Graphics Card ground situation

[tsuuki]

Greetings, So I already know my graphics card is fried. After having some freezing issues I vacuumed out the dust I reattached the GPU and went about my business. Today my graphics froze twice. After the second time I opened the case and found that I had switched one of the power connections (I think) causing the power current to cause the fan to pull the air into the card. I accidentally put the ground in the right pin and the other on in the left and turned on my computer. So needless to say the power cord to the GPU caught fire and (I am assuming but we all know how that apparently goes) completely fried the card. If it's just the card I can deal with that and reluctantly fork the money for a new graphics. My question to the wise tom's hardware community is this: Could that have fried my motherboard? Will I (if I get a new graphics card and learn how to properly install it) not have to buy a new motherboard?

 

[rolli59]

Usually computer plugs only fit one way to prevent things like this happening. So was it a power cord from the PSU that caught fire? Makes the PSU a suspect for damage or was it the fan power card on the card?
The only way to find out if anything else got damaged is to try!

 

[tsuuki]

Usually computer plugs only fit one way to prevent things like this happening. So was it a power cord from the PSU that caught fire? Makes the PSU a suspect for damage or was it the fan power card on the card?
The only way to find out if anything else got damaged is to try!

It was the power wire that goes from the mobo to the Graphics Card that caught fire. This wire was separated into the "GND" and a second one. That's what ultimately caused me to confuse myself. I'm going to get another graphics card today from Best Buy because I'm leaving town for an extended period of time and won't be able to wait on a delivery.

Thanks for the response!

 

[rolli59]

There should be no power wire from the motherboard to the GPU! The GPU either gets all its power through the slot or it gets it directly from the PSU! http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/274745-31-step-step-guide-building

 

[tsuuki]

Yeah, you're right. Sorry for my incompetence. It's that wire that goes from the motherboard to the graphics card. It's early and I still need my coffee. Either way, that's the cord that caught on fire. It's the wire that just connects to the motherboard.

 

[tsuuki]

So for an update, I just tested it with the (I think I'm using the right term) Motherboards integrated video output and it works fine. So it looks like I just fried my graphics card which is a much less stressful situation.

 

[rolli59]

The wire you where referring to was it the spdif for the sound connection?

 

[tsuuki]

Man, I don't know. That could be it.

 

[rolli59]

Well if you are still getting sound through your speakers/headphones you probably only lost a GPU.

 

[benski]

Is this some really old PCI card or something where the GPU fan plugs into one of the system fan connectors on the motherboard? I don't know of any modern GPU's that have a power connector from the motherboard to the graphics card. Do you know the model of your graphics card and motherboard?

 

[tsuuki]

I was mistaken on the use of the wire. The power cord is of course where it should be. It was an nvidia gtx 250. I haven't tested the sound on the desktop yet as I just moved today but I will check and get back to you guys.