Radeon HD 6850 install issue

**Aephon** · November 30th, 2011, 12:44 AM

Hey,
I'm in the process of upgrading my Inspiron 560MT. I just installed a new 450w PSU to go along with my Radeon HD 6850 card. I called AMD and asked about the wattage (recommended is 500w) and they said 450w was acceptable. This issue is that when I installed the card and powered up my computer, the monitor said entering power save mode and went to a black screen. I'm wondering what the problem might be? Is the motherboard just incompatible with this card? Is the wattage just too low? Something else that might be effecting it? Or is it just a bad card?

Thanks so much!

**ShyguyXPC** · November 30th, 2011, 02:57 AM

did you plug the 6 pin PCI Express power connector from the PSU to the video card?

**Aephon** · November 30th, 2011, 10:45 AM

Yeah. The generic instructions said it was optional, but I did some searching on the internet for the 6850 specifically. Good call though.

**ShyguyXPC** · November 30th, 2011, 02:28 PM

so did that work then?

if so, any card with a power connector NEEDS to be powered from the PSU, regardless of what the Instructions say. If there is 2 power connectors then both need to be plugged in. Though the 6850 from what I remember only has a single connector.