Question Bought a used GPU now pc doesn't boot, buzzing sound from psu.

Feb 9, 2021
3
0
10
Ok so I bought a Gigabyte GTX 970 Xtreme 4Gb on carbonite from a respectable user (so far only has good ratings from people who previously traded with him) so I doubt he went out of his way to scam me but yeah here's what happens:

I decided to start upgrading my pc a few months ago but I'm on a rather tight budget so I bought a few used parts (Mobo, CPU, RAM and PSU. Mobo, RAM and CPU still under warranty) and yesterday I bought a GPU which the seller shipped to me. I did inspect the parcel before opening and there was no noticeable damage and it was wrapped nicely in a anti static bag with a lot of bubble wrap as well.

I built my parts into another case as I bought a new cooling fan that didn't fit into the case I was using, got everything in and tried to boot to no avail. Now my PSU is making a buzzing sound when I turn on the switch at the back of the PSU but no response at all.

I have tried the following:
-Removed and re-inserted all of the cables from the PSU (even if I remove the cables from the GPU and remove the GPU from the case the buzzing still happens. I only got the buzzing to stop once literally all cables had been disconnected and the PSU was recieving power but not feeding to anything)
-Reseated the GPU
-Reinserting my old card (same results, buzzing but no boot or Mobo LED's)

My best guess is that the PSU decided to say farewell but my main stress is I don't know if it was just coincidental timing or if the GPU caused it to fail. If I buy a new PSU and the GPU burns it out as well I'm not going to be a happy camper.

Specs:
-MSI H310M Pro-VH Plus
-i3-9100f
- Asus GTX 650 (old GPU) & Gigabyte GTX 970 Xtreme Gaming 4Gb
-Antec HCG 750 PSU
-4 HDD's of varying sizes & brands
-3 cooling fans also mixed sizes and brands
-Generic ATX case

Any ideas on how to test if the GPU is causing the fault without burning out a new PSU? (I haven't got one that I can borrow unfortunately)

EDIT: The power button on the case I'm using is stuck in a pressed position so I connected the Reset Switch to the power pins on the Mobo and didn't connect the Power Switch from the case to anything on the mobo. Not sure if that could have any effect on anything but let me just leave his here in case.
 
Last edited:
Ok so I bought a Gigabyte GTX 970 Xtreme 4Gb on carbonite from a respectable user (so far only has good ratings from people who previously traded with him) so I doubt he went out of his way to scam me but yeah here's what happens:

I decided to start upgrading my pc a few months ago but I'm on a rather tight budget so I bought a few used parts (Mobo, CPU, RAM and PSU. Mobo, RAM and CPU still under warranty) and yesterday I bought a GPU which the seller shipped to me. I did inspect the parcel before opening and there was no noticeable damage and it was wrapped nicely in a anti static bag with a lot of bubble wrap as well.

I built my parts into another case as I bought a new cooling fan that didn't fit into the case I was using, got everything in and tried to boot to no avail. Now my PSU is making a buzzing sound when I turn on the switch at the back of the PSU but no response at all.

I have tried the following:
-Removed and re-inserted all of the cables from the PSU (even if I remove the cables from the GPU and remove the GPU from the case the buzzing still happens. I only got the buzzing to stop once literally all cables had been disconnected and the PSU was recieving power but not feeding to anything)
-Reseated the GPU
-Reinserting my old card (same results, buzzing but no boot or Mobo LED's)

My best guess is that the PSU decided to say farewell but my main stress is I don't know if it was just coincidental timing or if the GPU caused it to fail. If I buy a new PSU and the GPU burns it out as well I'm not going to be a happy camper.

Specs:
-MSI H310M Pro-VH Plus
-i3-9100f
-Asus GTX 650 (old GPU) & Gigabyte GTX 970 Xtreme Gaming 4Gb
-Antec HCG 750 PSU
  • 4 HDD's of varying sizes & brands
  • 3 cooling fans also mixed sizes and brands
-Generic ATX case

Any ideas on how to test if the GPU is causing the fault without burning out a new PSU? (I haven't got one that I can borrow unfortunately)

EDIT: The power button on the case I'm using is stuck in a pressed position so I connected the Reset Switch to the power pins on the Mobo and didn't connect the Power Switch from the case to anything on the mobo. Not sure if that could have any effect on anything but let me just leave his here in case.
Whats the psu's if it was a genaric psu then it was probably just it's time trying to power that beast of a gpu for it's gen.
 
Its an antec HCG 750w. In the OPs specs.
Oh missed it with the odd spacing to the drives


Ok so I bought a Gigabyte GTX 970 Xtreme 4Gb on carbonite from a respectable user (so far only has good ratings from people who previously traded with him) so I doubt he went out of his way to scam me but yeah here's what happens:

I decided to start upgrading my pc a few months ago but I'm on a rather tight budget so I bought a few used parts (Mobo, CPU, RAM and PSU. Mobo, RAM and CPU still under warranty) and yesterday I bought a GPU which the seller shipped to me. I did inspect the parcel before opening and there was no noticeable damage and it was wrapped nicely in a anti static bag with a lot of bubble wrap as well.

I built my parts into another case as I bought a new cooling fan that didn't fit into the case I was using, got everything in and tried to boot to no avail. Now my PSU is making a buzzing sound when I turn on the switch at the back of the PSU but no response at all.

I have tried the following:
-Removed and re-inserted all of the cables from the PSU (even if I remove the cables from the GPU and remove the GPU from the case the buzzing still happens. I only got the buzzing to stop once literally all cables had been disconnected and the PSU was recieving power but not feeding to anything)
-Reseated the GPU
-Reinserting my old card (same results, buzzing but no boot or Mobo LED's)

My best guess is that the PSU decided to say farewell but my main stress is I don't know if it was just coincidental timing or if the GPU caused it to fail. If I buy a new PSU and the GPU burns it out as well I'm not going to be a happy camper.

Specs:
-MSI H310M Pro-VH Plus
-i3-9100f
-Asus GTX 650 (old GPU) & Gigabyte GTX 970 Xtreme Gaming 4Gb
-Antec HCG 750 PSU
  • 4 HDD's of varying sizes & brands
  • 3 cooling fans also mixed sizes and brands
-Generic ATX case

Any ideas on how to test if the GPU is causing the fault without burning out a new PSU? (I haven't got one that I can borrow unfortunately)

EDIT: The power button on the case I'm using is stuck in a pressed position so I connected the Reset Switch to the power pins on the Mobo and didn't connect the Power Switch from the case to anything on the mobo. Not sure if that could have any effect on anything but let me just leave his here in case.
Get a better psu i've used three of thoughs 2 failed upon trying to oc the sytem after build were stable before oc... But would refuse to hold oc's.... Third was in a buddys system was stable.... Till he tried ocing... Again failed to hold oc's....
To be fair he was trying to oc a 9800k system with dual 1070's sound card 64gb of ram again ocing.... I was jist trying to oc a 3600x and it wouldn't hold the oc
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: NO_MATING
Feb 9, 2021
3
0
10
Oh missed it with the odd spacing to the drives



Get a better psu i've used three of thoughs 2 failed upon trying to oc the sytem after build were stable before oc... But would refuse to hold oc's.... Third was in a buddys system was stable.... Till he tried ocing... Again failed to hold oc's....
To be fair he was trying to oc a 9800k system with dual 1070's sound card 64gb of ram again ocing.... I was jist trying to oc a 3600x and it wouldn't hold the oc

Thanks... but do you think something in the GPU had to do with it failing or did it simply not have enough power to deliver? And if I look at a replacement do you think I should stay away from Antec or just look for a Gold psu?
 
Feb 9, 2021
3
0
10
Oh missed it with the odd spacing to the drives



Get a better psu i've used three of thoughs 2 failed upon trying to oc the sytem after build were stable before oc... But would refuse to hold oc's.... Third was in a buddys system was stable.... Till he tried ocing... Again failed to hold oc's....
To be fair he was trying to oc a 9800k system with dual 1070's sound card 64gb of ram again ocing.... I was jist trying to oc a 3600x and it wouldn't hold the oc

And also I haven't OC'd. Haven't even been able to power it on, just got the buzz from the PSU and nothing else.

Could this possibly have damaged my Mobo as well?
 
And also I haven't OC'd. Haven't even been able to power it on, just got the buzz from the PSU and nothing else.

Could this possibly have damaged my Mobo as well?
You may be overthinking this. I don't think a failed graphics card can damage other components like a power supply or motherboard. A faulty graphics card will just not work or kind of work with issues.

Most likely is that your PSU was on its way out and the extra load from the graphics card was the nail in the coffin.
 
Thanks... but do you think something in the GPU had to do with it failing or did it simply not have enough power to deliver? And if I look at a replacement do you think I should stay away from Antec or just look for a Gold psu?
Like the last post the extra load from the new gpu was the nail in the coffin the psu is just a weak psu there soild unots just not solid units once they're used to a voltage they loke that voltage you go any higher they pop i hate it
 
  • Like
Reactions: NO_MATING
Buzzing sound in PSU almost always is caused by a short in one of power rails. Maybe you mismatched PCIe cable power with CPU power cable by accident? Or PSU stock PCIe power cable with a PCIe power cable from different PSU.

Gigabyte GTX 970 Xtreme 4Gb require 650W PSU for system. Antec HCG-750M seems even in LTT 2020 PSU list Tier A end. And is not cheap too. Should work. If GPU is working, computer should be able at least to turn on and boot into OS.
 
Buzzing sound in PSU almost always is caused by a short in one of power rails. Maybe you mismatched PCIe cable power with CPU power cable by accident? Or PSU stock PCIe power cable with a PCIe power cable from different PSU.

Gigabyte GTX 970 Xtreme 4Gb require 650W PSU for system. Antec HCG-750M seems even in LTT 2020 PSU list Tier A end. And is not cheap too. Should work. If GPU is working, computer should be able at least to turn on and boot into OS.
No it's not a cheap psu, yes it's some what good grade but like the prrvious post even humming from a psu generally means a fried rail... They arne't as stable as you would like a tier a psu. They are low tier a more tier b then anything
 
  • Like
Reactions: NO_MATING

Heat_Fan89

Reputable
Jul 13, 2020
442
213
5,090
I agree with everyone else who've said your PSU has given up the ghost. I have had my share of PSU failures living in Florida. They seem to die after 4-5 yrs. I plan on buying a Tripp Lite UPS when my prebuilt system I ordered from Amazon arrives.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NO_MATING