I need some serious help here. I recently plugged an HDMI cable into my motherboard's port (which is linked to the built-in GPU) using a DVI to HDMI adapter. Normally, I've had my monitor connected directly to my RTX 2080 GPU without any issues. My idea was to ease the load on the RTX 2080 by running a second monitor off the motherboard. I did this while my PC was running, which I now realize may have been a mistake.
The PC froze completely – no blue screen or anything, just unresponsive. I couldn't even power it off using the usual methods; I had to pull the plug from the wall to shut it down. Now, when I try to power it on, there's absolutely no response. I hear the PSU making its usual sounds, and I see the motherboard LEDs flash briefly when powering on the PSU, but nothing else happens. I cleared the CMOS in hopes of resetting things, but I'm still stuck. I'm really worried that I might have damaged my motherboard. What should I do next? Any advice would be hugely appreciated!
(MOTHERBOARD: GIGABYTE Z390 AORUS PRO WIFI)
2 Answers
It's okay if you tried hot-swapping the HDMI cables; that's generally fine. Just remember, if your PC has an external GPU like the RTX 2080, it usually won’t use the integrated graphics unless you change settings in the BIOS. Make sure to check that your primary display output is set to your GPU in the BIOS settings.
Also, when you plugged the HDMI back into your GPU, did anything happen?
First off, don't panic! It sounds like a power issue. Try unplugging the power cable from your PSU completely, and then hold down the power button on your case for about 20 seconds. This can help drain any residual power. After that, plug the PSU back in and see if you get any power to your system (like fans spinning or LEDs lighting up). It's a good idea to do this without any monitors connected to rule out monitor issues.
I tried that, but unfortunately I still get no response. I even cleared the CMOS again and shorted the reset pins with a screwdriver. I'm getting really worried!
Unfortunately, after unplugging everything, I got no response plugging the monitors back into the GPU or the motherboard. The power button still does nothing.