Computer won't boot with new video card

vegasgmc

Posts: 1,372   +0
I'm upgrading a Dell Optiplex with Pentium D and a Radeon X600 video card. I got a new Asus X1300 and when installed the computer turns on, all the lights come on and there are 3 beeps and the machine shuts down and then the computer turns on by its self and goes through the same routine and will keep doing it until the cord is pulled. I installed the new card in my desktop and it works perfectly. Dells site shows this card as an upgrade for the Optiplex so It should work . Thanks
 
Tmagic is dead on the spot here, your problem most likely is with your 280 watt power supply. The recommendation of a minimum of a 450 watt power supply is good, but I got a suggestion for you. Since we are talking about upgrading this, and upgrading that, why not be totally prepared for future upgrades, regardless what it is. Buy a new power supply, but when you do....."go big"! Just buy the most decent 1000 watt or higher power supply that you can! When I build systems most if not all get a minimum of 1000 watts, unless one of my clients says otherwise. It may cost you some coin once, but it will give you almost 100% peace of mind knowing that in the future, your system power wise can handle anything you throw at it.

Just a little something to think about, this suggestion might not work for everyone and that's understandable! Or this is just my computer building O.C.D. coming out to give some advise! :)
 
This is just a spare XP machine I use for older games and software that my Win 7 machine chokes on so I don't want to do any major upgrades. But I think I may have a faulty PS. I checked it with an PS tester and it says the -5v rail is faulty. I guess I'll just stick with the original X600 card. Thanks
 
"I checked it with an PS tester and it says the -5v rail is faulty"...

-5 volts is not used at all, so don't worry about it. Power supplies in the 450 watt range are not that expensive, and your 280 watt is just too small to run the video card
 
This is a typical OEM machine with a weird design-L shaped power supply. I tried an older PS I had lying around and it doesn't come close to fitting. No big deal. The original card works pretty good. I just can't resist upgrading and modding.
 
"This is a typical OEM machine with a weird design-L shaped power supply"...

I have worked many computers of all makes and models. Are you sure this "L" shape wasn't a bracket plus the power supply?

"I just can't resist upgrading and modding"...
"I don't want to do any major upgrades"...

Does this make sense? A power supply upgrade isn't a major upgrade. A CPU/Motherboard is a major upgrade
 
This may be nothing, but if you kind of look at this power supply that vegasgmc is talking about, to some it might look "L" shaped!

powersupplycopy.jpg


I looked up the Dell Optiplex with the Pentium 4 CPU and this is the power supply in question! These small "L" shaped or whatever shape you think it is power supply is pretty much the same thing in my Dell Dimension 5100c micro system, the power supply for mine looks almost the same and is a breeze to yank out.
 
Ah yes ZEN, it is proprietary too, I believe. This means that the output wires are not ATX standard
 
Trust me buddy, this odd shaped power supply is very much "PROPRIETARY"! I was surprised when doing a quick follow up on this, my Dell 5100c came with the very power supply in question. It's was an SFX series of power supply, not an ATX one. I upgraded to the same "L" shaped power supply, just my new one is a genuine Dell 450 watt.......hay.....for $20.00 for it, I couldn't resist!
 
Dell used 3 different shaped power supplies for this series of Optiplex with a max output of 280w and it also has non-standard wiring for the ATX mobo connector. People were blowing up mobos left and right when they tried to upgrade their power supplies with a non-Dell unit. Luckily they use the ATX standard now. No big deal though. I'm only out $10 for the video card.
 
I finally got around to hooking up a 400w PS and it still wont boot with the X1300 or a Radeon HD 2400XT , both Dell branded cards that are upgrades for this machine. It must be something stupid like a hidden jumper or magic word.
 
Yeh, 3 beeps didn't sound like a PSU problem to me. Plus, I don't think an X1300 is going to draw any more power than an x600. I couldn't find the power usage of the x600, but the X1300 is 30 watts peak.

I'm just shooting in the dark here, but have you switched the PCI/AGP/PCIe thing in the BIOS before changing cards? I've never seen that matter before, but I got nothin else.
 
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