*sigh* Prebuilt & GPU issues

[Fate]

So the 750ti came in for my friend and whenever he installs it, half of the time it sits at the bios splash screen for a few minutes and then goes to a blank screen. The other half it does six long beeps which seems to either be the GPU isn't seated correctly (he reseated it three times) or because secure boot is enabled and I should disable it. However, with the current BIOS (systems that shipped pre-Windows 8) on the Holly2 motherboard, there is no option for that. The only options I can think of is 1. Return it or 2. G3258 + H81 motherboard since he really doesn't want to spend much more on this and a G3258 should be fine for a 750ti. 

Does anybody have any other suggestions before we do one of the previously listed options? (he doesn't have another GPU laying around to test with)

 

His PC is a HP p6-2143w; a6-3650, 8GB ram, AAHD2-HY (Holly2) motherboard.

[Tedster]

I think it's the PSU. HP likes doing just barely enough on the PSU.

[Fate]

I think it's the PSU. HP likes doing just barely enough on the PSU.

I can't remember exactly, but I think it had ~300W on the 12v rails and his 750ti doesn't have a six pin connector which means it can only pull <=75 watts, so I doubt it. 

[zlolslavez]

No, I think its the PSU, 300w couldn't power a 750TI despite it not needing a 6pin. (In my case anyway)

[Imakuni]

No, I think its the PSU, 300w couldn't power a 750TI despite it not needing a 6pin. (In my case anyway)

A 300w PSU can power an OCed 5930k with an OCed Gtx 980 (info by Linus). I'm pretty confident that it can host a 750ti + whatever CPU he's using.

 

I think your card might be faulty. Try booting the PC without the card. Also, try using the card on another PC. Come back with the results.

[Tedster]

A 300w PSU can power an OCed 5930k with an OCed Gtx 980 (info by Linus). I'm pretty confident that it can host a 750ti + whatever CPU he's using.

 

I think your card might be faulty. Try booting the PC without the card. Also, try using the card on another PC. Come back with the results.

Yes, it can power them at idle.

 

But when it's HP, it probably realistically can't do over 200w.

[Imakuni]

Yes, it can power them at idle.

 

But when it's HP, it probably realistically can't do over 200w.

Nope, at load.

 

I mean, ofc I wouldn't trust that PSU. But as far as raw wattage goes, it would suffice (assuming it had good quality).

[zlolslavez]

A 300w PSU can power an OCed 5930k with an OCed Gtx 980 (info by Linus). I'm pretty confident that it can host a 750ti + whatever CPU he's using.

 

I think your card might be faulty. Try booting the PC without the card. Also, try using the card on another PC. Come back with the results.

Maybe a good one, not the one HP sells their computers with.

[Badger906]

snip. been proved wrong.

[incarnate]

what you need to remember when it comes to power supplies. a 300w PSU isn't actually a 300w at all. they all have efficiency ratings. so an 80% efficient 300w psu in theory will only be 80% of 300w so 270w. Thats not to say in some cheaper brands they're over wanted to compensate in the first place buuuuuut cheap is cheap, and cheap is crap. the 750ti should only draw a max of 65w from the pci lane.

 

the way to test this is just stick the 750 in another computer, if it boots.. you'll know its not the card. 

 

 

that's not how psu efficiency works. the efficiency of a psu is measured by how much power it draws from the wall at a given load, but i digress.

 

on topic

 

it could very well be the psu. a prebuilt pc isn't going to be concerned with upgrade headroom. they are concerned with profit which means cheaping out in areas that they can. this almost always means motherboard and psu. that 300w power supply might be its peak rating or worse, adding up the peak ratings of all the rails, its continuous rating could be much lower (as is the case with a lot of cheap power supplies). one would think the psu could handle a 750ti but since this is a retail pc you can't trust the power supply.

 

you could try swapping out the power supply if you have access to another (say in your rig if you have one or another friend's) or you could try the card in another computer to see if it is defective (it is possible it is the card).

[Imakuni]

what you need to remember when it comes to power supplies. a 300w PSU isn't actually a 300w at all. they all have efficiency ratings. so an 80% efficient 300w psu in theory will only be 80% of 300w so 270w. Thats not to say in some cheaper brands they're over wanted to compensate in the first place buuuuuut cheap is cheap, and cheap is crap. the 750ti should only draw a max of 65w from the pci lane.

 

the way to test this is just stick the 750 in another computer, if it boots.. you'll know its not the card. 

Completely wrong.

 

A 300w PSU will always be able to deliver 300w to the system (assuming it has good quality). The efficiency goes after that: a 300w with 90% eff (80+ gold) will draw 333w from the wall, while delivering 300w to the system.

[CM7]

Does the computer shut down immediately when you press the power button or do you have to hold it down? I suggest he should get a better power supply then the stock one. Just for piece of mind for it not blowing up.

[Fate]

Does the computer shut down immediately when you press the power button or do you have to hold it down? I suggest he should get a better power supply then the stock one. Just for piece of mind for it not blowing up.

Just a black screen with no shut down, and the other half it was sitting at the BIOS splash screen. I think he went ahead and returned the GPU since he didn't want to spend any more money and won't have much time to play games anyways (tennis just started). 

[CM7]

Just a black screen with no shut down, and the other half it was sitting at the BIOS splash screen. I think he went ahead and returned the GPU since he didn't want to spend any more money and won't have much time to play games anyways (tennis just started).

Well that sucks, when I upgraded my HP Pavilion p6204y it took 20mins for my mobo to initialize my graphics card. That could of been the case if you needed to hold the power button down for 7 seconds to turn off the computer.