Question Installed a new video card, after 2 weeks, computer powers up but now screens remain blank?

RenaissanceBrah

Junior Member
Jul 31, 2020
1
0
6
My parts list:

Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R

i7-950

Gigabyte HD 6870 (old video card)

AMD Windforce GV-R939 G1 8GD (new video card)

Power Supply: Corsair TX 850 (850 Watts)



My Problem:

(Noob question / semi-tech illiterate): I recently installed a AMD 8GB graphics card my friend gave me, it worked like a champ for 2 weeks (until I installed DCS World and started messing with the display settings).

Computer started acting wonky and now it refuses to turn on... (Note: before it died, a fan (or fans?) at startup would spool up and make a ton of noise, sounding like they're going on overdrive... not sure if it was the CPU or the new video card... but happened for like a week or two before it died sometimes)

Any idea what it can be?

I think it's related to the graphics card... but when I turn on the computer, nothing happens... it powers on and hums and all that, but the computer screens just stay blank.

My computer:

(was built in 2011, top of the line parts at the time, but really it still ran like a champ, would be a shame to have to drop $1k+ on a new top-of-the-line setup)

List anything you've done in attempt to diagnose or fix the problem.

So far I've:

  • Tried my other monitor, also tried using the HDMI cable instead of the other port

  • Swapping cable monitors to make sure cables weren't shot

  • Turning computer on and off multiple times

  • No onboard graphics card slots (so I can't try the onboard CPU graphics card)... and I can't find my old Gigabyte video card (fail)... so I can't plug in the old one to see if it works.


Pics of computer innards and components:

https://imgur.com/Fgynk2D



Additional Details:

  • All the lights inside the computer turn on, and the fans spin... maybe it's the power supply? The AMD graphics card requires 600W, and the TX850 is 850W... not sure if that would be the issue. It did run fine for a while before the computer died.
 

MrK6

Diamond Member
Aug 9, 2004
4,458
4
81
Do you get any error beeps or codes coming out of the BIOS? Have you tried cold booting (power off power supply with a switch and unplug it, wait a minute, then plug everything back in and start the computer). That probably happened when you switched motherboards anyway but just suggesting. From what you said so far it very well could be the graphics card given the "wonky" behavior you described in the weeks before this happened, but I'm just thinking of some other troubleshooting steps.
 

FaaR

Golden Member
Dec 28, 2007
1,056
412
136
There's some LEDs glowing next to the DIMM slots which look to be of the diagnostic variety rather than purely decoration which is so common these days.

Look up in the manual to see what those LEDs mean. Could be it's completely benign, or maybe not. Maybe your computer is trying to tell you something! :)
 
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VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,226
9,990
126
I would:

1) Try another graphics card, possibly one that takes less power, and
2) consider re-seating the DRAM, possibly cleaning out the contacts with a can'o'air, or some "DeOxIt" / contact-cleaner.

Def. look up those LEDs. If they are DIAG LEDs, then see if the issue is VGA or DRAM (or CPU).
 
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Spjut

Senior member
Apr 9, 2011
928
149
106
You could try if it's power related by not plugging in the extra power cables to the graphics card, then it will at least start but will stop and show a message requiring you to plug the cables
 

loki1944

Member
Apr 23, 2020
99
35
51
Could try a different video cable/monitor. Usually if ram related on bloomfield you will get some beeps. Could also try clearing CMOS; pull the battery and put it back in after 10 min.
 

Guru

Senior member
May 5, 2017
830
361
106
Reseat the GPU again, clear the CMOS, unplug and plug the psu and try again. If nothing still happens, your GPU probably died. Its a R390, so an older card and its probably been uses quite a bit as well, so it failed on you unfortunately.

Good thing is that even a cheap GPU can easily outperform that GPU these days, so getting a RX 570 might be a solid option, they go for around $130. Alternatively you can buy some cheaper gpu on ebay for $50 and wait until next year when all the next gen cards will be widely available from both Nvidia and AMD and you can purchase a value card.
 

viivo

Diamond Member
May 4, 2002
3,344
32
91
The 390X runs molten hot. The sound you heard may have been one (unlikely to be both) of the HSF's fans dying. Have you looked at it while running to see if both are spinning?
 

EXCellR8

Diamond Member
Sep 1, 2010
3,979
839
136
i7-950... props good sir.

going to mirror what others have suggested: try another cable, and then another card. if no dice, move on...
 

Magearcanus

Junior Member
Dec 19, 2012
1
1
81
When I upgraded an old Gulftown system running on a P6X58D Asus board with a new AMD RX5700, I ran into a problem where the system would post and then go to a black screen. The solution I had to do was turn on the Express Gate feature. My understanding is that the UEFI bios on AMD does not always play nice with legacy bios systems.
 
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Ranulf

Platinum Member
Jul 18, 2001
2,331
1,139
136
It could be the UEFI vid card issue. Older legacy bios vs uefi vid cards have caused issues across a lot of boards from 2010-2014 or so, especially Gigabyte boards of that era. My AM3+ mobo from 2011 has been cranky with R9 290, RX480 cards and its stable with a lower power using rx 570.

You might check as see if the video card has a switch on it for legacy/uefi bios.