework and service pack version) Windows 10 Pro
-Monitor make, model#, and resolution LG 22MP68VQ, 22 Inch 1080p

 

[kevindsouza113]

Umm, updates are not always immediate. There is quite often long pauses, especially with gpu drivers, where it might seem like a freeze, but really isn't, it's files and code being shipped around in the background.

I'd unplug every drive. Reseat the ram. Reset cmos. Then boot. Without drive access or interference if the motherboard/bios is fine it should boot past post. If bios itself is corrupted, you'll either need to switch to alternate bios, or update the bios via USB stick. Follow directions exactly, that means Do Not turn off power/reboot until told to, you'll have extended periods of 'freezes' which aren't really freezes at all.

800x600 is a Vga resolution. Every gpu made in the last 20 years is quite capable of it. But thats got nothing to do with bios, gpu and resolutions all happen after bios, not during or before. Bios will appear no matter what other resolutions are available afterwards.

Installing drivers is all ram, storage, cpu. Got nothing to do with whether the gpu is active or not. You can install any gpu driver and not even have a gpu installed.

Yes they were actual freezes. I could tell they were freezes during GPU Driver installation because. The peripherals would turn off completely. I waited a good amount of time too. And still the screen was blank.
Although worth mentioning that the GPU Driver installation completed when I tried to install in safe mode. But upon restart, the device manager showed PCie Error still.

I've tried that. Unplugged drive. Reseated the RAMs. Reset CMOS. I still cant get into bios. I was able to get into BIOS before the GPU Driver issue. idk how can a gpu driver corrupt the bios. I tried reinstalling bios via q-flash. I cant even get into that.

Even the post screen (The screen where you press DEL to enter bios) is set to 800x600.

 

[ConanLock]

Get back to us once the GPU is returned to see how things go. For the moment, are you using a spare GPU or none at all? In theory, it shouldn't work at all if there is no GPU, as the CPU doesn't have an iGPU.

 

[kevindsouza113]

Get back to us once the GPU is returned to see how things go. For the moment, are you using a spare GPU or none at all? In theory, it shouldn't work at all if there is no GPU, as the CPU doesn't have an iGPU.

Yeah I will update once i get the replacement. I do not have a spare GPU, so the PCIE slot is unoccupied at the moment.

 

[kevindsouza113]

Just an update. The GPU RMA Fixed the issue. It indeed was a defective GPU. PC Running fine now. Thanks all for your help.

 

[hakimul.islam]

I did the same mistake and I'm happy nothing went wrong. I could have damaged my PC or GPU.