Not Enough Power to Video Card 6600GT

[Huskiez]

Hi,

I just finished building my first ever computer, thanks to these forums.

Everything has been running smoothly (including my dual monitors ) except for this one error at startup.

Power Indicator

The NVIDIA System Sentinel is reporting that the NVIDIA-powered graphics card is not receiving sufficient power.

To protect your hardware from potential damage or causing a potential system lockup, the graphics processor has lowered its performance to a level that allows continued safe operations.

To remedy this problem, ensure that your NVIDIA graphics card in your system has the supplemental power connector. This connection is required and your system may be damaged if it is not in place. ... etc.

I downloaded the most recent drivers and still got this error message.

I was looking at previous posts about people having this error, and found this link in AnandTech.

LTC8K6 mentions "I see a power connector on the card in the pic you linked to. It's the same 4-pin molex connector that powers your IDE hard drive, CD-Rom, etc. Just get a splitter if you don't have a connector free."

I am trying to find this supplemental power connector on my 6600 GT and can't find it. Can someone please help point it out to me, and reference the thumbnail they're using?

Also, what cable do I use to plug into it? One from the motherboard, or one from the power supply?

Just to let you know, I inspected the computer yesterday after receiving this message. The only thing I have done with the video card is push it into the AGP slot. No connections to the actual video card have been made, (other than putting it in the AGP slot) so I'm probably rightfully receiving this error.

Thanks.

Bobby

 

[ohnnyj]

I thought that only the 6800 series needed the auxillary connector. But looking at the pics of your card it looks like there may be a 4-pin molex connector on the back (the white plastic thing toward the backend of the card). If this has four pins in it then you will need to connect one of the power connectors coming out of your PSU to it, these are called molex power connectors and they are the same ones that you use to connect your hard drive.

BTW: What PSU do you own?

 

[leepark]

I have the same video card and as far as I know there is NO power connector on the card. Just make sure you connect the 4 power connectors on the mobo to the PSU.

Edit - Sorry, just realized that your card was AGP.

 

[PrayForDeath]

The AGP version of the 6600 GT requires the 4-pin molex connector to be plugged in because the AGP slot doesn't deliver enough power for the card. So all you have to so is find a vacant molex connector from the PSU (it's the same one that plugs into the Hard drive and optical drive) and simpley connect it to the end of the card where there's a white rectangular slot (at the bottom of the 2nd thumbnail, it has a black line) and you're cool.

 

[modedepe]

Circled for you

Just use a molex connector, like the one coming from your PSU plugged into your hard drive.

 

[AxeMurderer]

For the 6600gt agp, you need to hook up the molex connector to it.

 

[Huskiez]

Thanks a lot guys. I'm going to open up the computer now and give it power.

 

[Huskiez]

Supplied the card power, and no more error message. It was on the side so I didn't really see it the first time around.

Thanks again.

 

[PetunZ]

Fixed

 

[fliguy84]

just another happy ending =)
never fails to bring some smile to my face

 

[daveybrat]

 

[dedejean]

help, i have the same problem, but this time, i already plugged the 4-pin power connector. but the msg keep recurring, and my vc performance is dropping to a serious performance hit.

 

[dedejean]

any help? sori to double post... but i cant eat, i cant breathe, i cant sleep thinking about my new system not running well!!! HELP!!

 

[biostud]

Originally posted by: dedejean
any help? sori to double post... but i cant eat, i cant breathe, i cant sleep thinking about my new system not running well!!! HELP!!

system specs + PSU specs

 

[dedejean]

After running a few applications, including 3dmark05, HF2... nvidia automatically underclocks my gpu.

the warning windows says, "Nvidia sentinel detects that your video card is not receiving sufficient power supply. To be safe and to avoid hardware damage, it has downgraded your video cards performance to a safe level."

i check to power cable, it is plugged (4pin, same with HD/DVD). i tried other plugs, to no avail. What seems to be the problem? i cant figure it out, ano guesses?

Athlon 64 3000+ @stock
MSI K8N Neo2 platinum
1gb DDR400 generic mem
Task 460W power supply
Inno3d geforce6600GT AGP @stock 77.72 (official drivers)
120gb seagate
LG 16x/52x dvd/cd
4auxillary casing fans
Winxp pro sp1

 

[Emultra]

It may be a hassle, but have you tried another PSU?

 

[dedejean]

no havent tried other PSUs yet.. but i ve searched a lot of the same issues in the internet and apparently, changing PSUs dont work for them. i dont have a spare PSU. any other options?