SOS: PSU fried, seems x1900 xt is the reason. It won't post now with a new PSU

[Roy2001]

9/24 Update: I almost went ahead to fry's yesterday which is 30 miles away from my house. I decided to give a last try, guess what? It beeped! Although I have no idea why...

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[EDIT] I have posted it at CPU forum: moved to here BTW, I removed every part except CPU, CPU fan spins but still no beep.

I was buidling a new system, DS3 + E6400 + 1900xt. PSU is an old Antec TP 430W. All run at stock speed.

It works fine until this morning, it won't post and 1900xt's fan will spin at max speed, no beep. So tonight I reconnected 6pin connector for video card. Then I press the power button and I heard the beep, fan spin at max and slow down. That sounds normal. Then a few seconds later suddenly I heard noise and saw lightning from PSU. I turned of power immediately and smoke came from PSU.

The TP430W is the 1st generation, rated 20A@12V, and I bought it at least 3 years ago.

Then I install a new 500W power supply, 18A+16A@12V. Now it is just like this morning, no beep, video card fan spin at max, it won't post on screen. Please advise!

 

[hardwareking]

ur PSU was too weak.The x1900 xt is a power hog and sucks up a lot of power.
So is ur comp turning on with the new PSU?
I didn't understand ur last sentence.(i.e before "Please help")

 

[Roy2001]

Originally posted by: hardwareking
ur PSU was too weak.The x1900 xt is a power hog and sucks up a lot of power.
So is ur comp turning on with the new PSU?
I didn't understand ur last sentence.(i.e before "Please help")

I thought TP430 would be enough if I don't OC. Well it is not.

I meant I put an new PSU, now all fans would turn on, but no beep and it won't turn on.

Sorry I mean "please advise".

 

[fierydemise]

My guess is when your PSU went it took your X1900 with it

 

[Roy2001]

Originally posted by: fierydemise
My guess is when your PSU went it took your X1900 with it

Video card performs just like this morning, fan spins at max.

 

[ronnn]

Seems like cpu or and motherboard to me. No beep with spin up. Nice short in the mb could take out the ps...... maybe.

 

[Ulfhednar]

Originally posted by: Roy2001
The TP430W ... rated 20A@12V

Kaboom! It's blown up and taken the graphics card with it (the fan would still spin etc. but the core and memory have just jumped off a cliff.) Either that or it has fried your motherboard, CPU, or all of the above.

P.S. Just to let you know, the X1900 had nothing to do with this. You should have known better than to try powering a system like that with a 3 year old PSU with woefully inadequate amperage. It probably has (rather, had) zero overvoltage/undercurrent protection.

 

[Roy2001]

Originally posted by: ronnn
Seems like cpu or and motherboard to me. No beep with spin up. Nice short in the mb could take out the ps...... maybe.

Yeah, I took off everything except CPU. No beep.

 

[ronnn]

The 2 cpu's I fried did exactly that. The second time I changed both cpu and mb, as I wasn't sure what went. No vid card usually gives you beeps as the bios kicks in. And my monitor than flashes no signal. Anyways I would try the vid card in another computer.

edit: by exactly that - I mean no beep with fans spinning up. Never had it almost work than blow up before!! Must have been exciting in a money spending way.

 

[Ulfhednar]

Originally posted by: ronnn
The 2 cpu's I fried did exactly that. The second time I changed both cpu and mb, as I wasn't sure what went. No vid card usually gives you beeps as the bios kicks in. And my monitor than flashes no signal. Anyways I would try the vid card in another computer.

There you have it, it sounds like the PSU went berserk and took the CPU with it.

 

[TroubleM]

Yeah, most probably your cpu is fried along with your PSU. The fans on the psu, motherboard, graphic cards run even without a working cpu. You still might have a running graphics card, hopefully. I'll still try to reset the Bios, first.

 

[Sable]

Originally posted by: Roy2001

Originally posted by: fierydemise
My guess is when your PSU went it took your X1900 with it

Video card performs just like this morning, fan spins at max.

Just because the fan is spinning doesn't mean the graphics card is actually working.

 

[Roy2001]

Update: I almost went ahead to fry's yesterday which is 30 miles away from my house. I decided to give a last try, guess what? It beeped! Although I have no idea why...

 

[NoStateofMind]

This is not directed at not only the OP but others who have high powered systems with underpowered PSU's:


When will you learn? How much money do you have to lose? Why torture your system in such a way?

Many, like myself formerly, chose them because of money. It's just simply cheaper to buy. But in the long run, it costs more in the end. I speak from experience, with buying a cheap PSU (and underpowered) and having a system bite the dust. I hope no one ever has this problem, but it will happen and theres no better lesson than figuring it out on your own. First hand I heard/watched my system fry. Believe me, if you experience something like this (and have half a brain), you will do whatever it takes to avoid such a catastrophe happening again.

Sure his system ran fine, but I'm also sure there were no warning signs to the impending doom of it. For your sake and peace of mind, invest more heavily in your PSU's, it's the backbone of computing happiness.

In the end it is still up to the user. Proceed at your own risk! Good luck with whatever you choose.