Custom built Desktop PC *Zap* Video Card & PSU
Custom built Desktop PC *Zap* Video Card & PSU
I have an older PC setup from around 2009. I don’t remember all the details anymore, and I’ve been searching for my paperwork but haven’t found everything. Based on what I recall about the build, here’s what I remember.
The CPU was an AMD Athlon II.
The CPU cooler was AMD, included with the CPU.
The motherboard was an ASUS M4A78.
The RAM was Crucial 4 GB (two 2 GB sticks totaling 4 GB).
The storage was a Western Digital 500GB SSD/HDD.
The GPU was a GTS Ge250 graphics card.
The power supply was a Sigma 700B, made in 2009.
The chassis model is unknown.
The operating system was Windows 8.1.
The monitor was a Viewsonic.
I also remember the PSU being from Sigma, but I don’t know its exact model or year. A few years ago, my graphics card failed (around 2015). I thought it just stopped working. Recently, I found a working ATI Radeon PCIe 2 graphics card and tried using it. When I powered on the PC, I heard a buzzing sound and smelled something burning. It turned out the card damaged my PSU as well.
The PCIe 2 slot in the motherboard caught my attention—I’m wondering what might have gone wrong with the system.
I checked the graphics board, but there were no signs of damage or burnt components. I haven’t removed the motherboard to inspect it further, but everything seems fine from what I see.
Could the PCIe 2 slot be the issue, possibly causing a short circuit? I’m stuck and would like to recover the data saved on my desktop to this HDD.
I own an older PC setup with an ASUS M4A78 motherboard, GTS Ge250 graphics card, AMD Athlon 2 CPU, and 4GB RAM. When sharing a troubleshooting thread, it's standard to provide full system specifications. Please list the details of your build as follows:
CPU:
CPU cooler:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
PSU:
Chassis:
OS:
Monitor:
Include the age of the PSU along with its make and model.
Is there a chance to identify the issue?
Consider obtaining a well-built PSU and attempting to boot the system, but avoid connecting anything if you notice burn marks on the motherboard.
If your HDD data is important, remove it from the system and hand it over to a local data recovery expert. Trying further could result in losing more than just the GPU.
Consider using an external docking station to link your HDD to another PC through USB. I wouldn't attempt modifications to the system itself.
Hi everyone, thanks for your message. I made the necessary changes to the post. Sorry for the delayed reply, but I rarely post. I've updated it according to your reference.
I was looking for a USB to SATA adapter for my HDD. Really appreciate the suggestion about the docking station. I didn't know about those options. I'll definitely look into them.
Do you have any idea how to figure out what went wrong with the system? I'm wondering if it might be the motherboard. I was just guessing that the graphics card failed, but turns out it wasn't. Thanks to a donor video card, though—it cost me another $145 for a PSU that I didn't really need since my existing one was working fine. Guess that's what comes with playing games?