Computer won't start : Graphics CardFrom Blank Screens to RTX 3060: How ChatGPT Helped Me Fix My PC Graphics Card DisasterComputer won't start : Graphics Card

Way back on 2/28/23 I wrote about my computer issues. They returned yesterday with some weird symptoms. Thanks to ChatGPT, we narrowed it down to the graphics card.

The 1st symptom, I sleep my computer instead of turning it off for convenience. So I woke my computer up yesterday at 04:22 and it seemed okay. Okay, except the network was unavailable. I checked the router and all was fine there so I restarted my computer.

And nothing.

Oh, the fan turned on and the fancy LED lights illuminated, but I was staring at 3 blank screens. No BIOS splash screen or anything. I couldn’t even get it to start in safe mode. So I turned to Chabeety (ChatGPT) and asked…

Z 370-a pro motherboard PC will not start. Not even to motherboard splash screen. Monitors are seen.

ChatGPT said:

Got it — your MSI Z370-A PRO won’t even get to the splash screen (POST), though your monitors are detected as connected. Let’s go through a proper troubleshooting checklist:

Step 1: Basic Checks

Power connections
- Make sure the 24-pin ATX and 8-pin CPU power connectors are firmly seated. ✔️
- Check your PSU switch is on, and try another power cable/wall outlet. ✔️
Monitor & GPU
- If you have a dedicated GPU, try removing it and plugging your monitor into the motherboard’s HDMI/DP to see if onboard graphics work. skipped
- If using GPU, reseat it and check power connectors. ✔️

Step 2: Startup Behavior

Do fans, LEDs, or drives spin up? YES
Do you hear any beeps (if you have a speaker connected to the motherboard header)?
- No beeps = either no POST at all or no speaker connected. ✔️
- Repeated beeps = RAM/CPU error depending on the pattern. N/A

Step 3: Memory

Remove all RAM sticks and try one stick at a time in the DIMM2 slot (2nd from CPU). ✔️
If you have multiple sticks, rotate them in different slots to rule out a bad stick or slot. skipped

Step 4: Clear CMOS

Shut off PSU, remove the power cord, and pull out the CMOS battery for ~5 minutes. ✔️
Reinsert and try again. ✔️
Or use the Clear CMOS jumper if easier. N/A

Step 5: Minimal Boot

Take the system down to bare essentials:

CPU + Cooler
1 stick of RAM
GPU (if no onboard video)
PSU
→ Try to boot. If it works, add components back one by one. skipped

Step 6: Hardware Failures to Consider

Dead PSU (fans can still spin even if it’s faulty) → Test with another PSU if available. Not Available
Dead CPU or Motherboard → Much harder to test, but if you get no POST even with known-good PSU/RAM/GPU, the board or CPU may be faulty. N/A

I wrote: fans and lights come on. Some hard drive (SSD) is indicated. What is PSU?

ChatGPT said:

Got it 👍 — since fans and lights come on, power is at least reaching the board, but the system still isn’t making it through POST (the very first startup test).

To answer your question:

PSU = Power Supply Unit
It’s the box (usually at the bottom/back of your case) that converts wall AC power into the DC voltages your PC parts need. Even if fans spin, a weak or failing PSU can deliver unstable power, which can stop the motherboard from booting.

Since your drives light up and fans spin, the system is at least partially alive. That usually narrows the failure down to:

RAM not being detected → common cause of no splash screen.
- Try booting with just one stick of RAM in the second slot from the CPU. ✔️
- Rotate sticks/slots if needed.✔️
GPU or video output issue
- If you have a graphics card installed, try removing it and plug the monitor into the motherboard’s HDMI/DP port (the CPU has integrated graphics). ✔️
- If you’re already on motherboard video, try swapping the monitor cable or port. N/A
CMOS corruption
- Try clearing CMOS (remove the coin battery for a few minutes, then put it back). ✔️
PSU still possible
- Sometimes a PSU powers fans/drives but fails under the load of initializing CPU/GPU. If you have access to another PSU, swapping it in is a solid test.

I put the card back (without connecting any monitors) and it would not start as before.

ChatGPT said:

That’s an important clue 👌 — if the system refuses to POST just by having the GTX 1070 physically installed (even with no monitor plugged into it), it means the motherboard is choking the moment it detects the GPU on the PCIe bus.

That usually points to one of these:

Possible Causes

Dead / failing GPU
- A faulty GPU can prevent the system from even getting to POST. ✔️
- This is the most common cause when a system works fine on iGPU but not with the card installed.
~~PCIe slot or seating issue~~
- If the GPU isn’t fully seated, it can short or hang POST.
- Double-check that the rear bracket isn’t catching on the case and that the PCIe latch clicks in place.
~~PSU can’t handle the GPU startup draw~~
- Even with no monitor, the GPU still initializes and draws power during POST.
- If the PSU is too weak, unstable, or has a bad PCIe rail, the board can hang.

🔧 Next Steps to Test

Boot with GPU inserted but no PCIe power cable connected ✔️
- The GTX 1070 won’t function, but the system should at least POST and tell you there’s “no power to GPU.”
- If it still won’t POST → strong sign the GPU itself is the problem.
Try another PCIe slot (lower one on the motherboard) ✔️
- Not ideal for performance, but good for testing whether the main PCIe x16 slot is faulty.
Inspect the GPU physically ✔️
- Any burn marks, bulging capacitors, or broken pins?
- Fans spin at all when it’s powered?
~~Test the GPU in another computer (if possible)~~
- If it kills POST there too → it’s definitely dead.
~~Try a different PSU (if available)~~
- Something in the 550W+ range from a reputable brand is ideal for a 1070.

⚡ Quick test suggestion for right now:
Can you try plugging the GTX 1070 back in without connecting its 8-pin power cable, then see if the system at least gets to splash screen on the motherboard HDMI? That will tell us if the card itself is shorting out the system.

————————————————————–

It was here that I realized my GPU was fried. I think this may have been the issue in my first post a couple of years ago.

To summarize: Removing the power cables from the graphics card allowed the motherboard to boot properly. This told me the GPU was the issue.

With ChatGPT help, I chose a card the was the same manufacturer as the dead one so that it might reduce driver issues and the fact I have MSI software installed. That, and the motherboard is also MSI.

✅ My top recommendation for video editing on your system:
RTX 3060 (12GB) → best combo of VRAM, modern encoder, and power efficiency for the price.

So I ordered it and it will be here tomorrow.