Partially damaged GPU
Partially damaged GPU
Hi. I hope everyone is enjoying themselves. I own an RX580 that was connected to a weak power supply. After some time, I switched it to a different PSU to get more power. Then I noticed low-frequency issues around 700 to 900 MHz. After a few seconds, the fans sped up and the screen went black. Once I restarted my computer, everything worked again. Normally, tasks and light games run fine. I didn’t see any smoke or unusual noises. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Did you swap out your PSU or just add another one alongside the existing one? Also, a single RX-180 uses relatively little power. You were using a 350W unit in the past.
I installed another unit alongside the first. One PSU for the motherboard, drives, and CPU; the other for the GPU 8-pin. Around 140 watts. The initial PSU was 330W, but under load the fans slowed down since there wasn’t enough power for both components. The second PSU is an older 280W unit. I’m checking if it powers the GPU directly, because the second PSU connected to the GPU was active after the PC shut down.
Depending on how you plugged that second PSU, you may have fried something. When you use two PSUs in tandem, you need to make sure the grounds are connected together (the black wires on the 24 pins connector). If the grounds are not connected together, the voltage of the molex connectors may be "floating" and you may have more or less than the +12V and +5V that you were expecting. There are y-adapters for power PSUs that allow you to connect the grounds and the power up wire together and safely use two power supplies in the same computer. But given that your system doesn't require anything fancy, I suggest you buy a 500W power supply. You can find many at low cost (new) and you can always purchase one for dirt cheap at any electronics recycler. Good luck !
Thanks, I'm ready to receive one. Should I swap the GPU later, or is it fixable?
This kind of fix could be tough and might not be worth it for an old GPU. However, your GPU isn't always broken. The floating voltage could be higher or lower than expected. If it was lower, it seems like the GPU just stopped working and will return to normal if connected properly. Try taking out the second power supply and see if the GPU functions again.