[SOLVED] PC not booting after PSU install

[Umdog786]

My PC died the other week, during a gaming session. I figured it was a PSU issue since it hadn't been upgraded in a around 7 years. I bought a fairly cheap 650 PSU and tried installing it today. Connected all the relevant connectors etc and it booted first time, wasn't particularly loud and it seemed to be working fine. Opened task manager on boot up, just to check everything was ok and all power usage was on Low/Very Low. Started up COD: Modern Warfare, however a few minutes into gaming, the PC completely shut off, as if a power cut had occured. Tried turning off the PSU and turning it back on again...nothing. There is a green LED on the motherboard and two green LED's on the GPU, one above the 6-pin power connector and one above the 8-pin. I noticed a strange smell, not necessarily a burnt smell but just quite odd. I opened up the case, disconnected the everything and removed the GPU. It smells strongly of what I was smelling before. I guess it could be burnt out, but would the LED's be working if it was fried? Any help as to next troubleshooting steps would be great.

CPU - AMD FX 8320 Quad Core
GPU - AND 200 series 280x

Thanks for all the help guys, I've decided it's best to just sell what components I can and put the money towards a laptop, as I'm starting uni later this year. My rig served me well for 7 fun years but it's time to give it up. Thanks again everyone who offered help.

 

[Ralston18]

PSU's are a critical component and they provide three voltages 3, 5, and 12 on different "rails".

So one voltage can fail or be out of spec while the other two voltages remain present and the applicable LED's are lit.

What specific make and model PSU did you purchase? Was it a modular unit with its own cables? Did you use those cables?

 

[Umdog786]

PSU's are a critical component and they provide three voltages 3, 5, and 12 on different "rails".

So one voltage can fail or be out of spec while the other two voltages remain present and the applicable LED's are lit.

What specific make and model PSU did you purchase? Was it a modular unit with its own cables? Did you use those cables?

It was an 'ACE 650w" I purchased from Amazon. It was fairly cheap but it was brand new. Not modular, but with a couple of adapters I could connect everything that needed to be connected

 

[Shay Green]

It was an 'ACE 650w" I purchased from Amazon. It was fairly cheap but it was brand new. Not modular, but with a couple of adapters I could connect everything that needed to be connected

Adapters are never a good idea.
They do tend to burn

 

[Umdog786]

Adapters are never a good idea.
They do tend to burn

Mhmm yeah maybe it was that. I think it's probably time to retire the rig, otherwise it sounds like I'd have to get a modular PSU and likely a new GPU. F to pay respects

 

[Ralston18]

I second @Shay Green's post regarding adapters. Especially when it comes to power adapters/connectors.

Will add another thought:

"Brand new" does not mean that any given product is fully functional with all expected features.

With so many manufacturer's trying to cut expenses products are designed, built, and sold with minimal attention to quality, testing, and end-user documentation.

And there is the growing problem of counterfeit products. Both assembled products and the components therein.

Out of new units - all too easy to toss in a refurbished unit or even an RMA'd product from another user. Just to keep up with shipping goals...

Vendors and stores at all levels have learned that if a RMA process is a hassle then most buyers simply will not bother with trying for a replacement or refund.

Try returning the ACE 650 and if successful, purchase a higher end/positively reviewed PSU.

Start here:

https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-psus,4229.html

 

[DSzymborski]

Yeah, Mr. Ace "650W" PSU is essentially a 360W PSU at best if you look at the specs and even that's only if the specs are being truthful, which isn't that common a thing on these dodgy junk-level PSUs. A 280x can easily exceed 250W during normal usage and if one of the overclocked ones -- you weren't specific -- that can head towards 300W, so you can do the math here!

A cheap PSU is always a dreadful idea and using adapters on a PSU to run a GPU is a horrifying idea on top of the dreadful one.

At this point, all you can do is a get a new, proper PSU, and hope that the rest of your components survived, which is far from a certainty. This decision may have turned a PC repair job into a PC salvage job.