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Troubleshooting a Completely Dead PC After GPU Upgrade

November 16, 2025 2 answers
Asked by TechSavvy99
I'm really in need of some troubleshooting advice for my PC. I recently upgraded my graphics card to an AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT, and now my entire system is unresponsive. Here's the rundown: - New GPU: AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT (requires an 8-pin connector and has a total board power of around 160W). - My previous setup had a Radeon RX 6600, which was working fine. - I'm using a 450W Bronze Certified PSU, which is right at the minimum recommendation for the new card. The core issue is that after I tried installing the RX 9060 XT, my PC became completely unresponsive—no fan spin or lights. I've tried some troubleshooting steps: 1. I tested the old RX 6600 and the PC is still dead. 2. I performed a CMOS reset but the problem still exists. 3. I checked all main power cables, including the 24-pin ATX and the 8-pin CPU power. I unplugged and reconnected them securely, but there's still no power. So, I'm thinking it might be a hardware failure, likely the PSU since I was pushing it with the new GPU. Can anyone confirm if this indicates a dead PSU? Also, what's the best way to test the PSU—should I do the paperclip test or swap in a stronger one? Thanks for any tips you can provide!
AMD RX 9060 XT buildapc GPU Hardware PC hardware PSU failure troubleshooting

Answers

GadgetGuru42
It sounds like you’ve done a lot of good troubleshooting already. If you’ve checked all the connections and are still getting no life, it seems pretty likely that your PSU has died, especially if the RX 9060 XT was drawing more power than your system was able to handle beforehand. Yeah, it may be a good idea to try a paperclip test or swap in a different PSU for confirmation.
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BuildMaster001
That’s really rough! Definitely consider getting a PSU with a higher wattage—like 650W would give you some breathing room, especially if you’re planning to do more upgrades in the future. Just make sure to check for one with good efficiency ratings. You don’t want to face this again!
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