Broken GPUs by plugging the risers in the wrong place?

[phaed]

I was helping someone set up their rig remotely through skype.  It was a two day session.  Seems between the first day and second day they unplugged the powered risers by mistake and plugged them back randomly on the mobo, like so:

https://i.imgur.com/g6YoxGY.jpg

Not knowing they had done this, I went ahead and had them turn on the machine and of course nothing was showing on the monitor.  While troubleshooting I realized their mistake and had them place the risers on the proper places, but nothing on the monitor.  Had them take out the ram and place it back to make sure it wasn't a ram problem.  Had them plug just once card on the mobo directly, sans-riser, and still nothing.  Had them try the other card, and same thing.  The mobo lights up when plugged, when turned on the cpu fan turns on and the led display showing temps also lights up as if everything was good, but nothing on the monitor.

Could it be that they blew both cards by plugging them in the wrong place?  or could the motherboard have blown somehow?  Any of this possible or maybe could it be something else?

[1715388047]

1715388047

[1715388047]

1715388047

[1715388047]

1715388047

[zackclark70]

my guess would be the board is dead if the powered risers back fed into the signal channels or the cards if it fed power into the gpu signal channels

I will let you know if I can think of anything else

[porqupine]

Does it smell burnt?

[phaed]

Thanks guys.  Nope they didn't tell me of any smell, not 100% sure but they woulda told me if there was burnt smell.  

Had them order another set of cards and a new mobo as well.  The rig needs the cards anyways and the mobo they can use on their next rig if both are still good.  Hoping its the mobo, taking a $700 loss on the cards would really hurt.