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Oh no! R9 390 black screen with no fans turning

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  • 19-06-2021 9:33am
    #1
    €>sense
    Registered Users Posts: 146 ✭✭


    Hi all,

    Thanks in advance for any assistance you may be able to give me.

    Son's R9 390 might be dead. For many months now the screen would go black for a couple of seconds while gaming, before resuming as normal. I looked it up and thought it was something to do with windows notifications, made a tweak on notification settings and convinced myself that it was better.

    However, a couple of nights ago, he was gaming and had a crash to black, and since then the R9 390 is not outputting a video signal.

    This PC has been working well now for 5.5 years, and no changes were made in the recent past:

    CPU: i5 6600 CPU

    RAM: 8GB (1x 8192MB) Crucial Ballistix Sport DDR4-2400 DIMM CL16-16-16

    MB: ASUS ROG STRIX H270F GAMING LGA1151 DDR4 DP HDMI DVI M.2 ATX

    GPU: 8192MB Sapphire Radeon R9 390 Nitro inkl. Backplate Aktiv PCIe 3.0 x16

    PSU: EVGA SuperNOVA 550 G3, 80 Plus Gold 550W

    Monitor: Benq 1440p 144 Hz Free sync

    Opened the case and the Graphics Card fans are not spinning. Tried reseating the r9 in the PCIe x16 slot, then tried it in the slower PCIe x4 slot with no success. Disconnected and reconnected the power cables to the r9, no success.

    The integrated graphics are working just fine with the R9 removed, and even with the R9 in situ the PC posted. With the iGPU I could get into the BIOS and see that the r9 is not being detected in either PCIe slot.

    Windows boots fine and youtube and discord are fine with the integrated Intel HD Graphics 530, but Gaming is awful - extremely ugly and FPS in the teens or twentys - on his current games such as Apex Legends and Rocket League. So not really a solution for him to just put up with integrated graphics for the summer.

    I've been reading that GPUs are difficult and expensive to get, so am looking for advice:

    1) Can I take it that its definitely the graphics card or are there other steps needed to confirm?

    2) If dead can it be repaired? It looks almost new, only the tiniest bit of dust on the fan blades. I recall getting many months out of a previous NVIDIA card by baking it in an oven, but that card's fan spun and it did output corrupted signal to the screen. This seems more like a power/fuse issue as there are no fans spinning and the BIOS can't detect it. A repair might be the optimal solution here to buy enough time to get to a half normal GPU market.

    3) If it can't be repaired, then what is the best option for an old PC? For lots of reasons, it would be great to eke another 1.5 - 2 years out of the existing PC before going for a new one.

    Thanks for any help and advice you can give.


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    #2
    Simi
    Registered Users Posts: 1,871 ✭✭✭Simi


    It sounds very much dead tbh. No fans spinning is not a good sign. You've tried reseating it and the system works without it so it's definitely the problem.

    Check to make sure the fan connectors are securely in place, but I'd say it's just gone.

    Crypto prices are falling again so things are looking up for the first time in a long time. Look for second hand gtx 1060's or 4gb Rx 570/580's on eBay, adverts etc. They're the least overpriced as they're not much use for mining.

    They're still overpriced, but not too the same degree


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    #3
    €>sense
    Registered Users Posts: 146 ✭✭€>sense


    Simi wrote: »
    It sounds very much dead tbh. No fans spinning is not a good sign. You've tried reseating it and the system works without it so it's definitely the problem.

    Check to make sure the fan connectors are securely in place, but I'd say it's just gone.

    Crypto prices are falling again so things are looking up for the first time in a long time. Look for second hand gtx 1060's or 4gb Rx 570/580's on eBay, adverts etc. They're the least overpriced as they're not much use for mining.

    They're still overpriced, but not too the same degree

    Thanks Simi.


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    #4
    Redfox25
    Registered Users Posts: 1,546 ✭✭✭Redfox25


    Worth trying it in a different machine as well if you have access to one.
    Still if it lived for 5.5 years it has served well.

    Hopefully you get sorted.


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    #5
    €>sense
    Registered Users Posts: 146 ✭✭€>sense


    This is not pretty.

    1060's €200-€300

    570s cheapest €280

    580s cheapest €300

    depending on brand and graphics memory on adverts / eBay Irish sellers (cheaper options on eBay if other countries considered).

    At those prices for 5 year old, 2nd hand cards with no comeback if they burn out the next week, it's very unattractive. The R9 only cost €330 new 5.5 years ago!!

    I've no experience of 2nd hand parts, how risky are 2nd hand gaming graphics cards? My gut is telling me very very risky.

    I've had a look at the AMD direct site, a new Rx 6700 at €495 is looking more attractive despite the jump in budget at least I'd have comeback, but 2 problems:

    a) will that work with my mb/processor?

    b) how do you actually buy one? There's none in stock and on reading apparently you need to know when they drop (discord? .... 2am on Thursdays??) and have some kind of script to beat the scalpers? Is there a tutorial out there on this magic?


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    #6
    €>sense
    Registered Users Posts: 146 ✭✭€>sense


    Redfox25 wrote: »
    Worth trying it in a different machine as well if you have access to one.
    Still if it lived for 5.5 years it has served well.

    Hopefully you get sorted.

    Thanks Redfox25. Tried that last night, but sister's machine didn't have 2x8pin power connectors. I do have that machine's card temporarily today to see if it works.

    Absolutely zero complaints with the R9 390, it was the first AMD card we had, all were NVIDIA before that. I'm not sure if things have just moved on or not, but it always just worked and I'd hardly never update drivers or tweak settings. My recollection of NVIDIA cards is that I was regularly installing new drivers and tweaking settings.

    So much so that my genuinely preferred option now is some Wiz who can find what's gone bust and repair solder and replace burnt out capacitors, fuses or whatever to buy us the time to a complete new balanced PC in 1.5 to 2 years at what by then I hope will be non-extortionate prices.


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    #7
    €>sense
    Registered Users Posts: 146 ✭✭€>sense


    €>sense wrote: »
    Thanks Redfox25. Tried that last night, but sister's machine didn't have 2x8pin power connectors. I do have that machine's card temporarily today to see if it works.

    Absolutely zero complaints with the R9 390, it was the first AMD card we had, all were NVIDIA before that. I'm not sure if things have just moved on or not, but it always just worked and I'd hardly never update drivers or tweak settings. My recollection of NVIDIA cards is that I was regularly installing new drivers and tweaking settings.

    So much so that my genuinely preferred option now is some Wiz who can find what's gone bust and repair solder and replace burnt out capacitors, fuses or whatever to buy us the time to a complete new balanced PC in 1.5 to 2 years at what by then I hope will be non-extortionate prices.

    Another card works fine in same slot with one of the 2 power cables that went to the R9.

    So dead graphics card it is!


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    #8
    Simi
    Registered Users Posts: 1,871 ✭✭✭Simi


    €>sense wrote: »
    Another card works fine in same slot with one of the 2 power cables that went to the R9.

    So dead graphics card it is!

    Is that the original power supply with the machine? I had an R9 390 until recently and it would occasionally trip my old 650W PSU. It could be that your PSU has degraded to an extent that it can no longer supply enough power at boot to the card, though the fans would probably spin on boot in that instance. Or maybe one of the psu cables has gone bad.

    Both extremely unlikely scenarios, but might be worth a look.

    Yeah the GPU market is still really bad. I know second hand prices are shocking but realistically you're likely going to have to overpay if you want something in the short term, getting an MSRP card is like winning the lotto at the moment.

    I wouldn't worry too much about buying second hand. Yes you've essentially no comeback if it's a dud, but I've never had any issues.


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    #9
    €>sense
    Registered Users Posts: 146 ✭✭€>sense


    Simi wrote: »
    Is that the original power supply with the machine? I had an R9 390 until recently and it would occasionally trip my old 650W PSU. It could be that your PSU has degraded to an extent that it can no longer supply enough power at boot to the card, though the fans would probably spin on boot in that instance. Or maybe one of the psu cables has gone bad.

    Both extremely unlikely scenarios, but might be worth a look.

    Yeah the GPU market is still really bad. I know second hand prices are shocking but realistically you're likely going to have to overpay if you want something in the short term, getting an MSRP card is like winning the lotto at the moment.

    I wouldn't worry too much about buying second hand. Yes you've essentially no comeback if it's a dud, but I've never had any issues.

    Thanks Simi,

    It's not the original PSU. That PSU is only 3.5 years old.

    I can check the cable tonight by swapping the current spare with the known good cable.

    How would I check for degradation of the PSU?

    I understand that you have had no issues with 2nd hand cards before, but were those experiences with cards as old as these?

    Thanks again.


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    #10
    wotzgoingon
    Registered Users Posts: 14,309 ✭✭✭✭wotzgoingon


    Regarding finding some wiz who could fix it for you is slim to none. You would need a really strong understanding of how the card works and need equipment and then they earn damn all for the amount of work they would have to do which is why nobody does it.


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    #11
    Simi
    Registered Users Posts: 1,871 ✭✭✭Simi


    €>sense wrote: »
    How would I check for degradation of the PSU?

    I understand that you have had no issues with 2nd hand cards before, but were those experiences with cards as old as these?

    Basically the only way to check is to install a card that draws as much or more power than the R9 390. But it would be far quicker to find someone with a suitable psu to check if the R9 390 is bad for you.

    Regarding my experience with secondhand cards; I bought an R9 280X from CEX which worked fine for a few years before i traded it back. I then bought an R9 390 secondhand from a lad on adverts about 3 years ago, he had it since launch. I sold it on to someone else 2 months ago and I can only assume it's been working fine for them.

    Try the amd site next Thursday after reading up on it. You might get lucky


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    #12
    €>sense
    Registered Users Posts: 146 ✭✭€>sense


    Seeing the awful value out there Simi, I took your advice and tried the AMD site. They may be expensive, but at least they're MRSP, and he'll hopefully get a few years out of it

    After a couple of tries, (the time had changed for the drop the first week so it was over before I got there and I was too slow the second week) I managed to order a 6800 last week that arrived today.

    So now what do I do, I've been so focused on just getting a card that wasnt a ripoff, that I never even considered compatibility.

    The 6800 is way newer than the rest of the system.

    1) MB: ASUS ROG STRIX H270F GAMING LGA1151 DDR4 DP HDMI DVI M.2 ATX Is the 6800 compatible with this motherboard?

    2) PSU: EVGA SuperNOVA 550 G3, 80 Plus Gold 550W Is the PSU powerful enough for the system and the new card? Is it risky to try it - could I damage the new card? Even if it runs, what are the symptoms of insufficient power to a graphics card?

    3) CPU: i5 6600 Will this old processor limit the 6800? What are the symptoms of processors limiting a graphics card?

    4) Is the 8 GB memory sufficient? There is now more memory on the graphics card than in the system.

    I'd appreciate any advice on what to do next.

    If anyone needs any advice on getting a card, I can tell you what I did.



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    #13
    wotzgoingon
    Registered Users Posts: 14,309 ✭✭✭✭wotzgoingon


    The card will work fine with that MB but will run in PCIe 3.0 instead of 4.0 but there is no problem in doing that.

    I'm not sure as I didn't look into it but the PSU looks to be too small a wattage. That's coming straight from my head I didn't check what is the recommended PSU. Easy enough to find out on the AMD website.



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    #14
    Simi
    Registered Users Posts: 1,871 ✭✭✭Simi


    https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117616033#Comment_117616033

    Congrats on getting a card. It isn't easy! The 6800 is great performer and 16gb vram means it should hold up well with newer titles.

    The processor may limit performance in some instances IF you're playing at 1080p. At 1440p and above it won't have an impact.

    16gb ram is kinda the norm these days, so 8gb is on the low side. Try it and see. The extra vram on the card should mitigate it somewhat.

    550W might be ok for a 6800. 600W is recommended. Symptoms of an insufficient PSU are random crashes or the pc shutting off completely.

    The easiest way to test is to find a power hungry game and run it with vsync off and an uncapped framerate. That led to almost instant shut off (within 5 minutes) when I tried to use a 6900XT with a 5 year old 650W PSU.



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    #15
    €>sense
    Registered Users Posts: 146 ✭✭€>sense


    Thanks for the advice.

    Installed it this evening and it's running fine with the 550W so far.

    I haven't stress tested it yet, closest I've come is with the game Control, with everything on max incl ray tracing, and it did ok - no crashes, but it did only get 40 FPS.

    Is that normal or is it underperforming?

    Thanks again for all the advice and help.



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    #16
    Squidgy Black
    Registered Users Posts: 21,648 ✭✭✭✭Squidgy Black


    https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117622614#Comment_117622614

    That's ray tracing absolutely crippling your FPS, if you turn off ray tracing or even just lower it you should get a significant fps boost.

    The only reason you'll see higher benchmarks on YouTube etc is because of DLSS with RTX cards but that's not available for the AMD cards and the equivalent FSR isn't available for control yet



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