PCI-express power problem

Rahiyja

Baseband Member
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36
Greeting I have been trying to troubleshoot a discoloration on the screen with my new-built computer. The whole screen is tinged with red, and at first I got the message that the GPU doesn't have enough power.
I had connected the PSU to a slot on the motherboard that gives the PCI-express slots more power.

Then I later realized that aside from connecting the PSU to a PCI-express power slot on the mobo, I was supposed to connect the PSU directly to the GPU. Something I had failed to see before.

The GPU power connector has a 6-pin male connector, and the PSU a 6-pin female for PCI-express. But it doesn't fit very well onto the GPU, I had a great deal of trouble connecting the two.
And then later I found that included with the GPU was a cable with two 3-pin male molex connectors (but with the size of four, just that the left pin is missing on each), and on the other end one 6-pin female (though it is missing one of the metal connectors in the lower middle female.) Anyway, this 6-pin female fits perfectly into the GPU power slot, and then I connect the other two ends to two 12 v 4-pin molex connectors from the PSU.

When I start the computer now, the screen is still tinged with red, but I don't get the message that the GPU has insufficient power anymore.
I have drawn the conclusion that the GPU has been adjusted to the low-performance mode, so that ut doesn't understand that it has got sufficient power supplied to it now. I guess this can be solved by somehow resetting the GPU? What do you guys think? Maybe the card recognizes that it is connected to the PSU, but that the cables/connections are wrong, so that it doesn't get the power it needs, even if there is no dialogue box about it when I start my computer, so that the screen is still tinged with red.

I have uninstalled the GPU, shut down the computer, reset CMOS and removed the card, and then installed everything again, but I still get the red color.

Any suggestions?

Also, aside from the direct 2x12v connection to the GPU there is also a slot on the mobo that is 12 v for PCI-express slots. The manual says that it is optional but recommended to supply power to that too. Do I really need to connect all these four 12 v molex connectors to my motherboard? It seems a bit overkill

Whew, tough nut to crack, hope you guys can help me out!
 
I dont have too much time to read throughly through it right now, but what I can gather...sounds like you need a new PSU. What are your specs and what PSU do you have at the moment?
 
My PSU is a 450 w, and the system is running fine overall, except for the PCI-express GPU. So I don't think it's the PSU that's doing this...

My specs are:
ABIT KN8-Ultra motherboard.
MSI Geforce 6800 GS GPU.
AMD Athlon 64 3500+ processor.
 
Like I said in the last thread, try the card out if you can on someone elses computer that has a PCI-E slot.

If it works on theres, it could be your motherboard.

If it doesn't work mind you, you know its the card, and that needs replacing.

I hope this helps.
 
It's just that the scenario is different now, when I actually have sufficient power to the GPU the screen is still red.
Anyway, I will do as you say, but first I'll try to contact MSI and troubleshoot it with their help.

Thanks.
 
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