Tech failure strikes me
 

Had done the once-a-year dusting of my tower-PC. `Taking care of static electricity, opening it, disconnecting power from graphcis card and removing it, using canned pressure air and a soft natural-hair brush only, leaving RAM bars, CPU + cooler and PSU in place. Surprisngly, while the walls inside had some dust, the coolers of the CPU and GPU, despite their tremendous size and many huge slats, had almost none, so the simple dust filters in the tower case seem to have some purpose indeed. My tower PC before had the coolers serving as dust traps.

All nice and well, all routine, doing so since 20 years.

Putting it all together again and then starting a test run results in a black screen and then a message: "Connect power cables to PCIe card". Gulp!

I open the case, the GPU has two power connectors, one light is white, the other is red. I switch all off, disconnect the connectors and the card, then pout it together again,and launch. Same message, this time both connector shine red.

I next tried an external powercable, put it into the PSU, and the other two ends into the GPU. Same result. Cable it is not, remains the PSU and GPU, most likely.

I searched and found a very old GPU, a nVdia 460, and used that, with external cables (the ones in the tower are too short, since the 1080 by Asus is a card almost twice as wide then the 460 by Gainward). And see: there are no white or red power cable lights shining, the 460 had none, but the system launches and works.

So most likely, the GPU is done, an Asus GTX 1080 TI OC. Nice. 9 months old, over a thousand bucks. Did not got much pressure form me, the fans of it, three there are, mostly were sitting still or running in idle or low rpm even when playing. Good news is I still have warranty, tree years. Tomorrow I do the phoning, for today I have enough of it.

Nerve-killing. For the time being, no VR, no serious gaming, no serious racing, only Gran Turismo on Playstation 4. :arrgh!:


Any alternative explanations possible, any ideas? Something I should look out for, or try?

Seems odd that the GPU itself would die because you cleaned it!!:doh:
I would check the power plugs especially on the GPU:
Are the pins burnt (blue)? If so are the plug pins loose?
What is the solder joints on the board like? (plug pins)
Do you have any electronic contact cleaner (spray can)? This is an essential for overhauling PC's and other electronic equipment.
Did you disturb any of the heatsinks? You may have to take them apart, clean and reapply thermal paste.
If the GPU is fine it could be a dry joint in the power supply that needs re-soldering.:hmmm:

Well, I was able to connect a GTX460 from the stoneage, so I assume it is neither the cable and connectors, nor the PSU. I looked at the pins of course, they did not look suspicious.


The gfx board was in surprisngoly tip-top shape, almost no dust, after 10 months of use. The sharp edges of the ventilators had a little bit, and the plain upside surface which is cobered with that cosmetic, colour-lit fancy lightshow thing (switched off), but the spaces between the slats: when I send pressured air thorugh it, no dust came out, and before they looked absolutely clear.


The tower and the way they arranged the components and cables seem to provide very excellent airflow inside the tower. The air filters in the walls in front of the coolers, and at the bottom, no matter how primitive they look, seem to do some real good job there. I clean them once a week (easy access). The air outlets on all sides also showed no dust.


My old system was a dust trap and was heavily covered with dust after 5-6 months. The clean shape of this tower came as a real surprise to me. After ten months of use! It looked as if used for just a week.


I fired a mail to their tech department. I assume the gpu card gets send in and checked. I run via my Linux notebook right now, and yesterday evening had a very nice and long playing session with my almost forgotten PS4: Gran Turismo, The Hunter Call of the Wild, and Wipeout for dinner. I enjoyed it, and so am relaxed. I had almost forgotten that I have a small collection of 4 or 5 really good games for that thing. :) I got it in a sale right for an opportunity like this: for times when my main rig would break down.


Man, do I sound like an addict, or what...

Bear in mind the old GPU would have a lot less load current.
If you're game run the PC and move the power cables to the GPU around a bit whilst a game is running to give it a good load.
Interesting what the Tech guys report.:hmmm:

Cannot do that, since I cannot even boot (with the 1080 card).


The connectors have little hooks, once snapped in, they are locked tight and cannot be moved at all. The cable connection to the plug they end in also are quite tight. This is some quality cable thy replaced the default Asus cables with. Its all packed together with some mesh, and rubber shrink sleeving. There is no movement space left. The tower looks as clean and surgical like some equipment for the space station.


http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=235541


The connectors can be clearly seen.

Yes. The connectors can be clearly seen.

The photo also invisibly shows me, looking like an idiot.

I had one 1x2 pin connector not attached. :doh: And then concluded, when I noticed it, that both 1x2 pin connectors (which are additional to the two 2x3 pin connectors) are not needed, when I put the card back in.

And so I had missed connecting all plugs properly. Not two plugs are needed. But four.

:arrgh!: All laughs on me, I pay the house.

System runs, all is fine.

Been there, done that. The way I see it there are two kinds of people in the world - those who admit they're idiots, and those who try to cover it up.

Glad it's working now.

Laughing about yourself is laughing spend best! :Kaleun_Cheers:

Well at least I knew it was a plug!!:D

It's great when you suddenly discover you'd just overlooked something yourself... glad it's all okay, mate :up:

The innards of a computer work like hardcore porno: if there is a free socket, you need something to plug-in it. :yep:

I wouldn't know anything about that either

Me neither.

Now the experts talk.



:D

Ah, those were the good old days!!:doh::yep::oops: