Troubleshooting a Dead GPU: Insights and Experiences

Recently, I faced a frustrating issue with my gaming PC that abruptly shut down in the middle of an intense raid in World of Warcraft Classic. As it turned out, my system went silent and refused to power back on, prompting a thorough investigation into what could have gone wrong.

System Specifications

For the tech-savvy among you, here are my system specs:

• CPU: Ryzen 7 3700X (recently upgraded, used)
• GPU: RTX 2070 (Inno3D TwinX2, 1.5 years old)
• Motherboard: MSI B450 Pro Max (2 years old)
• RAM: 32GB DDR4
• Old PSU: 600W
• New PSU: 750W

The Power Down

During a boss fight with a large group of players, my screen suddenly went black. At first, I suspected the power supply unit (PSU) since it had been over six years old. After verifying that the wall socket was functional by testing it with other devices, I decided to replace the old PSU with a new 750W unit for peace of mind.

Upon connecting the new PSU, I powered it on without the GPU attached. The fans whirred to life, which was a promising sign. But when I reconnected everything, the PC remained unresponsive—no lights, sounds, or any signs of life.

Testing and Diagnosis

Curious if the GPU was the culprit, I disconnected it and powered on the system again, which prompted the fans to start up once more. I even tried using an old GT 9800 GPU laying around, which got the system running again. However, this discovery raised questions about the health of my RTX 2070.

Could it be that the GPU had failed so catastrophically that it was preventing the entire system from receiving power? To confirm my suspicions, I tested the RTX 2070 in my neighbor’s similarly spec’d PC, and it produced the same result: complete inactivity. This solidified my belief that the GPU was the issue, although I still held a glimmer of hope that perhaps the motherboard was at fault—testing that could prove tricky.

Seeking Further Assistance

At this point, I’m reaching out for advice and suggestions. Is there a systematic approach to further testing, or specific tools that could give me insights into the situation