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Inspiron 660 graphics card upgrade & PSU
Just bought a new Inspiron 660 with 5th gen I5 4660. I've read many related threads but have not seen my same situation, so apologies if I am asking questions that have already been asked and answered.
I installed a GeForce GTX 750Ti using the stock 300W PSU with what appeared to be no problems. I updated all the drivers for the graphics card and it appeared to be running ok. I then installed a Hauppauge TV tuner card and that also appears to be running as designed.
Here's where the anomaly comes in; when I restart the PC I may get the following message "Please power down and connect the PCIe power cable(s) for this graphics card." I'm eventually able to restart the PC normally after either a few restart attempts, or just a passage of time. From other threads I think the stock 300W PSU should be sufficient and even though the graphics card comes with a spare cable to connect to an additional power supply I shouldn't need it. Additionally I could not see any place to plug the power cable into the PSU.
Has anyone come across this situation before? Is this just a simple case that I need to upgrade the PSU?
kirkd
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February 24th, 2015 07:00
You are probably seeing the warning because the board is just on the edge of running with the 300 watt supply. You don''t want to be on the edge. As soon as the video demand goes up, you will have no reserve power. Does this still happen with the TV tuner removed? The video card has the additional power connection because most users will need it. A 300 watt supply is a typical low end supply. These supplies are cheaply made and may or may not actually deliver 300 watts. If the video is OK without the TV board, then you definitely need a larger supply.
warbird50
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February 24th, 2015 12:00
I removed the TV tuner card and booted the PC with no problems. I played a couple of games to see how the graphics card worked and everything looked good. I was going to put the TV tuner card back in to see if the problem came back. I decided to just try a restart first as a check. The problem returned. I let the PC sit for an hour and then restarted it and it booted with no problems.
Is it possible that the graphics card is overheating and causing the problem, or is the more likely problem still the power supply needing more umphh?
I would appreciate some suggestions on power supply units that are compatible with this Dell. I've read a few threads and I'm still confused about the right PSU to go with. Do Dell's use a standard ATX power supply or am I looking for something unique to Dell. I've seen some good comments about Corsair CS or CX models, but would appreciate some input.
kirkd
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February 24th, 2015 19:00
Although you shouldn't have any problem with 300 watts with the 750ti, you are. A possible problem is with the amperage limit on the 12 volt rails. If they don't deliver about 7 amps, you will be short on power. The 750ti needs about 75 watts. I am not in the position to open my I660 right now, so can't check the specs on the 12 volt line.The power supply max may also be a little short. In addition, running too close to the maximum can cause problems overall for the PC. I have a GT 620 in mine, which supposedly uses 40 watts, not a whole lot less than the 750ti,and I have no problem.
You will have trouble trying a warranty claim as you are using two, non-Dell supplied add-on cards.
I have seen more people recommend a bigger power supply for the 750ti. A 500 watt unit should be OK; make sure it has the extra power connection for the 750ti. Someone recommended a Corsair CX430 for the I660. These units are not too expensive. In addition, if you decide to upgrade to a higher performance graphics, you will need more power. If this is a real possibility, you could consider 750 watts.
kirkd
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February 25th, 2015 14:00
Great!!!
Having a 750 watter seems overkill, but you never know what you might want to add later. Maybe a 250 watt video card!!!
warbird50
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February 25th, 2015 14:00
KirkD, thanks for the inputs. I have resolved my power problem. I upgraded to the Corsair CS750M PSU and connected the graphics card to the PSU which solved the error message. The 750 watts may be overkill at this point but it does provide future growth.