Problems installing a AMD low profile card

Ok everyone, I appreciate any help in advance.


Details:

I have recently purchased a $25 low profile card for my fiance's crappy acer AM1610-u1201A with a
250 watt PSU.

The card is a ASUS Radeon HD 5450.

See link for specs: Newegg.com - Refurbished: ASUS EAH5450 SILENT/DI/1GD3(LP) Radeon HD 5450 1GB 64-Bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready Low Profile Ready Video Card

Anyways, before purchasing I researched and found this card should work no problems. Even though the power supply is weak in the acer, this graphics card is supposed to work as its low profile and other sites said it would work just fine with even this low wattage.

Anyways, My fiance's pc has 1 dvd drive and thats it. Nothing else hooked up to it that would suck a lot of power. So anyway, her integrated graphics stink worse then any I have ever seen so I wanted to install this card so we could stream netflix onto the 32inch tv we have.


The problem:


Installed the card in the computer. PC won't turn on. Take the card out, pc turns on. Install the card, pc won't turn on. Here is where it gets weird: Uninstall the card from the pc, PC still won't turn on. Next 4 hours, pc will not turn on. Pushed power button another 30 minutes later, pc turns on with card. Starts loading windows. Pc shuts off.

Uninstall card, pc will not turn on. Waited another 2 hours, pc now turns on.

What the heck is going on?


Power supply can't power it, I know what your saying. But the psu is supposed to be able to power this card, and the weird thing is it did not power on again with the card removed for a few times there. Does that make any sense? Am I having a senior moment?


What am I doing wrong?


PS: Computer has been running fine for the last week (no card), no power issues. And she shuts it down when she is done with it, and then turns it back on.

The original specs of the PS may have been able to power it but they do tend to degrade over time as the capacitors weaken. Make sure you're putting the card into the correct slot also. The fact that the card is a referb instantly begs the question of whether it works. Do you have another system to try the card in?

Thanks for the response. :) Unfortunately I do not currently, thing is if the card is bad how would that prevent the computer from turning on? The pc only has 1 pci e slot so I am positive I am putting it in the right slot.

Wouldn't it just power on and the card wouldn't work? At least that has always been my experience...

The card may have burned or defective circuits or a short. You might also check the pins in the PCI slot and the connections on the card for obvious damage. If the MB slot has been open since new, make sure it's clean. Also try inserting and removing a few times to clean the connections. There's several power pins in a PCI slot and they all have to make a connection.

I still think it may be a weak PS. If you're having to wait some period before the PC will turn on, it indicates the PS is over heating and shutting down.

Added: Also check the specs on the PS for each rail. Just because "200W" may power the card, that is the total output of all the rails. The 5v and 12v rails are rated individually.

Okay, It's just weird that others have gotten it to work on this wattage. I guess first ill find a spare pc and test the video card there first.

Thanks, I will look into maybe getting a cheap psu for the acer. I don't want to spend big on this crappy thing.

I was going to do all that, I mainly posted to see if anyone had an idea as to why the computer would behave with the weird thing stated here:

andrew129260 said:

Installed the card in the computer. PC won't turn on. Take the card out, pc turns on. Install the card, pc won't turn on. Here is where it gets weird: Uninstall the card from the pc, PC still won't turn on. Next 4 hours, pc will not turn on. Pushed power button another 30 minutes later, pc turns on with card. Starts loading windows. Pc shuts off.

Uninstall card, pc will not turn on. Waited another 2 hours, pc now turns on.

Power supply can't power it, I know what your saying. But the psu is supposed to be able to power this card, and the weird thing is it did not power on again with the card removed for a few times there. Does that make any sense? Am I having a senior moment?

Low wattage would cause that behavior? In my experience it was always if you have a weak psu it won't turn on at all, not turn on then off then not turn on for any reason and then suddenly start working. Just seemed very strange to me. Maybe the psu is going out on it....

There's usually temp sensors in a PS that will shut it down. It sounds like the PS is over heating. As I mentioned, if you have to wait, the PS may be hot. But if the card has a short, it could cause the PS to over heat. You need to isolate the card and make sure it works. Do you get any beeps on start up (boot)? Does it show up in the BIOS?

I read About this card and the Minimal PSU was 350W Now 400W is the actually power needed for that card all AMD cards especially lower level cards need atleast a 400w PSU 250w will only power your system

Sorry but the power supply needs to be at least a 450w to properly power everything even though it doesn't have it own power connection it draws a lot of system power from the PCI -E slot

Thanks Tommy. I was busy on a few other threads and didn't look at the card specs.

carwiz said:

Thanks Tommy. I was busy on a few other threads and didn't look at the card specs.

No worries glad i could help