Upgrading the GPU on an Asus M51AC-US002S: A Long Story
A few days ago, I decided to fire up my trusty Asus M51AC-US002S desktop computer from 2014. This machine has been with me through thick and thin, and I've always been impressed with its performance. However, I noticed that it had been a while since I had last used it, so I thought it was time to give it a spin.
The Upgrade
Back in 2018, I had upgraded the GPU on this machine to a more powerful model. The original GPU was starting to show its age, and I wanted to make sure that my computer could handle the latest games and applications. The upgrade went smoothly, and the computer has been working flawlessly ever since.
The Problem
However, a few days ago, I noticed that the PC was acting strangely. Every now and then, the LEDs on the motherboard would start flashing in a pattern that I had never seen before. I couldn't figure out what was causing it, but it was definitely concerning.
The Diagnosis
After doing some research, I discovered that this flashing pattern is often a sign of a problem with the power supply unit (PSU). I opened up the computer case and took a closer look at the PSU. Everything seemed to be in order, but I decided to run some diagnostic tests just to be sure.
$ sudo apt-get install stress-ng
$ stress-ng --cpu 0 --timeout 30s --verbose
The tests didn't reveal any issues with the PSU, so I started to suspect that the problem might be related to the upgraded GPU. I decided to run some more tests to see if I could pinpoint the cause of the problem.
$ glxinfo | grep "OpenGL renderer"
OpenGL renderer string: GeForce GTX 1060 6GB/PCIe/SSE2
The Solution
After running these tests, I was able to confirm that the problem was indeed related to the upgraded GPU. It seemed that the PSU was not providing enough power to the GPU, which was causing the LEDs on the motherboard to flash. I decided to upgrade the PSU to a more powerful model, and the problem was immediately resolved.
Upgrading the GPU on an older computer can be a great way to improve its performance, but it's important to make sure that the PSU is capable of providing enough power to the new GPU. If you're experiencing intermittent flashes on your motherboard, it might be a sign that the PSU is not up to the task. By upgrading to a more powerful PSU, you can ensure that your computer is running at its best and avoid any potential issues down the line.