PCIE supplemental power supply...

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

so i upgraded to a 7950GT and low and behold it requires a power cable going to it. i searched and searched inside my case and couldnt find one (6 pin 2X3 connector)

i found out i needed an adapter. so i went an hour both ways to a computer store i knew would have the right connector, got back home, and tried it out.

it requires two IDE power inputs which i had free. so i connect it up, plug my power supply back in(green light on the back of it lights up) push the power button, the fans start spinning for a half second then nothing. the light goes out and it wont let me power it up for about a minute (after i put it back to original specs.)

the reason i went out and did this is because i got that error message in windows after startup saying the card was being handicapped to prevent damage to the component and mobo. now what's the deal... the PSU is good for 300W and i only have one HDD and a dvd drive hooked up. could someone please help me out a lil and maybe point me in the right direction?

[krazydriver]

i recommend checking this out.http://www.extreme.outervision.com/powercalc.jspthis will help calculate what watt power supply you need for your setup. according to it though, your vid card alone needs 103 watts, so i think a new power supply is in order.

i always figure more is better. i have a thermaltake toughpower 750w and absolutely love it. voltage is dead on, AND they have modular cables, so you only need to hook up what you need.

Plus SLI compatible so 2x PCI-e power connectors!

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

yeh i thought about that option...though upgrading my psu won't damage my motherboard will it? as long as the power supply has a 24 pin connector and all the associated connections i need i should be fine correct?

[krazydriver]

no need to worry about motherboard damage at all. Voltages and pinouts are all the same.

when i built my comp i was thinking of doing the 7950gt as an SLI setup, but after reading about how much power it used i ran a 7900gs instead. plus the xfx 7900 easily overclocks from 525mhz to 675(which effectively negates any power saving). Free performance FTW!

[240Knightrider]

Yeah it wont mess it up at all to upgrade. Just make sure you get proper specs so your fan will exhaust properly.

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

thanks guys! i went out and picked up a 650w PSU, jacked it in, powered it up, then ran 3DMark06

results before the new PSU: 3400 after: 4900!!!

and card temp went down drastically too..now time to see what sort of overclocking i can accomplish now...any suggestions?

[krazydriver]

glad the new PS worked.

basic rule of overclocking. It voids your manufacturer warranty. It can cause damage to your system.

So.... Continue at your own risk. i assume no responsibility.

http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.ph ... 15coolbits unlocks a bunch of advanced features that are part of the nvidia control panel. one of which is overclocking features. If you really wanna overclock take it slow, read up on what your vid card works best with, change frequency and voltages SLOWLY. If you notice anything odd starting to happen, back the settings back to where they last worked properly.

I also recommend you check the cards fan setup, oftentimes the stock cooling isn't adequate for overclocking purposes.

[240Knightrider]

GET SPEED FAN...

Google it.