My computer suddenly shut down during gameplay and won’t restart. Initially, I suspected the power supply, but now I’m leaning towards the GPU. Looking for guidance on troubleshooting.

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Troubleshooting a Dead GPU: My Gaming Rig’s Sudden Meltdown

I recently encountered a frustrating situation while gaming on my PC that has left me seeking advice from fellow tech enthusiasts. In the midst of an intense raid in World of Warcraft Classic, my computer suddenly shut down without warning. Now, I’m grappling with a non-responsive system and need help diagnosing what might be the cause.

System Specifications

To provide some context, here are my current specs:
– CPU: Ryzen 7 3700X (recently upgraded, second-hand)
– GPU: RTX 2070 (Inno3D TwinX2, approximately 1.5 years old)
– Motherboard: MSI B450 Pro Max (2 years old)
– RAM: 32GB DDR4

I recently replaced my power supply unit (PSU) with a new 750W model, moving from an older 600W PSU that had been in use for over 6 years.

The Incident

During a challenging 40-man boss fight, my screen went black and I was completely unable to restart my system. Initially, I suspected the PSU. I checked the wall socket and confirmed that other devices continued to work, which ruled out a power issue on that end. After trying a different power cable for the PSU and determining it was indeed the culprit due to its age, I decided to upgrade to a new one.

After installing the new PSU, I first connected just the CPU and motherboard to see if the system would respond—much to my relief, the fans began spinning! However, once I reconnected everything and attempted to boot the PC again, there was still no response. I disconnected the GPU, returned to the minimal setup, and once again, the fans powered on, indicating some hope.

Diagnosing the Issue

I then placed an old GPU, the GT 9800, into my system, and to my surprise, the PC successfully booted up. This leads me to strongly suspect the RTX 2070 is the source of the problem. It’s puzzling that it malfunctioned so drastically, going from perfectly operational to seemingly blocking power to the entire system upon connection. While a motherboard issue crosses my mind, testing that could prove challenging.

Seeking Suggestions

I would greatly appreciate any suggestions for further debugging. In addition to this, I was using MSI Afterburner (not for overclocking, but

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One Comment

  1. Hi there,

    Thank you for sharing detailed information about your setup and the troubleshooting steps you’ve already taken. It sounds like you’ve done a thorough job narrowing down potential causes.

    Given that your system boots successfully with an older GPU but not with the RTX 2070, the issue may be related to the GPU itself, perhaps a hardware failure or power delivery problem. Here are some additional steps you can try:

    • Visual Inspection: Carefully examine your RTX 2070 for any visible signs of damage, such as burnt components, bulging capacitors, or accumulated dust and debris.
    • Reseat the GPU: Remove the RTX 2070 from its PCIe slot, clean the contacts carefully, and then re-seat it securely.
    • Test in Another System: If possible, install the GPU in a different compatible system to see if it causes similar issues or can successfully display output.
    • Check Power Connections: Ensure that all power cables (especially the supplementary PCIe power connectors) are correctly connected, secure, and functioning properly.
    • Monitor Power Supply Voltage: Use a multimeter or PSU tester to verify if the PSU is providing stable power output to the GPU.
    • Driver and Firmware: When testing the GPU, try booting with minimal
    Reply

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