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View Full Version : Scratch one GPU...


XLjedi
03-05-08, 07:42 PM
...ah well it had a good run.

I noticed my SLI system wasn't powering on. At first I thought it was unplugged from the wall, but the power supply light was on; and then I noticed the green LED on the moboard wasn't lit. Hmmmm....

I systematically began unplugging gadgets from the moboard and it finally fired back up when I disconnected my secondary 6800 Ultra GPU. It's like it has some sort of short in the power connector or something. If I so much as touch the GPU power socket with the cord, the moboard power goes dead.

SOoooo... yanked out the card, flipped a few switches, and am now running again on a single 6800. Which still works OK.

So is this how GPU's usually die? :hmm:

Etienne
03-05-08, 09:01 PM
I know nothing about the inside of computers (Well, I can plug things in and such, but not much more), but my problem solving reflex is that the short could be in the motherboard's connection slot. Have you tried switching the GPU's around?

XLjedi
03-05-08, 09:10 PM
Yeah... good point. That thought had crossed my mind too. I'll swap em and see what happens. If it's the Asus moboard, then I'll have to buy a new board and CPU, since the current 939 socket is so dated.

SUBMAN1
03-05-08, 09:58 PM
Have you also thought of the idea that your PSU isn't putting out enough power to power both boards?

Switch to the GPU that you think is not working, and if it works, then you have your answer.

Sorry - just throwing my 2 cents into the ring.

-S

Seth8530
03-05-08, 10:00 PM
You could RMA but that can take months (personal XP)

XLjedi
03-05-08, 11:27 PM
Have you also thought of the idea that your PSU isn't putting out enough power to power both boards?

Switch to the GPU that you think is not working, and if it works, then you have your answer.

Sorry - just throwing my 2 cents into the ring.

-S

Yeah, I think the obvious stuff I've eliminated. It's been runnin for about 3 years without incident under a 620W SLI power supply. ...and if anything I've cut back on devices.

XLjedi
03-05-08, 11:28 PM
You could RMA but that can take months (personal XP)

I may do it if for no other reason than nVidia might not want to bother with an old 6 series and swap it out for an 8800 or something...

JSLTIGER
03-06-08, 12:11 AM
Yeah... good point. That thought had crossed my mind too. I'll swap em and see what happens. If it's the Asus moboard, then I'll have to buy a new board and CPU, since the current 939 socket is so dated.

Don't forget that if you get a new board (either 775 or AM2) then you'll also need new DDR2 RAM. 939 used DDR. At that point, you're pretty much talking about an entirely new system.

XLjedi
03-06-08, 02:44 AM
Don't forget that if you get a new board (either 775 or AM2) then you'll also need new DDR2 RAM. 939 used DDR. At that point, you're pretty much talking about an entirely new system.

Oh good grief... I never even got the 4 gigs that I have now workin right...

At least the power supply is working... wait a minute, what's that smell.

XLjedi
03-06-08, 02:57 AM
Alright... I at least confirmed that it's definitely the GPU alone that has died. I may be able to squeeze another year outta this rig afterall.

I swapped the bad 6800 with the good one and same thing on socket 1; the system won't power up. The green LED on the moboard did come on though, so I might've been mistaken previously when I said it was out.

Seth8530
03-06-08, 07:08 AM
You could RMA but that can take months (personal XP)

O i was refering to MOBO's which company made your GPU? if it has a lifetime waranty you may be in business.

JSLTIGER
03-06-08, 10:15 AM
Don't forget that if you get a new board (either 775 or AM2) then you'll also need new DDR2 RAM. 939 used DDR. At that point, you're pretty much talking about an entirely new system.
Oh good grief... I never even got the 4 gigs that I have now workin right...

At least the power supply is working... wait a minute, what's that smell.

Tell me about it...I went from a 939 to an AM2 system this summer (needed to upgrade the vid card to PCIe from AGP)...what a pain in the butt...

Now that you know it's the GPU, I'd try to RMA.

SUBMAN1
03-06-08, 10:17 AM
You could RMA but that can take months (personal XP)
O i was refering to MOBO's which company made your GPU? if it has a lifetime waranty you may be in business.Thats true. A lot of components these days are coming with rediculously long warranties. ATI has been giving out 5 years warranties for some time now. I RMA'd a 9800 Pro AIW about a year ago and they still took it back and gave me a new one! Of course I sold it shortly thereafter. No need for it anymore.

-S

geetrue
03-06-08, 11:54 AM
Sounds like your putting your hands inside the box with the power on ...

Not good says people that have not only been shocked, but unplugged sata HDD' and blown the power supply at the same time.

Be careful in there partner ... :yep:

JSLTIGER
03-06-08, 01:35 PM
You could RMA but that can take months (personal XP)
O i was refering to MOBO's which company made your GPU? if it has a lifetime waranty you may be in business.Thats true. A lot of components these days are coming with rediculously long warranties. ATI has been giving out 5 years warranties for some time now. I RMA'd a 9800 Pro AIW about a year ago and they still took it back and gave me a new one! Of course I sold it shortly thereafter. No need for it anymore.

-S

EVGA's got a lifetime warranty, and I think both BFG and XFX also have lifetime warranties on their products.

XLjedi
03-06-08, 04:01 PM
Sounds like your putting your hands inside the box with the power on ...

Not good says people that have not only been shocked, but unplugged sata HDD' and blown the power supply at the same time.

Be careful in there partner ... :yep:


Yeah I gotta be more careful. Couple times now I've turned off the PC power button and then started yanking things out and realized the power supply on/off was still ON! :88)