Can you power GPU up without mobo for testing?

[iiNNeX]

Hey guys,

 

I was given a GTX 690 which is supposedly "dead". The card looks in pristine condition, not a spec of dust on it and from what I've been told it lived in an expensive rendering machine that was never really used much.

 

So anyway back to my point, I am trying to see if there is a way to power the card with my PSU and see if it even turns on without connecting it to a motherboard? My 400W Seasonic Platinum PSU would not boot it when it was on an old AM3+ motherboard, but I believe that is because the card requires more power?

 

Alternatively, if it is problematic can it in some way damage a good working motherboard if installed?

 

Thanks!

[BryceJonathan]

No you cannot as far as I know

[FloRolf]

Nope. Just stick it in your main rig to test it? Apparently it has a 850w psu. 

[Guest]

It will also get up to 75 watts of power from the PCI-e slot. (and I would asume it would need some feedback to boot up propperly) So no: it won't work/boot. Doesn't geth anything to display anyways.

[iiNNeX]

Just now, Dutch-stoner said:

It will also get up to 75 watts of power from the PCI-e slot. (and I would asume it would need some feedback to boot up propperly) So no: it won't work/boot. Doesn't geth anything to display anyways.

Yeah that's true, but on the AM3 board the machine would not boot at all, like not even fans turn on. So I think that meant lack of power perhaps? I ll slap it on the X370 Prime later today and see if that gets to boot it as that machine has a 850W psu so should be plenty.

[Guest]

Not sure what a 690 needs to post, but 400 watts does sound limiting. You can always try. At this moment, it's a paper weight. (and I wonder if it should remain a paper weight, since it's an old power hungry card. Think of your electric bill vs a newer GPU with same performance or better. Free isn't always free)

[Unoffical-ChrisK]

Idle, it will only draw about 110W.  So you have more then enough power to boot with that Seasonic. Plugged in both 6(+2) connectors?

 

[Bananasplit_00]

Probably dead, should have POSTed in that AM3 system but check in your other system as well because if it works it's not a bad card

[Guest]

I agree with you here @Unoffical-ChrisK , but I remember having lurked some vids on YT where cards wouldn't post with a too weak PSU. (and I also seem to remember that a system will do a power spike in the first second/few seconds after trying to boot up.

 

(didn't people break there hardware when they would add lots of voltages to their CPU OC, crash and reboot with a massive added power skipe, breaking stuff?)

[iiNNeX]

22 minutes ago, Dutch-stoner said:

Not sure what a 690 needs to post, but 400 watts does sound limiting. You can always try. At this moment, it's a paper weight. (and I wonder if it should remain a paper weight, since it's an old power hungry card. Think of your electric bill vs a newer GPU with same performance or better. Free isn't always free)

 

Should at least POST I thought though, unless there is a power spike in the first few seconds which the system cannot take along with it's other components (a few HDDs, 6 fans, FX6300 @ 4.7ghz ect..). 

 

And yea I know it's power hungry, I just wanted to see if I am going to be keeping it as a pretty looking piece on the wall or if it works I can sell it as they go for decent money

 

19 minutes ago, Unoffical-ChrisK said:

Idle, it will only draw about 110W.  So you have more then enough power to boot with that Seasonic. Plugged in both 6(+2) connectors?

 

Yeah It should indeed post according to this, all I can think of is a power spike in the beginning preventing this.

 

I ll try in the Prime tonight and see.

[Guest]

The FX 6300 should be running on 3,5 ghz stock, with a turbo to 4.1 ghz, right? So having it run on 4,7 ghz is a nice little OC. But this most likely adds to the power spike/power draw. Especialy at boot-up. While the GPU would also like it's power... Maybe put the CPU back at stock speeds, and check if the GPU is dead? If it won't output, try a bigger PSU if you have one. If it still won't output, it's probably dead. (like the person who gave it to you said anyways)

[Unoffical-ChrisK]

6 minutes ago, iiNNeX said:

And yea I know it's power hungry, I just wanted to see if I am going to be keeping it as a pretty looking piece on the wall or if it works I can sell it as they go for decent money

Honestly, considering it consumes less then 2 680's its not THAT horrible and idle isn't terribad. Back in the day, these were the best mining cards when the craze hit. But nowadays, that's considered poor TDP.

[Unoffical-ChrisK]

3 minutes ago, Dutch-stoner said:

he FX 6300 should be running on 3,5 ghz stock, with a turbo to 4.1 ghz, right?

That's absolutely correct.

 

So your stock is now 4.7? Adding 30% or so extra will definitely draw more out of the PSU. Since it's only 95 watts stock, I would try and set it back to normal and see if that works. GPU (idle 110w)+CPU (stock 95w)+ hard drives/DVD etc = way less then 400 and should post/boot.

 

And yeah Dutch I've personally come across that before where the PSU is too weak to boot, but that was usually with no name brands that didn't actually have their stated specs and/or under volted.

[iiNNeX]

12 minutes ago, Unoffical-ChrisK said:

That's absolutely correct.

 

So your stock is now 4.7? Adding 30% or so extra will definitely draw more out of the PSU. Since it's only 95 watts stock, I would try and set it back to normal and see if that works. GPU (idle 110w)+CPU (stock 95w)+ hard drives/DVD etc = way less then 400 and should post/boot.

 

And yeah Dutch I've personally come across that before where the PSU is too weak to boot, but that was usually with no name brands that didn't actually have their stated specs and/or under volted.

Well that system is gone now anyway, it was replaced by the Ryzen system in my signature, so now that I have double the wattage I will try it out after work tonight. The FX6300 did me well though, that overclock was on it for 3 years straight!