Solved BIOS beep, PC posts, but red LED light on GPU and no monitor signal

There is very little possibility that the card would fail while out of the PC. The only possibilities are static electric short, or impact damage (dropping it).

What you did while testing was fine, and it should prove that the card is working - leaving us back with that new cooler.

Your idea to try the old heatsink with a new fan is a good one. That will tell if the card is good and may shed some light on what in the installation of the new cooler is wrong, if anything.

You want to try and make every connection and contact with the new cooler exactly the same as the old one. And when you pull the cooler off, check to see if the thermal compound spread. If the cooler is not making good contact with the GPU because of some obstruction that would explain it too.

I just removed the Accelero cooler and some light really has been shed. The cooler wasn't touching the GPU at all. There is next to no thermal paste on it whatsoever. I've tried thinking of every possible way to make the cooler touch the card better, but nothing works. It's just too big for the card. What a huge disappointment. At least I can save the cooler for a future card and hope it comes in handy one day.

I still have yet to connect the old cooler, so I'll return after I've applied it and put it back on the mobo.

EDIT: The wires are too big to fit in the small connector that went with the first fan that came with the original cooler. Could I put the wires directly into the pins?

Sure you can.
1.Don't bend any pins
2. Make sure they don't touch each other
3. Make sure the wires are on the proper pins
4. Make sure that the harness is secure so the wires don't come off.
If at all possible use the connector because it does those 4 things.

The wires are thick enough where I don't think they'll slip out, but they do knock into each other a lot. Would it work to slip something like a piece of foil or paper in between them to hold them? Here's a picture of how it looks right now.

Actually a piece of electrical tape could be wrapped around that outer shell. That would work best to electrically separate the two leads.

Glad to hear you found the problem. Sorry to hear the cooler is incompatible with the card.
Can you see or determine what is obstructing it from making full contact? Is it the capacitors?

Just wrap the tape around the white plastic area you mean? Or the metal tips on the end?

And I'm not sure what exactly was blocking the cooler. From looking it all over I couldn't even tell what would have done it. I'm guessing that it was one of the memory coolers all around it, and I suppose I could use just the cooler and now the memory heatsinks, but I figured I'd try this first.

Don't put foil between the leads! That will short it our. Slip a piece of electrical tape between the leads and wrap it around, either one would work.

Please no foil of any kind. They are conductors of electricity. If you can find it I would use the proper size of heat shrink tube. Using electrical tape might not give you enough room because of the thickness to install the wires without bending the pins. Try the tape but be careful. Broken pins means new card.

This thread was/is like an epic tale. Nice plot development with a twist of an ending; kept me on the edge of my swivel chair.

Looks like some other people have complained about that cooler, one I noticed had the card you have, too. Sickly products marketed as a panacea, and so it goes...

IIllytch321 said:

This thread was/is like an epic tale. Nice plot development with a twist of an ending; kept me on the edge of my swivel chair.

Looks like some other people have complained about that cooler, one I noticed had the card you have, too. Sickly products marketed as a panacea, and so it goes...

Click to expand...

Well there's a happy ending to the tale. I fixed my card and it is now in proper working order with the new fan on the old heatsink. I didn't have to buy a whole new card, although I'm out 35 bucks ordering that damn Accelero. I guess I'll keep it in my PC parts box for future use (kindling a bonfire maybe).

But the new fan on the old heatsink is spinning and working just fine, and quiet, too. I'm using good ol' Arctic Silver compound on the heatsink now.

Thanks for helping me guys, and giving me INCREDIBLY useful information for future graphics card issues. Now that I know I can remove the wires from those little plastic connectors I don't have to fret so much about them fitting on the card. The electrical tape seems fine, by the way.

Now to just remove that nasty virus :/

I'm trying to get everyone to take note of the "Marked as solved" option. I think you, as the thread started, has to do it.

Good to hear Rose, that was a curly one to say the least. It was a good experience for all of us. That's how I learn, by my own blunders.