My nine-year-old GTX 1050 Ti 4GB stopped working, so I bought a refurbished GTX 1060 Windforce OC 6GB as a replacement. The new card's fans spin, but when it is installed, I get no display and my keyboard and mouse do not light up or respond. The computer works when I remove the card and use the CPU's integrated graphics.
I removed the old graphics drivers, discharged the system by holding the power button after unplugging it, reseated the card in the main PCIe slot, confirmed the BIOS graphics setting, connected the required six-pin PCIe power cable, and waited for drivers to install, but nothing changed. I'm not sure how to identify my power supply or determine whether it is strong enough for the GTX 1060.
Should I return the refurbished card and try to find another replacement, or would it be worth paying to repair my old GPU? I had hoped to keep this computer until the next Elder Scrolls game before upgrading the whole system.
4 Answers
Start by testing the computer with the old card, or with integrated graphics, so you know the rest of the system is still working. Make sure the monitor cable is connected to the GTX 1060’s video output rather than the motherboard. To check the power supply, remove the side panel and read the label on the PSU; its wattage and 12V output will be listed there. The GTX 1060 generally calls for around a 400W supply, though the exact quality and model matter too.
A weak power supply is possible, but the only way to confirm that is to inspect the PSU label inside the case. You cannot reliably check its wattage from the operating system’s control panel. Also try the keyboard and mouse in different USB ports, but because both stop working only when the card is installed, I would first suspect a defective card, a poor PCIe connection, or a PSU problem rather than a driver issue.
I wouldn’t spend much repairing a nine-year-old 1050 Ti. Repairs can cost more than the card is worth and may not provide a reliable long-term fix. If the 1060 is refurbished and causes the same failure after reseating and checking the power cable, return it and purchase a tested, working replacement. You also do not necessarily need a completely new prebuilt computer just to prepare for a future game; upgrade the whole system when your current CPU, memory, storage, and power supply actually become limiting factors.
Since the system works without a dedicated GPU, the likely problems are the refurbished GTX 1060 itself or, less commonly, the motherboard’s PCIe slot. A graphics card normally shouldn’t prevent USB devices from powering on, so that symptom alone doesn’t prove the PSU is too weak. If possible, test with another known-good graphics card or try the 1060 in another compatible computer. Returning the card for a refund is sensible if you cannot test it another way.
Integrated graphics works normally, but I have to remove the card and move the monitor cable each time. The old card behaves similarly, although its fans may not spin.