[SOLVED] Smoke from GPU when turning on PC

[Bubba2000]

So, I have a built computer from about 5 years ago. A 6700k A gtx 1070 a gigabyte UD motherboard and a corseair cs650 psu. A couple months ago when I would start gaming, my computer would all of the sudden turn off, as if I flipped the switch on the back of the psu. I stoped using the computer for a while as I thought the psu may need to be replaced. However, I forgot about the issue after several months and started to play again... it was working fine for a few weeks, when all the sudden it turned off when playing a game and wouldn’t turn back on again. Therefore I got a new psu, (a thermaltake) and then everything was working again for a couple of days, when one day I went to turn on the pc and got a quick spark of light like everything was turning on, but it quickly turned off again, except smoke was coming from my GPU! When I took my GPU out of the system everything works fine... not only with my new psu but with my old one as well!

So, my problem is this... I’m not sure what caused my issue.... was my graphics card just slowly dying (unrelated to the PSU)? or, did the old psu cause my entail problems, but the new psu fried my GPU? Or, is my motherboard to blame for issues?

all of this info will determine if I replace just the GPU, or the GPU and the PSU, or everything.

When taking apart my GPU, there doesn’t appear to be any blown capacitors (though I may be missing some because it has a plate) and there doesn’t appear to be any blown capastors on my motherboard either.

I don’t want to buy a new graphics card just so it will be fried again as soon as I turn it on or after a few weeks. But at the same time I don’t want to replace thing that don’t need to be replaced.

 

[Eximo]

I would say GPU since the rest of the system is working. You could buy a really cheap used GPU just to test the motherboard slot out. Something like a GT710 for twenty bucks.

Gaming GPUs are hard to come by. I suggest looking at what you might want to buy to see if this is even a feasible plan. Talking $800+ for the equivalent RTX3070 if you can find one at retail, RTX3060 are commanding pretty high prices ($1200 if you pay scalper prices, more reasonable at retail prices but even harder to come by)

As for the system, well, 6700k isn't terrible, but quad cores are a little behind the times. i5-11400F/11600K are pretty reasonably priced and you could keep your memory, just need a new board. That would be a minor investment compared to the GPU cost and would give you piece of mind.