[SOLVED] Can broken gpu cause damage to pc

Oct 23, 2020
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I got a GTX 1050-Ti from my friend. It doesn't have a cooler, but i'm planning to put the cooler from my GTX 1050 there (both are MSI low-profile models, so they should be compatible). I have no idea if it's broken or anything.

Let's assume that it's broken (which i have no idea of) and i put it in my pc. What will happen? Can it cause any damage to the pc? I did few quick google searches, and all of them said no. However, my father (who claims to have experience with power supplies and stuff like that for 20 years) keeps nagging that it has a high chance to fry the entire motherboard and destroy the psu. I don't know who to believe, can any of you help?

The pc is an HP compaq elite 8300sff with i3 3220 and 12gb of ram. I'm going to upgrade to lenovo thinkcentre e73 (i5 4460s) tower after i've bought the psu for it (it has 180w psu, not enough)

I use it for some gaming, streaming and editing. It has been working really well. The 2gb of vram in 1050 is just not enough
 
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Solution
Update your post to include full system hardware specs and OS information.

Include PSU: make, model, wattage, age, condition.

Did your friend tell you if the GTX 1050-Ti was working or not?

Heavy gaming use, video editing, or even bit-mining use?

Any known problems? If so, then what were those problems?

Check the GTX 1050-Ti's specs against your system's specs. For example, the minimum recommended PSU for the GPU is listed at 300 watts. Even if your PSU is a higher wattage you must still consider the peak power requirements demanded by all system components. Do you do any overclocking?

The GPU itself does not do anything per se that could cause damage to the motherboard. Caveats being that the GPU is not physically...

COLGeek

Cybernaut
Moderator
Why is it lacking a cooler?

Your father is technically correct. A defective GPU could damage your system (heat issue, electrical short, etc). The likelihood is relatively low though.

That being said, I would want to know more about the 1050 Ti before installing in any system I cared about. There must be a reason that the cooler was removed from it.
 

Ralston18

Titan
Moderator
Update your post to include full system hardware specs and OS information.

Include PSU: make, model, wattage, age, condition.

Did your friend tell you if the GTX 1050-Ti was working or not?

Heavy gaming use, video editing, or even bit-mining use?

Any known problems? If so, then what were those problems?

Check the GTX 1050-Ti's specs against your system's specs. For example, the minimum recommended PSU for the GPU is listed at 300 watts. Even if your PSU is a higher wattage you must still consider the peak power requirements demanded by all system components. Do you do any overclocking?

The GPU itself does not do anything per se that could cause damage to the motherboard. Caveats being that the GPU is not physically forced into place and that there is no damage in the GPU that could cause the incorrect voltage or current to go the "wrong way", etc,..,

The problems arise when the system's components combined wattage requirements exceed what the PSU can deliver. Even if rated for sufficient wattage, the PSU can and will degrade over time and hit its designed EOL (End of Life) where the PSU simply is unable to deliver the demanded wattage.

Look the card over very carefully for signs of damage, corrosion, dirt/dust accumulation.

Read your motherboard's User Guide/Manual. Read the manual for the GPU. Ensure that the installation is supported and that you install the GPU correctly.

Install the card and test using as minimal a configuration as possible., If there are any immediate crashes, smoke, errors, error LEDs then shutdown and power off.

Yes there is some risk but you can do two things: learn enough to understand the risk(s) being taken by installing a used GPU and what you can do to minimize those risks.

As always, be sure to back up all important data and verify that the data is recoverable and readable.

Just in case.....
 
Solution
Oct 23, 2020
4
0
10
Why is it lacking a cooler?

Your father is technically correct. A defective GPU could damage your system (heat issue, electrical short, etc). The likelihood is relatively low though.

That being said, I would want to know more about the 1050 Ti before installing in any system I cared about. There must be a reason that the cooler was removed from it.

My friend bought a box of some pc parts for like 100€. The 1050-ti had no cooler in it idk why. and he had no use for it
 
Last edited:
Oct 23, 2020
4
0
10
Update your post to include full system hardware specs and OS information.

Include PSU: make, model, wattage, age, condition.

Did your friend tell you if the GTX 1050-Ti was working or not?

Heavy gaming use, video editing, or even bit-mining use?

Any known problems? If so, then what were those problems?

Check the GTX 1050-Ti's specs against your system's specs. For example, the minimum recommended PSU for the GPU is listed at 300 watts. Even if your PSU is a higher wattage you must still consider the peak power requirements demanded by all system components. Do you do any overclocking?

The GPU itself does not do anything per se that could cause damage to the motherboard. Caveats being that the GPU is not physically forced into place and that there is no damage in the GPU that could cause the incorrect voltage or current to go the "wrong way", etc,..,

The problems arise when the system's components combined wattage requirements exceed what the PSU can deliver. Even if rated for sufficient wattage, the PSU can and will degrade over time and hit its designed EOL (End of Life) where the PSU simply is unable to deliver the demanded wattage.

Look the card over very carefully for signs of damage, corrosion, dirt/dust accumulation.

Read your motherboard's User Guide/Manual. Read the manual for the GPU. Ensure that the installation is supported and that you install the GPU correctly.

Install the card and test using as minimal a configuration as possible., If there are any immediate crashes, smoke, errors, error LEDs then shutdown and power off.

Yes there is some risk but you can do two things: learn enough to understand the risk(s) being taken by installing a used GPU and what you can do to minimize those risks.

As always, be sure to back up all important data and verify that the data is recoverable and readable.

Just in case.....
He said he has no idea and couldn't test it because he has no compatible cooler
 

Ralston18

Titan
Moderator
Well I would be very certain that the cooler you have is suited for the GTX 1050-Ti as a starting point.

Ensure that the cooler not only fits but that the cooler also has the necessary thermal specs to do the job.

Does indeed boil down to details (knowing more) and the level of risk that you are willing to take.

Will defer to @COLGeek as to other ideas and suggestions.
 

COLGeek

Cybernaut
Moderator
Well I would be very certain that the cooler you have is suited for the GTX 1050-Ti as a starting point.

Ensure that the cooler not only fits but that the cooler also has the necessary thermal specs to do the job.

Does indeed boil down to details (knowing more) and the level of risk that you are willing to take.

Will defer to @COLGeek as to other ideas and suggestions.
I would not try without a cooler. Even if just for a moment. Just not worth the risk.

It was in a box of parts for a reason. I suggest not experimenting in a system I intend to use on a daily basis.