Yay, graphics card/PSU problem

[Fire4ADryMouth]

Ok, here's what happened. I was sitting at home yesterday on the internet and reading a forum when my computer just shuts off.
I thought maybe the power flicked or something and so I try to turn it back on, no dice. So I start unplugging crap to see where
and what is causing the problem. I unplugged my RAM, no good, unplug the drives, no good, unplugged the power to my graphics
card, bingo, it turns on. I plug them back in, doesn't turn on. So I am at a loss of what to do, if anyone has encountered something similar.
Or if i just need to contact Nvidia. I don't have time to post all my specs right now, but I can in an hour or so. The graphics card is the
Geforce 470x GTX and the PSU is a Cooler Master 750W, I believe. I can post my other specs in an hour or so if need be, let me know.
I really want to get my computer to work again, $1400 paper weights are not as fun if they don't play games.

[KingofMadCows]

Cooler Master power supplies are not very reliable. What brand is your video card?

[Fire4ADryMouth]

Geforce 470x GTX

[Fire4ADryMouth]

I was thinking that my video card may be bugged somehow cause it doesn't turn on when power is hooked to it via 2 6-pin connectors. But is it possible that the 6-pins are shorting out when trying to send power to the video card?

[KingofMadCows]

Who manufactured the card? Asus, EVGA, Galaxy, PNY, Palit, Zotac?

[Fire4ADryMouth]

Oh, sorry. EVGA

[KingofMadCows]

You could try unplugging the power cord and then pressing the power button for about 30 seconds to one minute. Then plug the power cord back in and try to turn the computer on again.

Have you tried using different connectors from the power supply or putting the card in a different PCI slot?

When you turn the computer on without the video card, do you hear beeps?

You could try using the power supply and/or the video card on another computer.

EVGA cards are pretty reliable and you weren't doing anything demanding but you should definitely post your question on the EVGA forum, they're very helpful.

[Fire4ADryMouth]

You could try unplugging the power cord and then pressing the power button for about 30 seconds to one minute. Then plug the power cord back in and try to turn the computer on again.

Have you tried using different connectors from the power supply or putting the card in a different PCI slot?

When you turn the computer on without the video card, do you hear beeps?

You could try using the power supply and/or the video card on another computer.

EVGA cards are pretty reliable and you weren't doing anything demanding but you should definitely post your question on the EVGA forum, they're very helpful.

I tried the power button thing, didn't do anything.

I tried using two extra 6-pins to supply power to the video card, did nothing. Also the only other PCI slot on the mother board is obstructed by cords and
other plug ins, the card is too damn big.

No beeps are heard.

I do not have access to a power supply, my buddy may be able to send me an older graphics card. But it will take a few days, maybe a week.

And I will post something on the EVGA boards.

[KingofMadCows]

When you turn on the computer without a video card, the motherboard is supposed beep to indicate that there is no video card. No beep suggests that there might be a problem with the motherboard.

Try taking everything off of the motherboard except for the CPU/heatsink and press the power. If there's a continuous beep, your motherboard is fine. Then try putting the RAM back in and turning it on to see if there's a beep. If there's a beep then your memory is fine. Just continue doing this for every component to see if there's a beep each time you turn the computer on. If you get to a component and there's no beep then that's probably the one causing the problem.

[2.71828183]

Make sure you actually have a system speaker first. My system does not, for example. I'd have to borrow one from my dad's computer if I had to debug something like this.

[Fire4ADryMouth]

I have an ASUS M4A79T deluxe motherboard. Not sure if that has one or not, but is it just like a card that you slide into one of the slots by the PCI's?

[2.71828183]

No. Old-fashioned ones look like speakers:
http://www.baybeamer.com/images/cables/InternalSPK.JPG (GIS result)

Newer piezo ones look like this:
http://www.geekzone.co.nz/imagessubs/bl ... 869a03.jpg

In both cases the speaker is connected via a cable to pins on your motherboard, near where things like the power button and hard drive light plug in. It might have come with your motherboard, your case, or (as in my case) neither. If your computer doesn't beep every time you turn it on, you probably don't have one.

It's possible to have them attached directly to the motherboard, but a Google of your motherboard seems to indicate that yours doesn't have one attached.

[Fire4ADryMouth]

Newer piezo ones look like this:
http://www.geekzone.co.nz/imagessubs/bl ... 869a03.jpg

I see that connected to my motherboard, but I cannot recall ever hearing any beeps when powering on my computer.
Since I know I have one let me try to power it on without the video card again.

And I'm back, I don't know if the beep is suppose to be instant so I left it on for about 1-2 minutes to listen for a beep
and heard nothing. So my system speaker is either installed incorrectly, messed up, or the PCI slot is malfunctioning, correct?

[KingofMadCows]

http://www.computerhope.com/beep.htm
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000607.htm

[Fire4ADryMouth]

http://www.computerhope.com/beep.htm
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000607.htm

I will work on those probably on Thursday. I have been really busy the past few days, but I will post results when I have a chance to
correct the system speaker and use them to test about the motherboard recognizing my video card in the PCI slot.

[GeorgeH]

When you say that the PC doesn't turn on when power is connected to the video card, what do you mean by that? Do you mean that nothing is displayed on the screen, or that literally nothing turns on - the fans don't spin, the hard drives don't spin up, no flashy LEDs anywhere, etc.?

If it's the latter, which is kind of the impression that I"m getting, I'd bet that your video card has failed and has introduced a short circuit. Your PSU probably has overcurrent protection and shut itself off when the card failed, and will refuse to turn on so long as the short persists. Often when that happens, when you hit the power button you'll see your case fans twitch for a millisecond before OCP kicks in. It's easiest to see on smaller, higher RPM fans that are connected directly to the PSU, and to see it you might have to unplug or turn off the PSU for ~30s to "reset" things before you hit the power button.

[Fire4ADryMouth]

When you say that the PC doesn't turn on when power is connected to the video card, what do you mean by that? Do you mean that nothing is displayed on the screen, or that literally nothing turns on - the fans don't spin, the hard drives don't spin up, no flashy LEDs anywhere, etc.?

It is the latter. If I disconnect the 2 6-pins from my video card then it powers up no problem, but if its plugged in and i try to start it, my fans move and I see the LEDs flash
for a second. And I have to unplug the power cord from the PSU and reattach for it to do the flash again. So what does that mean? I call EVGA?

EDIT: I bought it off Newegg, would I need to file an RMA with them or try to contact EVGA?
(This is assuming I need a replacement)

[GeorgeH]

I'd contact EVGA support first.

[Parsifal]

Sounds like the card is dead. If it is still under warranty, send it back. On the upside, EVGA support is pretty decent. All other factors being equal, you should be able to run that card with that power supply.

P.S. most newer motherboards do have an on board speaker for POST beeps. Are you sure yours wasn't previously disabled in the BIOS settings?

P.P.S. Have you tried plugging your computer directly into the wall outlet? I had a somewhat similar problem once and it turned out that my UPS was bad and since my wall outlet was also flaky, my system would hang - but only under load.

[Fire4ADryMouth]

Hey sorry for the delay in response, I've spent the last few days in a drunken stupor, I've sent the graphics card in they received it today and i am awaiting the confirmation on a replacement, but i've made no modifications to it, did nothing on my own volition to harm it, no power outages to fry it, nothing like that so they should send me a replacement or better. Once I receive my replacement and test it, I will let you all know and if it turns out that it doesnt work, then i will know it's some other problem either with my PSU or my MOBO. But I will keep you informed when I get it back, and thank you to everyone who has given me help thus-far.

[Cocoa_Muffs]

Hey, I've changed accounts from Fire4AdryMouth, to Cocoa Muffs, since I enjoy the name and it's my gaming alias, but my problem is fixed with the new card. I've been too busy throwing knives at my friend in AHL2 to remember to post. But thank you everyone for your help.