Newly-built PC does not power on with graphics card inserted--bad card or weak PSU?

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Eugene_21

Commendable
Aug 28, 2016
9
0
1,510
I've just built a PC based on the specs on logical increments (the exceptional tier):
GPU: EVGA GTX 1070
CPU: i7 6700K/ Cryorig H5 (fan)
Motherboard: Azus Z170 Pro Gaming
PSU: EVGA G2 750

I also have one SSD, one HDD, and one optical drive installed.

When I power up the machine without the GPU installed it starts normally, and I can look at the BIOS settings and see all of my components installed and looking fine. When I plug in the GPU and push the power button, the fans wiggle but then stop. Nothing happens. I tried it with my old GPU in the same PCIe slot (a Radeon HD6850) and it was able to again start up and go into bios (I haven't installed windows yet). I've also tried plugging in a different power connector from the PSU to the card and I've tried every VGA slot available on the PSU. Could the power supply be too weak or is there a short in my graphics card? Or could it be something else?

 
Solution
alexoiu
It might be a card issue. Can you test it in different pc?
Have you tried starting the pc with card installed, but no video cable attached to it?
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Eugene_21

Commendable
Aug 28, 2016
9
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1,510


I could test it in another computer tomorrow. Both times I tried the different cards, I had the monitor plugged into the motherboard video output. I don't yet have the monitors that have the correct ports. That shouldn't make a difference in terms of the computer starting up though right?
 
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Eugene_21

Commendable
Aug 28, 2016
9
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1,510

I tested the new card in question (GTX 1070) in both PCIe slots, same results. But the old card (Radeon HD6850) did work in the first slot. Perhaps worth noting is the fact that the old card uses 6 of the 8 pins power supply pins, whereas the new card uses all 8 of the 6+2 VGA pins from the power supply.
 
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Eugene_21

Commendable
Aug 28, 2016
9
0
1,510

When I plugged in the graphics card in another computer and turned it on, there was a huge spark and the motherboard caught on fire briefly. I'm fairly certain the other computer is ruined now. I'm not joking. Here's a link of my product review with a photo of the burnt motherboard:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R2CLAS5ARPYGV3/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B01GX5YWAO

I'm typing this response on the original machine now. It works without the card plugged in. I don't know what to do now. I have to at least replace the other computer's motherboard.
 
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Eugene_21

Commendable
Aug 28, 2016
9
0
1,510


I don't know how I could have messed up the installation. I plugged the card into the PCIe slot, I plugged in the pins from the PSU. Then I plugged in the computer into the wall and turned it on. Could it have been that the first machine detected the short quickly enough and shutdown off the current but the second couldn't?
 
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Eugene_21

Commendable
Aug 28, 2016
9
0
1,510


Yes it was the PCIe cable. That cable had 2 of the 8 pin connectors attached to it, but the card only used one of the 8, that's the only thing remarkable about the way I installed it.
 
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Eugene_21

Commendable
Aug 28, 2016
9
0
1,510
I've requested a refund on the card and I'm returning it to Amazon. EVGA wanted to replace it, but I'm leery of getting another card from them right now. I'll try a different GTX 1070 and see if it was just the card. I guess if it's not the card, I can try a new PSU.
 
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Eugene_21

Commendable
Aug 28, 2016
9
0
1,510
I will update this thread when I can. It will take a couple of days to ship the dead GPU back to Amazon, then I should get my refund, then I plan on purchasing an Asus gtx 1070, specifically the STRIX-GTX1070-8G-GAMING. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HEQYQHA/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2I4D0WO1JEMBA

That card is not available on Amazon Prime so it may take a week or so to arrive, making this all the more frustrating.

I did just plug in my old GPU again to the motherboard, and this time I output the display to the monitor to test it. I'm using the same PSU cables and the same PCIe slot and the output was fine (although the resolution was wonky since the drivers aren't installed). Seems like its not the motherboard having issues at least. Nothing that I've found online, in the manuals, or anywhere else would suggest that the motherboard and the GPU aren't compatible and I doubt that, assuming the power supply isn't defective, 750 watts would be insufficient for this rig. Correct me if I'm wrong though or if you think its close to being insufficient.

Now about PC #2 (the one that got burned)
A friend of mine who works in PC repair said that the motherboard getting fried sounded like a very unfortunate fluke, and that I should consider replacing the power supply on that machine as well if there is any apparent damage to the cables. If there is no obvious cable or power supply damage, would it be save to continue using that power supply? My current plan is to buy a new motherboard, switch the components over to it and plug it back in with the current power supply assuming there's no damage. If everything works I'll consider myself as lucky as I can be in this situation and move on, otherwise I'll repurchase the rest of the components.
 
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Eugene_21

Commendable
Aug 28, 2016
9
0
1,510
I installed the card mentioned in my previous post and it works perfectly. Must have been a perfect storm of a defective card shorting out and a motherboard failing to protect itself. Here is the PSU on the computer that got fried: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UVN20AO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1.
 
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