Wrong Power Configuration Broke GPU?

apcs13 · Dec 6, 2013

Hello, because I am a stupid idiot and first time PC builder I forgot to get a 4-pin Molex to 6-pin adapter for my Asus R9-280X video card. I tried plugging it in with an adapter so it was set up like this: The 8-pin slot was filled by an 8-pin adapter filled by 1 of 2 6-pin connecters. the second 6-pin slot in the GPU was taken by the second 6-pin adapter from the PSU. All was well until I booted up BF4 and the screen went black after about 5 minutes of gameplay. Now I can't get a signal from the GPU to the monitor at all like I could before. My friend is lending me the necessary adapter until mine ships here, but my question is, did my "faffing about" destroy my brand new $300 gpu, or will all be well when I have the adapter?

smeezekitty · Dec 6, 2013

I am not sure. But if your PSU doesn't have the right amount of PCI-E pins, it may not be up to the task.
What model of PSU?

apcs13 · Dec 6, 2013

smeezekitty :

I think my PSU is good for it, it's the Corsair TX 650, I think for this card you need the Molex adapter no matter what, and I just forgot that fact

Prithwi2050 · Dec 6, 2013

Wow, that's a disappointment!! First of all, why would you do that(putting a 6 pin connector in an 8 pin jack)? Were you so desperate to test your 280X out? The card may have died but the worst thing is that, your warranty may get void. So just RMA it saying that the card was dead and hope that you are lucky!!

apcs13 · Dec 6, 2013

Prithwi2050 :

No, I didn't put a 6-pin in an 8-pin, that's not even possible (or at least with this PSU and GPU). The card came with a 2 6-pin to 8-pin adapter, and since the power indicator light (there is one per connector input on the GPU) was only green when one specific one of the 2 6-pin connectors in the adapter, I thought I only needed one of them. This worked fine until I ran BF4, and now it doesn't work which worries me. However I don't think anything is damaged also because all the lights do turn on, all of the fans spin in the entire rig including on the GPU, and I can hear the HDD turn on and make noise. I just hope my GPU isn't ruined, but I didn't do anything wrong besides not give the GPU the one extra 6-pin cable in the 8-pin adapter.

hypergon · Dec 6, 2013

Card didn't have enough power for a game like bf4: pcie slot can supply 75w, 6pin 75w and 8pin 150w -> up to 300w
Without the 2nd 6pin its up to 225w, and if the GPU tries to pull more from the 8pin (with only 1 6pin in the adapter) than 75w crashes.

Connect it properly or try to RMA it!

Prithwi2050 · Dec 7, 2013

ZZZ.. I will tell you what happened. When the 280X had no load or little load the 6 pins could handle it. But with BF4 on load it's surely gona use its full rated TDP which is close to 200W. And that 6 pin just couldn't deliver. Normally it doesn't ruin the GPU(PC usually shuts down or restarts) but sometimes it can. Try and get another 2 6pin to 8 pin converter because more current through the wires can also damage the adapter. I hope that is the case..

a1blaster · Dec 7, 2013

pc shuts down to protect hardwares...don't worry

smeezekitty · Dec 7, 2013

The only way to know for sure is to retry with a proper power configuration.
Your TX650 should have two 6+2 pin plugs.
You join one pair of 6 and 2 to make one 8 and then plug in the other 6. There should be no need for an adapter.

a1blaster: Your avatar screws with my head LOL

apcs13 · Dec 7, 2013

hypergon :

I will be able to connect it properly today or tomorrow I think, but what I am worried about is now it doesn't display at all like it did before with the bad configuration. Do you think it's busted and I will need to RMA it?

apcs13 · Dec 7, 2013

Prithwi2050 :

I should be getting the necessary adapter today, the only thing I'm worried about is that when I boot the PC it doesnt show ANYTHING like it used to (it would POST, I could view the BIOS, and I could login to and use Windows). Do you think this means that the GPU is busted and I need to RMA it or get a new one, or that it will be okay when I get an adapter? All the fans and lights on the card still work fine, but I don't know if that means anything,

apcs13 · Dec 7, 2013

smeezekitty :

You're correct, the TX 650 does have 2 6 + 2 connectors. However, when I plug the 6 pin part of it into the 8 pin plug on the GPU, the +2 doesn't fit in the remaining two slots open. I tried this with both PCIE connectors but of the +2 parts fit in the open slots. That's why I'm thinking about needing that Molex adapter, also because it was mentioned in a tech video on building PC's and my friend who has build a few computer told me that I would need it yesterday. The +2 part just won't fit no matter what I do. Now I'm just worried that I messed up or broke my GPU, since it displays nothing now and before it let me do normal tasks and login to windows and stuff. What do you think?

apcs13 · Dec 7, 2013

a1blaster :

That's what I was hoping to happen, but now when I try to boot it at all my monitor gets no signal from the card, when before with this power configuration I could see it POST, go into the BIOS, and even log in to Windows and do normal tasks like web browsing and using light non-game programs. do you think this is a bad sign and my GPU might be broken?

smeezekitty · Dec 7, 2013

apcs13 :

smeezekitty :

You're correct, the TX 650 does have 2 6 + 2 connectors. However, when I plug the 6 pin part of it into the 8 pin plug on the GPU, the +2 doesn't fit in the remaining two slots open. I tried this with both PCIE connectors but of the +2 parts fit in the open slots. That's why I'm thinking about needing that Molex adapter, also because it was mentioned in a tech video on building PC's and my friend who has build a few computer told me that I would need it yesterday. The +2 part just won't fit no matter what I do. Now I'm just worried that I messed up or broke my GPU, since it displays nothing now and before it let me do normal tasks and login to windows and stuff. What do you think?

The 6 and 2 pin parts join together.
Look closely at them and I think you will find they snap together and should fit that way.
I would try reinstalling the GPU in its slot and make sure the BIOS is still set to PCI-E graphics

apcs13 · Dec 7, 2013

smeezekitty :

apcs13 :

The 6 and 2 pin parts join together.
Look closely at them and I think you will find they snap together and should fit that way.
I would try reinstalling the GPU in its slot and make sure the BIOS is still set to PCI-E graphics

Yeah I did manage to fit it in joining the +2 with some messing about. However that still didn't work, and I already have uninstalled and reinstalled the card in the PCIE slot before. I believe it will be routed through the PCIE automatically since it was that way before and nothing was changed, plus the MOBO (Asus M5A97 R2.0) has no onboard video, nor does my FX 6350.

Prithwi2050 · Dec 7, 2013

Get a new adapter and try. That is your last hope!!

smeezekitty · Dec 7, 2013

It sounds like something died. Hard to say what.
It may not have been something you did, sometimes its just components infant mortality.

apcs13 · Dec 7, 2013

Thank you all for your help, but after numerous different tests with two computers and graphics cards I am certai that my GPU is broken. It apparently isn't uncommon with the Asus DirectCu II R9 280X, but at least I know what the issue is. Thanks for your great help!

Wrong Power Configuration Broke GPU?

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