Can a shorted motherboard damage a GPU if I plug it in after the fact?

[_dawn_chorus_]

I have moved the inards of a Dell Inspirion 3647 into a bigger case so I can add a 1060 6gb to it. I got it all up and running, then powered down, adjusted the WIFI antenna and put the case panels on and when I go to boot up I get a No Signal from the monitor now.
I have tried different monitors cables removing the cmos battery, and nothing.

SO I am wondinering if I go ahead and try plugging in the GPU to see if it works through that hdmi port could that harm the gpu if the motherboard is shorted out? The computer starts and the fans including the cpu fan pwer up, all lights, just no monitor signal...

If the motherboard does have a short or something I just want to make sure it doesn't fry my GPU which is the whole point of this project...

 

[2Be_or_Not2Be]

First figure out why you're no longer getting display output. For example, was something like the memory DIMMs never really fully inserted, and only now are the issue? Did we remove cables that were previously connected and then reconnect them backwards? Only add the GPU when you have a known working system. While it likely won't cause any issues to the GPU, you don't want to take any chances and you wouldn't get any output from it anyway if you actually did fry something critical (like the CPU).

Edit: Also, make sure your PSU is big enough to power your GPU and everythign else. In doing GPU add-ons to Dell systems, often you'll find their standard PSU isn't big enough to handle a dedicated GPU.

 

[_dawn_chorus_]

First figure out why you're no longer getting display output. For example, was something like the memory DIMMs never really fully inserted, and only now are the issue? Did we remove cables that were previously connected and then reconnect them backwards? Only add the GPU when you have a known working system. While it likely won't cause any issues to the GPU, you don't want to take any chances and you wouldn't get any output from it anyway if you actually did fry something critical (like the CPU).

Edit: Also, make sure your PSU is big enough to power your GPU and everythign else. In doing GPU add-ons to Dell systems, often you'll find their standard PSU isn't big enough to handle a dedicated GPU.

At no time was the cpu or ram disconnected from the motherboard, it was in the mini tower and I had it working smoothly before disassembly. I have upgraded the PSU to a corsair RM550x which is more than enough (I have the same one in my personal gaming rig in which the 1060 currently resides).
I had the system up and running for about five minutes, and after seeing everything was in working order, other than my wireless not picking up my modem, that's when I powered down and just moved the sticky feet on the WIFI cards antenna a bit then from there on I get no monitor signal.

I see your Motherboard expert badge, so here is a question. There is a small yellow hard foam cube on the back of the motherboard just underneath and about the size up the HDMI port. In both the factory case and the new case it makes contact with the case, only the factory case was raw metal inside, and the new fully painted.
Is that foam meant to disperse any mild static or something? Could the painted case have prevented that and caused a short? If so I wouldn't think it would power up at all to begin with.

 

[_dawn_chorus_]

I found the issue.
Despite finding a configuration for the PWRSW / RESETSW / HDDLED that allowed it to boot it was what was preventing the displays from working. On the original bundled plug there was an odd wire coming off of the 2 power wires and connecting to another spot. After reattaching the old power switch everything worked. Unfortunately for this build the wires are about 5 inches long..

 

[2Be_or_Not2Be]

Glad you found the problem. Upgrading OEM systems can be a bit of a challenge.

In regards to the foam bit, no, those are usually just cheap spacers.