PC problems: GPU not working or power supply failing?
PC problems: GPU not working or power supply failing?
my dell xps 8940 came with a gtx 1660, used it for cad projects but discovered it runs games well at lower settings. after two years in university, suddenly it stopped working. before the problem, i was streaming youtube and turned off normally. the next day i saw a black screen on boot, then it would restart and use the internal gpu. it seemed the system couldn’t detect the 1660. when i tried to update drivers, i got an error saying not compatible with this windows version. if i booted with the 1660 installed, it briefly powered on but then shut down completely and wouldn’t turn on at all. removing the cmos battery for 15 seconds and rebooting worked fine (using internal gpu). what could be wrong? additionally, chrome works but youtube always crashes, forcing restarts by disconnecting the power supply and removing the cmos battery before each boot.
When you mention "then started using the internal GPU," it suggests you connected the monitor to the 1669 and connected it to the motherboard. It seems unlikely that an iGPU would bypass the GPU, so if the connection worked but the service didn't, it might point to a hardware problem. Checking system files via the command prompt (now Windows Terminal) with sfc /scannow could help identify issues. Verify your drivers—do you use Dell or Nvidia? If Dell hasn’t tested this PC for Windows 11, their installers may trigger such warnings. Updating from the Nvidia site would eliminate that concern. Review Device Manager for any abnormalities and share a screenshot if needed.
A non-functioning power supply usually stops responding once you press the power button. Try using the 1660 on a different machine?