Dell Precision T3610 and NVIDIA GTX 650 Ti Boost

[Omnious]

I have a new Dell Precision T3610 and i would like to put an NVIDIA GTX 650 Ti Boost in the system. However, when I did that I got no video nor did I get any beeps. Is there a setting in the BIOS that will let me use that card? And, if not, does anyone know of a comparable gaming card that will work with this computer?

 

[Darkbreeze]

Did you upgrade your PSU when you installed the card. Most OEM computers don't have a sufficient PSU to power an aftermarket card. Did you also connect the 6 pin power cable to the card? Again, most OEM power supplies don't have this additional cable and you need a good quality Tier 3 or higher, preferably Tier 2B or higher unit to power the card and have the necessary cable.

If you've already addressed those concerns my next question would be if you remembered to move the monitor connections from the motherboard to the GPU? I'd also double check that the card is FULLY seated and locked in place.

 

[carver_g]

I had the exact same problem when I got my T3610 (with the Dell 685w 80 Plus Gold PSU) and tried to swap out the AMD W5000 card that came with it. I put an AMD 7950 in and had the exact same issue. The good news is that it's a BIOS setting as you suspected. I think the setting is "Secure Boot Enable" and you just change that to disable. After that, I had no issues. I've also since upgraded to a GTX970 with no issues.

Have a good one

 

[Darkbreeze]

I agree, disabling secure boot or enabling compatibility support module may be the correct solution as well. It doesn't change the facts regarding the PSU though.

 

[carver_g]

What facts regarding the PSU are you referring to? Specs are good and it has two PCIe power plugs. And I'm running a much bigger video card then he is.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Specs mean nothing. Cabling means nothing. Rated capacity means nothing. Test and build quality mean everything. What is the brand and model number of your power supply?

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/power-supply-psu-review,2916.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ezk9OA7aKOE

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/low-cost-psu-pc-power-supply,2862.html

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/26/exploding_computer_vs_reg_reader/


That's why the quality level of the PSU is important. There are 1000w units that can maintain 350w and 450w units that can run cards meant to be used with much higher capacity PSUs. Lot's of reasons why it's important to actually understand the FACTS about the PSU. If the unit you're using isn't listed at Tier 2B or higher here, or if it's an OEM unit, it's always a highly likely cause of problems:

PSU Tier list: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-1804779/power-supply-unit-tier-list.html

 

[carver_g]

Yes, the PSU quality is very important. I'm sure you are going off the generalization that OEMs typically use just enough to get by, which is true. But workstations like the Dell Precision or the HP Z workstations are certified to run their partner's software, and certified to run one, usually two high-end 3D cards. They use high quality PSU's. They are the exception to the rule. If you don't believe, you're welcome to do your own research.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Nah, I agree with you on that. Most decent workstations come with somewhat better PSUs than consumer models. Still, an OEM unit is an OEM unit. I think in this case you're correct about the BIOS setting though. It's doubtful that the 650 is a UEFI compatible device and probably needs legacy support. I'm not familiar with the BIOS used in those workstations but I'll take your word for it on this one.