Help with Dimension 4700 6600GT smoking problem

[barrance]

Alright, here is the abbreviated story which starts 3 months ago...

After struggling with the x700 pro initially with my 4700, I switched to the BFG 6600GT PCI-e. That card worked fine with BFV but with Farcry, I would get crazy coloring artifacts. One night after playing for roughly an hour, the computer shuts down and would not start with the vid card plugged in. I was able to get the computer on by removing the card. I have a suspicion that I have already fried the card at this point.

After contacting tech support (both BFG and Dell), it was suggested that the power supply might be insufficient. I added 2 sticks of ram, a second DVD drive, and a few USB devices to the comp. So I go out and get an Antec 500w PSU and plug it in with out the video card to test it out and it works. I plug the video card in and all of a sudden, I hear this crazy buzzing sound and I see smoke coming out of the vid card!. So I return the card and BFG sends me a replacement.

I plug the new card in and lo and behold, it works! I was able to get everything running and even played the demo for BF2 for a few minutes. However, 10 minutes into the game, on high video settings, the computer shuts down again. This time, when I hit the power button, I hear the buzzing noise again, a big puff of smoke comes out of the computer, but the computer boots on. Of course, I can't see anything until I plug the monitor into the integrated graphics port.

So basically, I am running on the integrated video again, having already fried 2 BFG 6600GTs (thank goodness for lifetime warranties). While BFG has been good about the replacements, I doubt they will keep sending me new cards if I keep frying them. Does anybody have any idea what the problem could be? My last course of action is to buy a new case and motherboard.

The specs on the comp are P4 2.8gHz, 1GB DDR2, 80 GB SATA, integrated sound and video, Antec 500w PSU.

Thanks!

 

[ND40oz]

Did you use a dell adaptor for the power supply? I'm not sure about the 4700 but most dells have a propriatary connector for the power supply and you can't use a standard atx ps.

 

[barrance]

Actually, you are not the first one to mention this. I have not seen this proprietary Dell connector. It seems to use the same 24pin ATX 12V 2.0 as the Antec PSU that I bought. Maybe the pins are remapped on it.

In either case, it works currently, just doesn't like the BFG.

 

[ND40oz]

I think that may be your problem. I logged into dells parts page and attempted to check the specs for the power supply, unfortunately its not listed. So I called Dell Warranty parts and asked them about the 4700. They said it doesn't use a standard ATX power supply and that you must use a dell specific power supply.

 

[barrance]

Thanks for the help. I read a lot about people upgrading their PSUs on the Dell boards, but I don't recall reading about proprietary PSUs.

 

[mechBgon]

1) what struggles did you have with the X700 Pro?

2) On your BFG 6600GT, I notice they don't have one of these to provide extra power. That means it has to draw all its power from the motherboard. Check your motherboard for burns, chars, etc, and also check the power supply's connector pins for burning, browning or charring. Maybe the P4 combined with the 6600GT is just overloading the 12V lines on the PSU or the 12V distribution traces on the mobo.

 

[Topweasel]

Alot of their Power supplies have rewired connectors so even if they fit you might be suppling the wrong power to the wrong thing. Overloading lines would only get the card to eithr not work or throttle down with a warning (i have experienced this warning). If the Mobo survived using the wrong PSU consider your self lucky. Check with Dell to see if their is a PSU for that Chasis that will work for you.

 

[mechBgon]

PC Power & Cooling has a Dell PSU selector that makes sure you get the proprietary PSUs for those models that take proprietary. I thought Dim4700's took normally-wired ATX, though. Usually if you use an incompatible mixture, stuff dies on the spot.

 

[Topweasel]

It should in theory but anyones who has worked on computers knows wierder things have happened.

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: Weaselboy
It should in theory but anyones who has worked on computers knows wierder things have happened.

Hehe, you have what I call a "Reality+" certification, I see :thumbsup:

I looked at the PSU that PC Power & Cooling recommends, and tried to bring up a wiring-harness diagram on the spec page to compare it to a normal ATX PSU. Unlike some of their Dell-specific models, they avoid showing the pinout on this one, so I couldn't confirm/deny on that basis.

barrance, could you compare the Dell PSU's main plug to the Antec's main plug, and see if they use the same wire color-coding, pin by pin?