Question Is my GPU causing my PC to not boot?

[RyanVens]

Hi all,

After upgrading my PC earlier this year, I kept all of my old parts with the intention of building my fiancé her own PC. The parts aren’t glamorous, but they’re good enough to run Sims, Planet Coaster, etc, which is all she will play. I had to buy some parts she didn’t have, PSU, SSD, Wi-Fi card and case.

Today I’ve built the PC and it booted up with no issues. I installed Windows 10 and was having issues with the Wi-Fi card I was trying to resolve. During this I received two blue screens - I can’t remember the first but the second was ‘Critical Process Died’. The PC turned back on with no issues and I continued trying to resolve the Wi-Fi card issue. The PC switched off again, I was under the desk but my fiancé tells me another blue screen appeared. From here, the PC refused to turn back on. There may be the odd LED flick on but switched back off right away.

My first thought was the motherboard, but wary of having to replace basically all of my hand-me-down parts I kept looking and found that when I removed the GPU the PC would power back on with no issues. When I put the GPU back in, it wouldn’t start again.

This made me think I didn’t buy sufficient wattage PSU, but everywhere I looked online suggested 650w was enough and I agree.

So that leads me to the GPU. To test this theory I input my own GPU to see if the PC booted (AMD 6700XT) which is surely requiring more wattage than the GTX 970 I was using before.

The PC booted up with no issues.

I switched back to the old GPU and it didn’t run again.

This makes me think it’s the GPU, but I want to be dead sure before I fork out to buy her one. Are there any other tests I can run? Is it definitely the GPU?

 

[rgd1101]

full system spec? include brand and model of the psu

 

[RyanVens]

full system spec? include brand and model of the psu

Motherboard: MSI 990FXA Gaming
CPU: AMD FX-8350
PSU: Corsair CV650
GPU: Nvidia GTX 970
SSD: Netac 1TB

I'm pretty confident it's the GPU now. I tried putting it in my own PC and my PC didn't boot either. It is like 8 years old so I'm not surprised.

 

[DSzymborski]

The CV 650 was an inappropriate choice, but if the GPU's not booting up in a second PC, then I think the problem's isolated to the GPU. Assuming you're getting a different GPU to get this machine working, make sure and return the PSU while you're in the return window and get a PSU that's of proper quality for a discrete GPU requiring supplementary power.

 

[RyanVens]

The CV 650 was an inappropriate choice, but if the GPU's not booting up in a second PC, then I think the problem's isolated to the GPU. Assuming you're getting a different GPU to get this machine working, make sure and return the PSU while you're in the return window and get a PSU that's of proper quality for a discrete GPU requiring supplementary power.

Can I ask why the PSU isn't appropriate? 650w should surely be sufficient for the PC?
What would you recommend in place? Not trying to break the bank over this build

 

[DSzymborski]

Can I ask why the PSU isn't appropriate? 650w should surely be sufficient for the PC?
What would you recommend in place? Not trying to break the bank over this build

The problem is you're approaching it as a wattage issue, not a quality issue. The CV/VS are very entry-level PSUs of ancient design, not fit for modern GPUs. While the GTX 970 is old, its power requirements didn't change. Buying an old GPU is a bit like buying a 20-year-old German car; just because you can get the car dirt-cheap doesn't mean the upkeep on those cars got any cheaper.

You don't need anything top-of-the-line to run a GTX 970, but if you want this PC to last as possible, you should at *least* have a decent budget PSU in there, like a Corsair CX.

 

[RyanVens]

The problem is you're approaching it as a wattage issue, not a quality issue. The CV/VS are very entry-level PSUs of ancient design, not fit for modern GPUs. While the GTX 970 is old, its power requirements didn't change. Buying an old GPU is a bit like buying a 20-year-old German car; just because you can get the car dirt-cheap doesn't mean the upkeep on those cars got any cheaper.

You don't need anything top-of-the-line to run a GTX 970, but if you want this PC to last as possible, you should at *least* have a decent budget PSU in there, like a Corsair CX.

Just to confirm, the GPU was a hand-me-down from my old PC.
I'll now be replacing it with an AMD RX6500 XT as it was the cheapest GPU I could find on the lower-end spec.

I'll have a look at replacing with a CX650 as I am within the return period

 

[GearUp]

It could be an issue with your Wi-Fi card installation, due to the installation order. Try inserting that last and then the driver. Probably not since the problem I had was with an ancient cable modem I believe. It had two drivers. The minimum required for the new Cities: Skylines will likely be a 780 so my 750Ti won't suffice. I'm hoping for another low-power replacement (4050?) or not return to strategy games. The PSU could be better, but the power should be adequate. The age is the greatest concern. Cards typically age as well, slowly enough to not notice.

 

[RyanVens]

It could be an issue with your Wi-Fi card installation, due to the installation order. Try inserting that last and then the driver. Probably not since the problem I had was with an ancient cable modem I believe. It had two drivers. The minimum required for the new Cities: Skylines will likely be a 780 so my 750Ti won't suffice. I'm hoping for another low-power replacement (4050?) or not return to strategy games. The PSU could be better, but the power should be adequate. The age is the greatest concern. Cards typically age as well, slowly enough to not notice.

Thanks for the reply mate.

Not sure if you've seen the other replies but I'm confident its the GPU now as I've put it in my own PC which also wouldnt boot with it in.

I've bought a replacement now

Other commenter suggested a new PSU but I feel the CV650 is good enough for a low-end PC. May look to replace but we will see.

 

[GearUp]

Thanks for the reply mate.

Not sure if you've seen the other replies but I'm confident its the GPU now as I've put it in my own PC which also wouldnt boot with it in.

I've bought a replacement now

Other commenter suggested a new PSU but I feel the CV650 is good enough for a low-end PC. May look to replace but we will see.

Tom's hardware tore down a PSU years ago to see what actually still worked after a few years. It was sad. Nevertheless, the specifications should be good for a while. I should have said how much it's been used and how. You must know what you're doing if you're switching AMD and NVidia. I've had a component I thought was toast revive in a secondary PC and last for years after the trauma passed but that's rarely advisable. Temperatures are probably the easiest measure of condition.