I'm an idiot.

[Kennylz]

I mentioned in the drivers thread that I had this 'problem' with Nvidia giving me a warning after installing new drivers that not enough power was getting to the card, so that it couldn't run at its optimal level.

Well! I would just roll back to the generic drivers for the card. I've used the card for gaming like this for months. The card was a huge upgrade from my former card, so hey, no complaints. I figured it was a bug or something.

Well, after something relatively unrelated resparks my interest, I go back and look through some threads for 'nvidia low power driver bugs' etc, and find some off hand mention of supplementary power cables needing to be replugged in. I didn't know what that meant, since I just put mine into the slot and got on with business.

Well, my complete ignorance of computers shown itself, as well as my 'tech friend' who helped me install it. I read the manual *gasp* and found that the card had TWO supplimentary power cables that were to be plugged into those chords coming from the power box.

I've been running the card without either of its power chords for MONTHS.

I started up the computer, not sure if I'd done the right thing with plugging those chords in. I mean, maybe the thing would spark, and there would be big trouble. Then I heard a loud sound. It was a loud, humming like sound. I kept the side of the case off to investigate. I didn't see anything dangerous. No error messages, major, minor, fatal, blue screen, red. No smoke. No sparks. Well, I've yet to run any games to test out the difference, but I think I've finally got things going right. I have the new drivers installed.

Now, you can all just shake your head at me, or warn me about something I may have done wrong, or just laugh.

[Strelok]

Well, my complete ignorance of computers shown itself, as well as my 'tech friend' who helped me install it. I read the manual *gasp* and found that the card had TWO supplimentary power cables that were to be plugged into those chords coming from the power box.

I've been running the card without either of its power chords for MONTHS.

I started up the computer, not sure if I'd done the right thing with plugging those chords in. I mean, maybe the thing would spark, and there would be big trouble. Then I heard a loud sound. It was a loud, humming like sound. I kept the side of the case off to investigate. I didn't see anything dangerous. No error messages, major, minor, fatal, blue screen, red. No smoke. No sparks. Well, I've yet to run any games to test out the difference, but I think I've finally got things going right. I have the new drivers installed.

That *humming* sound should be happening when you did NOT plug into the molex! Is it still making the sound? My 8800GT will get that horrible sound when it's not properly plugged in.

[Kennylz]

It only makes the weird noise for about two minutes when the computer first starts up. Previously, it was only a loud humming of the fan. I haven't restarted the computer for a third time.

What is a molex? Basically, to put it into laymens terms... I put the graphics card in. It had a spot where one of my power cables that came with it could be plugged into the side of the card. From the square region of the motherboard where the voltage, and power is listed there were multicolored weaves of cables that come out, and two of those end in white plugs. The end of the cables that come out from the card fit perfectly into those two plugs. Two for two. Now I've noticed a significant performance increase in my games.

What might I have done wrong? I'll restart again to try and hear the noise...

I just restarted. There was no nasty noise anymore. Thank god.

[Roman Clone]

Lulz your ignorace is unforgivablez.

What is a molex?

Now I've noticed a significant performance increase in my games.

That is because your card was underclocked the entire time to use less power. Although, why would it need two? My 8800 GTS only needs one 6 pin.

[Thor the Bassist]

Lol thats a good story. You did say before that you were running on a 250W supply though? That seems a tad low for my liking.

[Kennylz]

Well, as I look at it now that might have only been half of the story. I think it is higher, because there were more numbers there.

Also, it was only one cable, but it had a split where it went off to two different plug in points. So, one.

[The Doge of Venice]

To run a 8800 series card or higher you should probably have at least a 450 watt power supply, i bought a 600 watt psu that came with 2 square 6 pin videocard connectors instead of using the wire that turns 2 molex connectors into a 6 pin power power connector.
The card can work without the 6 pin power connector but it may not work under load and you definetly can't overclock. and even with the 6 pin connectors a 250 watt psu will still not give it enough power since the card can use about 150-200 watts on it's own at stock clocks or even more depending on the model and overclocking.

feel free to mail me for any other questions relating to computer problems as I'm most of the way to being a computer systems technician and I know alot about hardware and operating systems.