A gamer wanted to build his new gaming PC. However, he was careless and plugged cables together randomly. Now he has to buy the expensive graphics card again.
Our title image is a symbolic image.
What was the exact problem? The user plugged the power cable for the processor into the graphics card and then tried to start the computer multiple times. According to a friend, he supposedly tried to plug in the cable three times and start the PC three times.
And this mistake should not have happened to him. Because power supply manufacturers now label all cables. For instance, the cable for the processor says “CPU” and the cable for the graphics card says “PCIe”.
Many users also explain this on reddit: He should have simply opened his eyes because the system is actually very safe – unless one uses brute force, as that can break everything.
(Almost) foolproof system should protect against serious mistakes
Usually, the system is really foolproof and nowadays anyone can assemble a gaming system at home without much experience. Because all connectors are labeled, and the manuals for the motherboard and power supply explain all cables and steps in detail.
Moreover, the connectors are shaped in such a way that they only fit into a specific place. Even if one has little experience, one quickly recognizes which parts belong where and can avoid mistakes.
Why did the mistake happen anyway? The gamer probably forced the cable into the graphics card for so long that it eventually fit. This is evident because the connector of the graphics card is badly bent and even partially broken.
Power supplies are not toys
Without a power supply (or in English, PSU), no computer starts. Because the power supply provides all components of the system with power. However, if one does not follow the rules and plugs the cables into the correct openings, one can quickly risk a house fire. For example, a gamer discovered this, who bought a new modular power supply.
To prevent the biggest risks, all major manufacturers rely on fuses. However, every protection can be bypassed in some way. And if one forces to plug cables where they don’t belong, it’s best to double and triple check before you not only destroy components but also risk a house fire in the end.
Gamer warns that with a tiny mistake you can set your expensive PC hardware on fire