Troubleshooting Startup Issues after Storm (PSU won't start with video card installed)

[whitelion1284]

Greetings,

- Last night my BIOS shut the machine down because it detected surges from the PSU. After this happened several times I replaced the PSU with a backup of roughly the same size (original = 750 watt replacement = 739 watt. Unless my memory is lying to me I need a minimum of 685 watts to run this rig.)

- Afterward my computer wouldn't start at all. So I removed my video card (an Nvidia GTX 980ti) and used the integrated on-board graphics adapter to plug in my monitor.

- I reset the BIOS and the machine started up.

- I plugged the video card back in and nothing happens when I hit the power button.

- Removed the video card and now I'm seeking advice from folks that, hopefully, know a bit more than I do. Also, how do I know the (old and previously working) power supply was, in fact, the cause of the surges? Is that a given or something the storm might have been responsible for?

Thanks

 

[rocktalkrock]

1. What is the old power supply? A good quality power supply should protect your computer from power surges.
2. If your motherboard has more than one x16 slot, try booting with your video card in the 2nd x16 slot.

 

[whitelion1284]

1. The old psu is an XFX pro750w. So it wasn't the storm. I may just not be able to use this PSU under high load. (All instances of crash happened while gaming with GPU under heavy load.)

2. Thanks. I'll try that. It has 3, although the lowest is unusable for this card due to space restrictions within the case.

Update to follow.


It won't run the 980ti. It will run the AMD 6870... which only requires 2 x 6-pin power connectors instead of 6+8 like th ti. I tried all the configs that I could between the PSU and the 980 but, as long as it was installed the computer wouldn't "turn over". (No spinning fans, etc.)

Question: is it possible to cap the load of the old PSU or otherwise prevent high draw situations (my desire is to get the 980 installed again) or is that a dangerous proposition considering that it was already surging?

 

[rocktalkrock]

1. The old psu is an XFX pro750w. So it wasn't the storm. I may just not be able to use this PSU under high load. (All instances of crash happened while gaming with GPU under heavy load.)

2. Thanks. I'll try that. It has 3, although the lowest is unusable for this card due to space restrictions within the case.

Update to follow.


It won't run the 980ti. It will run the AMD 6870... which only requires 2 x 6-pin power connectors instead of 6+8 like th ti. I tried all the configs that I could between the PSU and the 980 but, as long as it was installed the computer wouldn't "turn over". (No spinning fans, etc.)

Question: is it possible to cap the load of the old PSU or otherwise prevent high draw situations (my desire is to get the 980 installed again) or is that a dangerous proposition considering that it was already surging?

Is this your power supply?
http://www.xfxforce.com/en-us/products/pro-series/pro-series-750w-psu-80-bronze-p1-750s-nlb9

This PSU has more than enough PCI-E connectors to run your 980ti. It also has a 5 year warranty, so it may still be under warranty now.

 

[whitelion1284]

Yes. That is my power supply and it was working just fine for the past several years with the 980ti installed. The one in my machine now, the backup, is an ancient Coolmax CUL-750b (is that the one you were asking about earlier?) and it has 6-pin outlets(?) for connectors of all sorts. I just seem to be short on the correct type (1 6pin and a second 6+2 pin for the 8 pin connection to the 980). I have several but neither seem to work in any of the plugs into the PSU proper or adapted into the drive connections. The absolute worst case scenario (that I've been trying not to think about) is that the graphics card is dead but I want to explore all other possibilities before giving up on that $600 card that may be dead because of a surging power supply (I would cry.)

But you very well may be correct regarding the XFX, which would be a very nice happenstance. Do you know, offhand, how I could find out for sure? I'm afraid I've moved several times and the state of organization my paperwork is in leaves quite a bit to be desired.

And thank you for your attention. It's disabling my helpless and screaming setting.

 

[rocktalkrock]

Yes. That is my power supply and it was working just fine for the past several years with the 980ti installed. The one in my machine now, the backup, is an ancient Coolmax CUL-750b (is that the one you were asking about earlier?) and it has 6-pin outlets(?) for connectors of all sorts. I just seem to be short on the correct type (1 6pin and a second 6+2 pin for the 8 pin connection to the 980). I have several but neither seem to work in any of the plugs into the PSU proper or adapted into the drive connections. The absolute worst case scenario (that I've been trying not to think about) is that the graphics card is dead but I want to explore all other possibilities before giving up on that $600 card that may be dead because of a surging power supply (I would cry.)

But you very well may be correct regarding the XFX, which would be a very nice happenstance. Do you know, offhand, how I could find out for sure? I'm afraid I've moved several times and the state of organization my paperwork is in leaves quite a bit to be desired.

And thank you for your attention. It's disabling my helpless and screaming setting.

Your Coolmax CUL-750b should have one 6-pin and one 6+2-pin PCIe connectors for the video card.
http://www.coolmaxusa.com/productDetailsPower.asp?item=CUL-750B&details=spec&subcategory=140mm&category=modular

Here is a review of the XFX Pro 750W. It should give you any details you are looking for.
https://www.eteknix.com/xfx-pro-750w-xxx-edition-semi-modular-power-supply-review/

 

[whitelion1284]

Your Coolmax CUL-750b should have one 6-pin and one 6+2-pin PCIe connectors for the video card.
http://www.coolmaxusa.com/productDetailsPower.asp?item=CUL-750B&details=spec&subcategory=140mm&category=modular

Hmm. It does not seem to. I have the MB connections, 1 x 6+2 pcie, and a number of 4x female connectors for the drives. I do have the additional female outlets in body of the PSU to work with but I'm not certain the connections I have are working. Either that or there is a problem with the 980ti. I'll order more of these 6pin connections and see if I can get the 980 to work with this PSU. I've also submitted a ticket with XFX which will (hopefully) result in that PSU eventually being replaced or repaired. And, In the meantime, I'll purchase another PSU and pray my 980 isn't blown.

 

[smorizio]

if your video card is a evga unit there a big recall/class action on them for bad vrm and over heating issues causing the gpu cards to just fail.

 

[whitelion1284]

Is that right? How would I get in on that? (Because it IS an EVGA card).

Edit: Appears to be an issue with the 10x0cards. I have a 900 series. Oh well. Hopefully it's still good. If not.... sigh. What can you do? If the XFX blew my video card do I have grounds to ask them to replace it?

 

[smorizio]

https://forums.evga.com/EVGA-GTX-970-FTW-CAUGHT-FIRE-m2668209.aspx
https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/905495-evga-980ti-fire/
speak with a customer relation with the gpu vendor first. then try the power supply vendor if evga wont rma the card.

 

[whitelion1284]

It turns out that the power supply killed the video card. Fortunately both were under warranty that both manufacturer's honored. My rig is up and running again. (Yay!)

Thanks for the help, folks.