[SOLVED] Graphics Card Spark and Smoke?

May 24, 2019
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Hey all. Something odd and unfortunate happened to me over the weekend. I recently built a (mostly) new rig. New MOBO, CPU, HDD some fans n shiz. Everything else is recycled from my last build. New Mobo is the gigabyte aorus B450 AM4 with a ryzen 5 1600. Only including these details because maybe theyre somehow related to my issue.
after i got the build running i gamed on it for about a week or so, for a few hours at a time on some fairly demanding games (division 2, COD MW, Minecraft [jk]). I have an EVGA GTX 1070 SC, and one morning about half an hour into gaming my screen went black. Looked at my rig and all fans and LED's were off. Hit the power button and it wouldnt power up. I unplugged the power, flipped the switch on the PSU back and forth and replugged in and it turned on. However, almost immediately upon boot, my GPU began smoking and shooting sparks from the side where those copper heat sink thingys(lol) are. I immediately unplugged the rig and after a few minutes took out the card. Since, Ive been rocking an old 660ti in my build and everything seems to be okay. Mobo lights are good, fans spinning and so on. Any clue what the issue is? I already went to the EVGA thermalmod thing and according to that its not the issue. Ive had the card for about 18 months with no issues with it until now. I bought it off craigslist so RMA isnt an option sadly. My PSU is a EVGA 650w 80+. Im also using white cable extensions from my PSU to GPU for that esthetic ( https://www.amazon.com/Clovertale-Sleeved-Cable-connectors-White/dp/B078WQWVJZ)
but ive been using them for years to no issue. Any idea? am i safe to purchase a new GPU and install? or am I going to have a fireworks show again?

Edit; The psu is also basically brand new.
 
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Solution
My only worry with this is that the GPU sparks up again and the other PC components arent so lucky and are taken down with it.

When your screen went off you said that all your LEDS were off and the fan too. Which mean that at the black screen your system just turned off. You just didn't lose the display with the system still running. I have no idea if a GPU has some sort of protection against that which make the system turn off before frying. I know they do have protection against overheating but that's pretty much the extent of my knowledge specifically when talking about electric protection on hardware.

One thing is for sure. Your GPU sparked. Could be your GPU or PSU. I'd say PSU because your GPU did not spark before the...
Well it depends. If it's your PSU I would not be putting a new GPU in that system. What you have to do is take your GPU and try it in another system. If it works that's not your GPU and it's surely your PSU.

Your PSU had a problem. Your system turned off. The next time you turned it on it took the GPU with it and maybe something else. Let's hope it didn't. Please try your GPU in another system to be sure.
 
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May 24, 2019
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Well it depends. If it's your PSU I would not be putting a new GPU in that system. What you have to do is take your GPU and try it in another system. If it works that's not your GPU and it's surely your PSU.

Your PSU had a problem. Your system turned off. The next time you turned it on it took the GPU with it and maybe something else. Let's hope it didn't. Please try your GPU in another system to be sure.
My only worry with this is that the GPU sparks up again and the other PC components arent so lucky and are taken down with it.
 
My only worry with this is that the GPU sparks up again and the other PC components arent so lucky and are taken down with it.

When your screen went off you said that all your LEDS were off and the fan too. Which mean that at the black screen your system just turned off. You just didn't lose the display with the system still running. I have no idea if a GPU has some sort of protection against that which make the system turn off before frying. I know they do have protection against overheating but that's pretty much the extent of my knowledge specifically when talking about electric protection on hardware.

One thing is for sure. Your GPU sparked. Could be your GPU or PSU. I'd say PSU because your GPU did not spark before the black screen. The next time you turned on your system your PSU was just done and couldn't shutdown to protect the hardware sending unregulated power to your hardware taking the GPU with it and who knows what else.
 
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Solution
May 24, 2019
10
0
10
When your screen went off you said that all your LEDS were off and the fan too. Which mean that at the black screen your system just turned off. You just didn't lose the display with the system still running. I have no idea if a GPU has some sort of protection against that which make the system turn off before frying. I know they do have protection against overheating but that's pretty much the extent of my knowledge specifically when talking about electric protection on hardware.

One thing is for sure. Your GPU sparked. Could be your GPU or PSU. I'd say PSU because your GPU did not spark before the black screen. The next time you turned on your system your PSU was just done and couldn't shutdown to protect the hardware sending unregulated power to your hardware taking the GPU with it and who knows what else.
I think youre correct. I failed to mention (if it matters) its a brand new PSU. But, I currently have a GPU (less powerful one however) in the system right now and have had zero problems. Wish i had a spare system laying around to troubleshoot with
 
May 24, 2019
10
0
10
When your screen went off you said that all your LEDS were off and the fan too. Which mean that at the black screen your system just turned off. You just didn't lose the display with the system still running. I have no idea if a GPU has some sort of protection against that which make the system turn off before frying. I know they do have protection against overheating but that's pretty much the extent of my knowledge specifically when talking about electric protection on hardware.

One thing is for sure. Your GPU sparked. Could be your GPU or PSU. I'd say PSU because your GPU did not spark before the black screen. The next time you turned on your system your PSU was just done and couldn't shutdown to protect the hardware sending unregulated power to your hardware taking the GPU with it and who knows what else.
AHHH! i also just learned i was wrong. PSU is NOT 80+. I think you nailed it.
 
I think youre correct. I failed to mention (if it matters) its a brand new PSU. But, I currently have a GPU (less powerful one however) in the system right now and have had zero problems. Wish i had a spare system laying around to troubleshoot with

Just be careful. Your other GPU was probably taking more power from the PSU. Now that you added a weaker card the PSU might not go as far and it could work properly. The moment you try drawing more power could be the spot where it start damaging your stuff.

You still have to change your GPU and PSU. I'm sorry about the bad news. That GPU sparking is probably dead.
 
May 24, 2019
10
0
10
Just be careful. Your other GPU was probably taking more power from the PSU. Now that you added a weaker card the PSU might not go as far and it could work properly. The moment you try drawing more power could be the spot where it start damaging your stuff.

You still have to change your GPU and PSU. I'm sorry about the bad news. That GPU sparking is probably dead.
i figured as much.
F
thank you for your help friend