GTX 560 in Dell XPS 8300

[tmb8300]

Hello,

I have a problem related to an earlier post I saw in here, but that thread is closed. I have a Dell XPS 8300 system with a low-end graphics card. I picked up an Nvidia GTX 560 (not the 560Ti) from EVGA, because I've read of other people putting this card in the XPS 8300. The XPS 8300 has 2 free 6-pin connectors on the same 12V rail, and the PSU is 460W, while the card's minimum requirement is listed as 450W. I see folks on this forum have put the 560Ti in this system, using that rail with no problems, even though the 560Ti has a minimum requirement of 500W. Also, Dell offers an EOM version of the 560Ti in this system as one of the options on their site.

Anyway, today I installed the card, and I got a series of beeps at boot, with blank screen. It turns out that the tech sheet that comes with the card mentions another requirement that I don't see on the Nvidia site: the 12V rail must provide 24A, and the free 12V rail on the XPS 8300 only provides 18A.

If I look at other cards from Nvidia, I don't see the current required, just the power and free 6-pin connectors. How does one know the current requirements on a card before purchasing it? I'm also curious how folks have actually gotten the 560Ti to work in an XPS 8300 box without replacing the power supply.

Is it difficult to replace the power supply in a Dell XPS 8300 to something beefier? I'm guessing it's either that or get a card with lower power requirements, but I don't know how I can find one that requires 18A or less on the 12V rail, since I don't see the current requirements listed on the sites that sell these cards.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[jamie_1318]

The issue you are having is probably not related to the Amperage output on the 12V rails on the power supply. Usually those issues would only kick in when the Graphics card and CPU are running under higher load conditions. The current requirements are easily guesstimated by people on forums like this one. Alternatively you can research on the manufacturers web site what it requires.

Replacing a power supply is usually not hard but some OEM computers use non-ATX motherboards (very rarely), they look like ATX but have some special pin configuration so that only their PSU can be used. A quick google will help you determine that.

What is the series of beeps? I'm guessing that the GPU isn't installed right at the moment but the beep configurations can help isolate the problem. The beeps are a combination of long and short beeps in a specific order.

 

[beltzy]

It couldn't hurt to try the card out in another computer (friend's etc) if you can find someone with a suitable system. Would also help rule out a defective card.

 

[CaedenV]

go check the specs on Newegg, not on the nVidia site. It will list the Amp requirement of most newer cards. If some of your molex connectors (the 4 pin connector used before SATA) are on a different rail then try using one of your 6 pins, and then get an adapter from molex to 6pin to get the extra juice you need. In the end however, you may just need a better quality PSU as you will be maxing the poor thing out (thus shortening it's life).

 

[tmb8300]

The issue you are having is probably not related to the Amperage output on the 12V rails on the power supply. Usually those issues would only kick in when the Graphics card and CPU are running under higher load conditions. The current requirements are easily guesstimated by people on forums like this one. Alternatively you can research on the manufacturers web site what it requires.

Replacing a power supply is usually not hard but some OEM computers use non-ATX motherboards (very rarely), they look like ATX but have some special pin configuration so that only their PSU can be used. A quick google will help you determine that.

What is the series of beeps? I'm guessing that the GPU isn't installed right at the moment but the beep configurations can help isolate the problem. The beeps are a combination of long and short beeps in a specific order.

Thanks for the rapid reply. It's 4 long beeps, pause, 4 long beeps, pause, etc. I reseated the card and the connectors several times, and each time I booted the machine, got the same result. I called EVGA tech support, told them about the beeps, and the first thing they did was ask for the current on the 12 V rail. When I said 18 A, they said that this is why the card wasn't working.

The Nvidia site doesn't list the current requirements for their cards as far as I can tell. Neither does Gigabyte for the same Nvidia cards. I found current information on the EVGA site, though. It looks like most of the decent cards require more than 18 A on the 12 V rail. I don't get how Dell sells this machine with this card (actually the Ti version).

I guess the GPU could have been installed installed incorrectly, but as you know this is pretty straightforward. Slide it into the slot, pop in the 6pin connectors, and you're good to go. Given that I tried reseating all of these connections several times without luck makes me think it isn't the way it's installed. However, when I put the original card back in the machine, the first time I booted it, it did the same thing (just beeped at me). I then reseated the original card, fired up again, and it worked. Not sure what that's about, because it is very obvious when the card is snapped in the whole way.

 

[tmb8300]

go check the specs on Newegg, not on the nVidia site. It will list the Amp requirement of most newer cards. If some of your molex connectors (the 4 pin connector used before SATA) are on a different rail then try using one of your 6 pins, and then get an adapter from molex to 6pin to get the extra juice you need. In the end however, you may just need a better quality PSU as you will be maxing the poor thing out (thus shortening it's life).

Thanks. I'll give that a look, but I'm thinking of either:
a) replacing the PSU
b) returning the Dell XPS 8300

I bought the Dell from a local retailer for a great deal (much cheaper than the same machine from the Dell site, even though Dell is having a sale on it right now). Even adding a new card and PSU makes it cheaper than the machine from Dell. However, at some point, it seems silly to keep modifying a brand new machine. Maybe I should just be getting a better machine, or building one myself to spec.

 

[jamie_1318]

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim4700/sm/adtshoot.htm#wp1052968

Try this and see if you can identify the error code.

Upgrading the PSU is probably easier, but probably a less satisfactory option than building your own computer. One of the seldom toted advantages of a build your own computer is the 3-year warranty standard on almost all parts.

Another thing is that the graphics card manufacturers like to take the easy way out and blame an imperfect Power supply. In reality the card will usually operate fine (at least in the short term) on much lower PSU ratings, but run the risk of damaging the PSU on extended use. In actuallity the ratings they give you are worst case scenario, usually with much more power-hungry CPUs than you are likely to see in any pre-built machine.

In short make sure the video card works OK before making a decision by trying it out in another computer that meets all the requirements. At this point I am still suspicious that something else is going on with either the connections, or maybe the video card itself.

 

[tmb8300]

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim4700/sm/adtshoot.htm#wp1052968

Try this and see if you can identify the error code.

Upgrading the PSU is probably easier, but probably a less satisfactory option than building your own computer. One of the seldom toted advantages of a build your own computer is the 3-year warranty standard on almost all parts.

Another thing is that the graphics card manufacturers like to take the easy way out and blame an imperfect Power supply. In reality the card will usually operate fine (at least in the short term) on much lower PSU ratings, but run the risk of damaging the PSU on extended use. In actuallity the ratings they give you are worst case scenario, usually with much more power-hungry CPUs than you are likely to see in any pre-built machine.

In short make sure the video card works OK before making a decision by trying it out in another computer that meets all the requirements. At this point I am still suspicious that something else is going on with either the connections, or maybe the video card itself.

Thanks. I Googled around and also looked at the link you sent, but I don't see 4 long beeps, repeated. I checked all the connections several times on the new card, went back & forth between the original & new card, and for the life of me I can't see why the new one doesn't work. On a couple of occasions, the original card also refused to boot, with the 4 long beeps again. Perhaps this means the MB is flaky.

On a whim, I went down to Best Buy and picked up a 600W Corsair. However, it was clear that it wouldn't quite fit in the 8300 XPS, due to the crammed placement of the top-of-the-tower USB ports.

At that point, I said screw it, put the whole thing back together in its original configuration, wiped it clean, restore it to factory condition, and packed it up. I'm going to return the 8300 XPS tomorrow. I don't want to mess with a system that is such a hassle to upgrade. I may in fact build my own system. I haven't done that in about a decade, but have done various upgrades on my boxes in the interval, and I don't think it would be that much more of a hassle to build my own than do all the nonsense I've been doing today.

Thanks again for the tips. I may poke around on this forum for suggestions of build-your-own setups.

 

[jamie_1318]

Good luck with A DIY build. I wouldn't get a desktop any other way. Ahhh the joys of picking your own components and knowing your machine through-and-through. none of the proprietary quasi-ATX crap and proprietary motherboards.