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Basic VGA card power question

L

lightp2

Gawd
Joined
Oct 28, 2009
Messages
672
My apology if I should instead google for this info.

If I have a computer using integrated motherboard VGA.

Then I install 2 units of add-in VGA cards into the motherboard PCI-Express x16 slots.

Each VGA card requires additional power connection from PSU. Note here, however, I choose NOT to connect additional power to the add-on VGA cards.

Say I power-up the computer,

1. Will it damage the Add-on VGA cards?
2. Can the computer recognize presence of 2 Add-On VGA cards?

And a slight modification of setup.

3. If I use additional PSU to connect to the 2 add-on VGA cards. Normally this external PSU is off. I will power-up only when the 2 add-on VGA cards are required for operation. Is this possible or supported?

Thank you for your kind answer.
 
You will get a POST error if the cards do not have enough power, aka aren't plugged in. You would have to physically remove them from the slot to keep them from being seen by the PC. Basically the PCI-e bus can only deliver so much power, thusly why cards have extra power connectors.
 
it wont damage the card(s), but it wont boot either. most cards have a LED and warning buzzer, if they become un-plugged or for some reason loose power, the buzzer will sound.

If you are looking at being able to turn off an external PSU after you have booted (basically, get it running then shut it off, or only using the PSU when you intend to use the cards) i know it wont work... i dont know what the damage could be, they are not designed to be shut off like that. i suspect one of the parts to be damaged would be the motherboard, as when you shut off the power to the card, the card will try and draw from what ever source is available... basically sending a surge down the power circuits on the motherboard and frying its power regulation/chipset/ports/southbridge/northbridge and possible cpu. or it could simply kill the video cards outright... they simply arnt desgined to be run this way.
 
Hi Thor and Shadowssong

Looks like the idea does not work. :)
My appreciation for your quick to the point answers.

Cheers.
 
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