Is my video card DOA?

M

Magma

Weaksauce
Joined
Feb 1, 2003
Messages
78
Just got in my XFX 8600GT XXX edition and popped it into my machine. When I hit the power button, all the fans turn on but nothing else happens and my monitors never get a signal. No startup beep, no other beeps at all. If I switch the Geforce 6500 back into the PCI-E slot, the system works fine on both monitors. Here's my current setup:

Abit KN8-SLI Mobo
Edit: 400, not 450-watt power supply (came with the case, so not exactly top end)
(2) WD 250GB SATA HDs
Benq DVD Burner

My only guess is that my power supply just can't push the new video card or the new card is DOA. I tried unhooking power from everything except the motherboard and the same thing happened. I even tried unhooking both monitors and still not even a startup beep at all. I've had systems do this before if there was a problem with the CPU or something was overclocked a bit too high. Right now everything in the system is at factory default speed and voltage, though, and works fine with the other card. I don't have any other higher-wattage power supplies to try and I don't have any other systems with PCI-E slots to try the card in.

Any ideas?
 
Make sure the card is seating properly. If that isn't the case, sounds like a dead card :(
 
Yep.. it was seated properly (make sure twice), fan on it was running, etc. Thanks for the suggestion, though.
 
Magma said:
400, not 450-watt power supply (came with the case, so not exactly top end)

Any ideas?
Click to expand...

Yeah...you might want to consider replacing your PSU......

Never, ever skimp when it comes to power...a case supplied PSU is not something you want to rely on....
 
What a good 500w or so power supply at a good price? I was going to run out and just grab one at BestBuy or something but theirs weren't great and their prices were HUGE.
 
Corsair 520HX. It'll be $60-80 after rebate. Check clubit.com zipzoomfly.com and buy.com -- newegg's PSU prices tend to be pretty high.
 
Ok.. let me throw out the specs to my very basic system here first:

Abit KN8-SLI Motherboard (nForce 4 SLI chipset)
AMD Athlon64 3200+ CPU
XFX GeForce 8600GT XXX
4x1GB PC3200 RAM (don't remember brand)
2xWestern Digital WD2500KS 250GB SATA HD
Samsung 1.44MB Floppy
BenQ DW1650 IDE DVD Burner
One 90mm low-rpm quiet fan
Couple of USB devices like webcam and mouse/keyboard

With that in mind, I want a reliable, quiet power supply that will have no trouble powering this system. With the older motherboard/CPU on this system, I don't see it ever getting upgraded beyond this. When it comes time for me to need a faster computer, this one will go to my wife and I'll build a new one. If anything, it's possible (but unlikely) that I might throw another 8600GT in there in another year or two for SLI when they're crazy cheap, but I'd guess less than 10% chance of that happening.

Ok.. with more info here, is the recommendation on PS still the same?

Thanks for the info so far. :)
 
The Corsair 450VX should handle all that just fine. It should be very quiet, as it's a rebranded Seasonic supply. If that's still more than you're looking to spend look to the Xclio Stablepower 460watt. If even that is too much, the Xclio Goodpower 500 watt is a good supply but its efficiency is fairly low by current standards (~70% as opposed to 80+) at around $50.
 
Well, I found the problem. I was testing every single connector in the power cables from the power supply and figured it out. One of the connectors on the 4-pin motherboard power supply cable had gotten pushed back out of the plug. The GeForce 6500 ran fine with it that way (and with the 4-pin connector totally unplugged too) but 6800GT was a little more picky about that. Sure enough, with that fixed it boots up just fine. While I have this great info here, I'm still ordering a new power supply. The difference is that I can play with the new card while I wait for the new PS to get here. :)

Thanks again for all the info. I've been out of gaming for a couple years and haven't been touching the insides of computers much since I've been working with 1000+ machine server farms. :)
 
One more quick question on this. If I replace the Athlon64 3200+ with an Athlon 64 X2 4200+ Toledo, which power supply (of those listed or otherwise) should I grab to run the system? Thanks!
 
520HX to be safe, Xclio Goodpower 500 watt if that's too much for your budget. Look around (clubit.com zipzoomfly.com buy.com etc.) as again, Newegg's PSU prices can be high.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top