Question GPU suddenly stopped working and BIOS shows PCIe slot as empty ?

Jun 9, 2024
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Hi everyone, been having trouble with this and I am out of options.

Firstly I'll start with my build :

Mobo : MSI H81M-P33
CPU : Core i5 4590
GPU : GTX 960
RAM : 8 GB
PSU : 500 watt
OS : Windows 11

I've had this build for years so I know it was without fault until recently. Sometimes the PC would not start (power light switches on and off) and I would switch to on board gpu, fiddle with drivers and it would work again. Until it didn't and it did not display through the GPU, on device manager it would show that the device isn't working. After reinstalling drivers I uninstalled the device in hopes the system will detect it again but it no longer shows, even when I select the option to show hidden devices.

Nvidia drivers doesn't detect it, went into BIOS and saw the Graphics adapter setting was always on PEG, IGD multi-monitor is disabled and PCI express slot is empty. I tried physically taking it out of the slot and putting it back in, the light on the GPU is working and the GPU fans still spin as normal.
 
Hi everyone, been having trouble with this and I am out of options.

Firstly I'll start with my build :

CPU : Core i5 4590 GPU : GTX 960 RAM : 8 GB Mobo : MSI H81m-P33 PSU : 500 watt OS : Windows 11

I've had this build for years so I know it was without fault until recently. Sometimes the PC would not start (power light switches on and off) and I would switch to on board gpu, fiddle with drivers and it would work again. Until it didn't and it did not display through the GPU, on device manager it would show that the device isn't working. After reinstalling drivers I uninstalled the device in hopes the system will detect it again but it no longer shows, even when I select the option to show hidden devices.

Nvidia drivers doesn't detect it, went into BIOS and saw the Graphics adapter setting was always on PEG, IGD multi-monitor is disabled and PCI express slot is empty. I tried physically taking it out of the slot and putting it back in, the light on the GPU is working and the GPU fans still spin as normal.
Sounds like a failing PSU do not repeatedly switch it on if it switches off again the PSU could be compromised and blow. PSU lose capacity over time.
 
Sounds like a failing PSU do not repeatedly switch it on if it switches off again the PSU could be compromised and blow. PSU lose capacity over time.
I have been thinking it's my PSU since I've problems with my PC LED just blinking and not switching on. I'm guessing my PSU lost so much capacity the GPU stopped drawing power from it?
 
Antec VP500P. Been using it since June 2015. I am currently using the PC with said PSU, GPU is the current problem.

I would say the PSU is the issue now power supplys tend to lose capacity as years go on as I've said The PSU in question only had a 2 year warranty. That and it's component choice was very low end internals. Fact that it's lasted this long is a miracle itself.
 
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I am currently using the PC with said PSU, GPU is the current problem
the reason questions about the power supply have been asked is because it is the most common malfunction when a problem like this occurs.

the fact that yours is a very low quality unit is most likely the reason why your GPU isn't functioning as it should.
not the GPU itself.

it's always possible thought that this unit may have actually caused damage to your GPU, so keep that in mind also.
 
the reason questions about the power supply have been asked is because it is the most common malfunction when a problem like this occurs.

the fact that yours is a very low quality unit is most likely the reason why your GPU isn't functioning as it should.
not the GPU itself.

it's always possible thought that this unit may have actually caused damage to your GPU, so keep that in mind also.
The GPU fans still spin and it was still showing in device manager until I removed the device now it no longer shows. I've also been suspecting that my PSU has been failing for quite a while now. So I'll only know for sure if it's the PSU when I get a new one?
 
I'll only know for sure if it's the PSU when I get a new one?
you can try swapping it out with a known working unit.

if you don't have a backup system with one available;
friend, family, co-worker that has a viable unit?

or you could contact a local repair shop and they would have the hardware on-hand to test all components.

but, considering the very low quality of this unit i would definitely be getting myself a better one anyway
even if it didn't prove to be the cause of the current issue.