r9 290x and trident memory, crap PSU, crap mobo or both?

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JoshPe

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So my old system looked like this:
ASUS Sabertooth 990fx R1
2x2GB 1800 G.Skill Flare
Old gfx card OC'd to the gills from the factory
AMD FX-8150 Zambezi 8-Core
Old 7200 RPM HDD
Dyanamo AZZA 650W

Well I decided to grab a few upgrades...
250GB Crucial SSD
2x8GB 1866 G.SKill Trident RAM
Sapphire Tri-X R9 290x

I know my motherboard is a little outdated and my PSU is junk but I'm wondering what my bigger problem is...
With both RAM sticks installed, I'm only getting 8GB of ram available/detected.
With the 290x installed I can't get a POST beep, it gives one long and 3 short beeps which according to the motherboard manual means I have a graphics card issue.

Opinions on how I should proceed?


 
Solution
jimmysmitty
The memory issue is probably a failed stick. Try each stick individually to see if one causes a no POST.

The board is a bit older but it is a good board with solid components (Asus makes good boards and the Sabertooth series is one of their most durable). It could be bad but lets try to focus on the RAM first.

And I don't want to be mean but yes, that PSU is crap. It is not even 80 plus certified. Even though it is probably not causing the memory issue I would replace it with a better PSU, probably a 700W to make sure the R9 290X is happy since you have a very power hungry CPU.
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jimmysmitty

jimmysmitty

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Oct 5, 2007
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The memory issue is probably a failed stick. Try each stick individually to see if one causes a no POST.

The board is a bit older but it is a good board with solid components (Asus makes good boards and the Sabertooth series is one of their most durable). It could be bad but lets try to focus on the RAM first.

And I don't want to be mean but yes, that PSU is crap. It is not even 80 plus certified. Even though it is probably not causing the memory issue I would replace it with a better PSU, probably a 700W to make sure the R9 290X is happy since you have a very power hungry CPU.
 
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Solution
J

JoshPe

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Jun 10, 2015
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OK- So I have to admit, I discovered that the memory issue was my own stupidity. Because of the heat fins, the stick next to my processor wasn't seating fully in the slot. Doh! Both are now working as they should at the full 1866 frequency.

I tried putting the GPU back in but I got the same set of error beeps from the mobo. I'm positive that IT is seated firmly. I've got my old GPU back in the PC and am using that to post this.
Ironically, I forgot to plug the power into this older card and the error was the exact same one I got with the 290x. I have a feeling something is wrong with the PSU cables. This PSU only has 2 PCI plugs, one is a 6 pin and the other is a 6+2 but according to the GPU specs that should be sufficient?
 
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jimmysmitty

jimmysmitty

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Yes the plugs are correct however, that PSU is just too weak. The 12V rail only pushes a max of 463W including the two +12V rails and -12V rail. Most of the manufactures recommend a 700W PSU, I know Sapphire does for sure on its R9 290X GPUs.

You never want to go cheap on a PSU. It can ruin your entire system if it goes bad.

A good PSU will normally be able to push all of its peak wattage on the 12V rail alone, for example my AX860i can push 859.2W on the 12V rail alone.
 
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J

JoshPe

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OK guys, thanks for the input. I've managed to get a hold of friend's thermaltake 750w to try it out. This should work until I can order something better, eh?
 
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J

JoshPe

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It works! I'm pretty stoked. This TT 750 was new in the box but a friend of mine is offering to sell me an older Corsair TX series 750w at a "price I can't refuse." It was used in an i7 system that outgrew it. Would a slightly older/used corsair be a better option than pay my TT friend $80 for this one?

I do have to note that while this AZZA sucks for high power systems. It's run nonstop for 5+ years without a hiccup.
 
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Tradesman1

Tradesman1

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There are numerous lower end PSUs that run fine depending on the rig they are in, but all to often you put one on a higher end performance or gaming type rig and they just don't hack it. The Corsair TX should be OK but think the TT might keep you happier longer ;)
 
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jimmysmitty

jimmysmitty

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It may run but the PSU is the most important part of the system. If you have a cheap low quality PSU and it decides to bite the dust there is a much greater chance it will send a surge through the system and fry other parts.



I had a Corsair TX850W that lasted 5 years and then when I finally swapped it out with my AX860i it sat for another two years in a box. I tested it and it still works to this day with no issues. In fact I sold it too. The Corsair TX series was a very good series.

Pretty much either one will be a good PSU for your system. The TT being new in the box kind of gives it a bit of an edge. Do you know what the TT model is? Would be good to do some research to make sure it is one of their better PSUs.
 
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