Probably a stupid question

[Strange Attractor]

I suspect my videocard is being held back by my PSU. I have a newer one here that I am going to try but I don't want to go through the trouble of installing it which means I'd have to remove my CPU heatsink ect without running a few tests first. I just want to keep things the way they are but plug in the new PS to the wall and hook it up to my videocard to run a few tests. My question is there's no danger in this right? I won't harm my computer this way right?

 

[Superfly1971]

A little vague like why do you think your ps is holding back preformance to your graphic card? What is the old card doing or not doing that you thought it should or shouldnt? What card is your old one and what did you upgrade to? The question at the end to answer is YES, you also are taking a chance slight as it may be of surging a device when sticking it in a wall socket. Even static shocking the mem on the graphic card just handling it improperly. However thats never stopped me from installing anything in a pc but thats me.

 

[Strange Attractor]

What an odd answer. That's like answering the question "is it safe to walk outside your door" with "YES you are taking a small chance you might get mugged or get skin cancer but that's never stopped me before". So in other words the answer is no, I got it. For clarification I will be sticking it in a surge protector, I was just trying to emphasize that the new PS would be outside the computer and plugged into the Vid card. I think it's being held back because of overall poor 3d performance, that the card crashes/shuts down when I try to OC it even slightly and the PS is below the recommended wattage.

 

[Wolfshadw]

You say you want to plug the new power supply into the graphics card, but you imply you're not going to plug it into any other component. For those, you intend to leave the old power supply in place and plugged in. Am I correct?

If so, I would STRONGLY recommend than you disconnect your old power supply (leaving it installed) from all your components and the motherboard and connecting the new power supply (sitting outside the case) to all your components.

I don't think a power supply will function properly (if at all) if not connected to the motherboard.

-Wolf sends

 

[coret]

Unless you've modified your old power supply's leads, or gotten the appropriate connector, it's not going to work at all. For a power supply to actually turn on and supply power it needs the appropriate signal from the motherboard.

You *can* get a connector which will let you run two supplies at once, simply by forwarding this signal to the second PSU as well as the original ... but it would be easier and more cost effective to just disconnect old PSU from everything (leave it in the case if you want) and connect the new one to everything you need to do the test while it sits outside the case.

Anyway, if you're going to use the new PSU permanently in the system, you're going to have to take out the old and plug in the new anyway.

 

[Strange Attractor]

Got it, that was plan B.

Thank you

 

[Shadowen925]

You *can* get a connector which will let you run two supplies at once

You also can use a paper clip and connect the green wire to a black wire on your main power plug. I wouldn't recommend it though because If don't send power to both your video card and the system at the same time you could have problems. But it would be save to totally disconnect your "bad" PSU and then connect your new one on the outside of the case to test your problem. I think that is what you were talking about. That way you dont have to go through the trouble of removing the old one just to find out that's not your problem. As for Superfly's answer, I think he was just trying to warn you that when working with the insides of your computer there is always a small risk of damaging components. So just be careful and take your time.

 

[jsc]

I suspect my videocard is being held back by my PSU.

My question is: "Why do you suspect this?" What are your symptoms?

 

[jsc]

and system specs?