monitor - no signal! even with new graphics card.

Tar.Aldarion · 22-07-2009 5:11pm #1

So my nVidia GeForce 8800 GTS 320mb seemed to have died, i get 'no signal input' on my monitor anyway when I turn on my pc. My computer came back working for a few days and then the screen froze and I get the signal error again after trying to reboot.

So I have gotten my new graphics card. HD 4870 1gb and have tried to install it. I am not sure I did it right, have never done somehitn liek this before. My old gfx card had a 6-Pin Power Connector and this one has 2 x 6-Pin Power Connectors. To connect my old gfx card to the PSU this type of wire was used.
http://www.ocforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=62665&stc=1&d=1203189446.jpg
One from then psu, then then this similar wire connected to that with the 6 pins connector going into the graphics card.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ShowImage.aspx?Image=12-887-001-02.jpg&S7ImageFlag=0&WaterMark=1&Item=N82E16812887001&Depa=0&Description=LOGISYS%20AD201%2012v%20Molex%20to%2012V%206Pin%20Adapter

To connect this graphics card I simply removed the one of the wires that was connected to the gfx card and stuck in the two 3 to 6 pin wires that came with the graphics card. Is this right or wrong?

Anyway, I turned on the computer to just get the 'no signal' message again. On the gfx card there are three green lights on and three red ones, are these red ones meant to be on? Did I power it wrongly?
Or is it a case of it was not my gfx card that has broken and it is something else?

kaimera · 22-07-2009 5:18pm

the 4870 needs two of the 6 pin connectors also connected to the psu.

I'd imagine the two molex connectors will both need to be plugged in (or 4 in your case if I'm understanding. you're using 2 of the molex-2-6pin cables?)

Got a url to yer psu model?

Tar.Aldarion · 22-07-2009 5:25pm

I think I am powering it wrong yes, I will try and open the psu and see what connections it has.

AS your molex words confuse me:
At the moment, there is http://www.ocforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=62665&stc=1&d=1203189446.jpg
coming out of the psu(although 4 wires to each not 3)
So there are the 4 pin things and I connected both 3-6 wires that came with teh card into them(one on the left http://images1.chiefvalue.com/productimage/ce00153590010060-6.jpg). I'm gussing I should be having another one of these or something coming out of the psu?
So I need 2 molex cables?
Sorry if this is confusing, I'm more confused!

Tar.Aldarion · 22-07-2009 5:39pm

Even though the fan is on on the card, does the 3 red lights mean somehting is wrong with power?

Tar.Aldarion · 22-07-2009 5:51pm

http://forums.amd.com/game/messageview.cfm?catid=260&threadid=97885&enterthread=y

The three lights are meant to go on then off, mine just stay on when I boot up. :S

Solitaire · 22-07-2009 6:05pm

It means that the card isn't receiving power from the PSU. Given that both PCIe connectors are failing POST despite being physically connected and your old card was nearly as thirsty as the new one I'm guessing the PSU has gone from "marginal" to "borked"

Seeing as that PSU has no PCIe (PEG) connectors it's probably ancient and only barely able to supply power to your system in the first place. Add a bit of capacitor derating and wear and it hit a point where it couldn't supply enough juice to the 12V rail anymore. You probably needed a new PSU the whole time

Tar.Aldarion · 22-07-2009 6:09pm

Any way I can test if it is a problem with the mobo or the psu?
They both seem to act normally, like powering fans, LEDSs and such.

If I don't put the power connectors in this gfx card, the same thing happens as if I do, the three red LEDS but no green LEDS this time.

With the old gfx card if i just left out the gfx power the motherboard or woemthing made a reallllly loud noise, doesn't happen with this card though.

Tar.Aldarion · 22-07-2009 6:12pm

Solitaire wrote: »

It means that the card isn't receiving power from the PSU. Given that both PCIe connectors are failing POST despite being physically connected and your old card was nearly as thirsty as the new one I'm guessing the PSU has gone from "marginal" to "borked"

Seeing as that PSU has no PCIe (PEG) connectors it's probably ancient and only barely able to supply power to your system in the first place. Add a bit of capacitor derating and wear and it hit a point where it couldn't supply enough juice to the 12V rail anymore. You probably needed a new PSU the whole time

Ah god, so it could be the PSU, could it be the mobo? Wish I could tell these things... and I wish if the PSU was borked it would just stop powering everything. instead of pretending to power things, like the fans are spinning, even on teh gfx card, all LEDS are on etc. So would you think I should return the card lol...

StopNotWorking · 22-07-2009 6:31pm

Ugh bad news for Tar.

If you dont want a better GPU then return it and use the money for the new PSU. But you chould be able to get a decent PSU for 60-70 doofers? Incase you want to keep it.

Tar.Aldarion · 22-07-2009 6:44pm

StopNotWorking wrote: »

Ugh bad news for Tar.

If you dont want a better GPU then return it and use the money for the new PSU. But you chould be able to get a decent PSU for 60-70 doofers? Incase you want to keep it.

Gonna look round the house for some other psu to see if that will work. But setting up all the wires will be a disaster. Wonder how long I would have to send gfx back, another thing to look up. Might keep it, how much better is it than the other?

Solitaire · 22-07-2009 7:38pm

Before swapping out PSUs try with a really weak graphics card that doesn't need any PEG connectors and see if the screen lives. If not then the monitor (or the cable) has had it :rolleyes:

Tar.Aldarion · 22-07-2009 7:42pm

Solitaire wrote: »

Before swapping out PSUs try with a really weak graphics card that doesn't need any PEG connectors and see if the screen lives. If not then the monitor (or the cable) has had it :rolleyes:

The problem has happened with 2 sets of monitors/cables. I am going to bring the pc to galway where I got the PC and try spare parts of the same spec pcs in it...sigh.
Might try sell one of the gfx cards then, probbaly psu... :S

Tar.Aldarion · 22-07-2009 8:16pm

So is there anyway I could be wiring the card wrong that would yield it coming on with the green/red leds and fan anyway? and that is why the red leds dont go off? no?

Solitaire · 22-07-2009 10:01pm

So long as both PEG power connectors are actually connected to the PSU somehow it should work unless either the card or the PSU is faulty... or the PEG extension leads you showed (but you could easily test those with a DVM to make sure you don't have a break).

Given that the previous card slowly died just beforehand I'd lean more toward a failing PSU or even a critical failure in the motherboard than the odds of two graphics card failures in a row...

Tar.Aldarion · 22-07-2009 11:35pm

id say that, all right, dunno how to test mobo though. My comp over heated, due to dust build up and turned off two days in a row, a week before it broke. eihter could have broke ? but most likely the psu, dunnnnno.

AlmightyCushion · 23-07-2009 12:21am

I'm looking at getting a modular power supply, tar, (waiting for a decent one to come up on adverts to save a few quid

) so if it is your power supply I could sell you my current one. If you're near sligo you could test your pc with my supply if you like.

cherryghost · 23-07-2009 12:25am

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

id say that, all right, dunno how to test mobo though. My comp over heated, due to dust build up and turned off two days in a row, a week before it broke. eihter could have broke ? but most likely the psu, dunnnnno.

you sure it might not just be the cpu cooler not attached properly? it causes overheating and shuts it down like you said, and sometimes takes a while (if ever to turn back on) and leaves a no signal input on the monitor. happened to me once or twice

monitor - no signal! even with new graphics card.

Comments