Card, Mobo or PSU issue?

S

SwitchFC

Weaksauce
Joined
Feb 22, 2008
Messages
95
Ok so I've been a hardware tech for a while (about 7 years), but I am a bit stumped on one issue.

Recently I built an HTPC with the following specs:
MSI RS482M4 mobo (has on-board video and audio)
2Gb Geil DDR 400 ram
AMD X-2 3800+ 939
Antec EarthWatts 500w

Recently I purchased a Sapphire 3560 with GDDR2. However when the card is installed it wont boot up. RMA'd it, thinkin DOA (however the fan would seem to spin fast and then slow). Got the new one same issue. No boot, fast/slow fan speed oscillating. So i figure there is no way that I could get 2 DOA. I place the card in my gaming rig.

Asus A8N-SLi Deluxe
2 GB OCZ DDR 400
AMD X-2 4400+
Antec TruePower Trio 650
EVGA 7800GT..

Pull the 7800Gt and install the 3650, post! boot to windows! and it recognizes it. So I put the 7800Gt in the MSI board... no go!

I then ordered an ECS KN1 Extreme off of Ebay cuz the A8N's are still up there in price. Once again no boot with the 3650, pull the 3650 out and bam I get the 3 beep no video error.

Any clues? I can only figure possibly the PSU being the main difference. Any one else got any ideas? Oh and btw I have done a test where I run the system bare, meaning no peripherals and power to only what is necessary.
 
That link is for antec's Neo HE though. He is not using that power supply.
 
Yep sounds like PSU.
If you have a spare PSU, you can use one PSU for the gfx and one PSU for the rest of the system.
Only to test mind, not a permanent config.

Short green to black on the PSUs motherboard connector to power it up. Remove the short to turn it off.
Leave as little time as you can between powering up/down both PSUs to prevent current finding stray routes to flow when one PSU is off.
Chances are there wont be an issue as many have done this before without issue.
Leave a couple of seconds max between powering them both up or down for peace of mind.
 
although the card is PCI-E it does not have a power connector and as such I am certain it draws power from the Mobo bus.

Does the Earthwatts and TruePower Trio fall under the NeoHE catergories?
 
If you were using the Earthwatts 500W in both cases where the video card wouldn't work, then yes the PSU is the culprit. But before you RMA the Earthwatts, try out another PSU with the two motherboards that the video card wouldn't work with. If the video card boots up with the different PSU and with the two mobos, then the Earthwatts is the problem. Time for a RMA.
 
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