strange problem with MB and VGA

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voodooFX

Active Member
Jan 26, 2014
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Not really a server related issue, but maybe someone can help my anyway :)

I have build this system

- ASUS Z87-A
- Core i5 4670
- 8GB RAM (HyperX 1600)
- 600W FSP PSU
- intel 530 480GB SSD

Nice little machine, supposed to be used to test my video card collection and play some older games
...problem is that it doesn't like most of my video cards :confused:

I have tried:

- GeForce 9800 GTX: no video output
- Geforce 285 GTX: no video output
- Quadro FX4500 (= 7800 GTX): no video output

At this point I started the system without a video card, using the intel one integrated in the CPU and it worked perfectly!

Then, since I had also an older 6800GS on the desk I tried also this one and it worked perfectly!

Any idea what is happening with this board?
I have of course a lot of other cards to test, including some ATi/AMD but I can not think that it's simply too picky, there must be a technical explanation for this...


P.S. all the cards have been tested on another system and they work perfectly
P.P.S. even without video output, all the FAN where spinning and I had the sensation that the system was booting correctly
 
Last edited:

superempie

Member
Sep 25, 2015
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I assume you get no video output at all, not even the BIOS screen.
Some things that come to mind:
- Check if the BIOS has an option for the primary video output. Try switching between onboard and PCI-E.
- Reset BIOS.
 
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William

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May 7, 2015
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Just quickly looking through the manual for Enable Above 4G Decoding for the PCIe interface but I do not see it.
Have you tried setting Graphics to UEFI, I think that's in the boot area.

Others to try
Primary Display to PCIE
Enable or Disable CSM
 

voodooFX

Active Member
Jan 26, 2014
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I assume you get no video output at all, not even the BIOS screen.
Some things that come to mind:
- Check if the BIOS has an option for the primary video output. Try switching between onboard and PCI-E.
- Reset BIOS.
exactly, nothing, no POST.
The BIOS has an option for the primary video card, but it has no effect.
I tried [auto] and [PCIe] but nothing.
If I select [auto] and I install a PCIe card, there is no signal from the card but neither from the iGP. This means that the MB has detected the PCIe card and the on board one is disabled

I tried a BIOS reset, also updated the BIOS to the latest version, did not help
 

voodooFX

Active Member
Jan 26, 2014
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Just quickly looking through the manual for Enable Above 4G Decoding for the PCIe interface but I do not see it.
Have you tried setting Graphics to UEFI, I think that's in the boot area.

Others to try
Primary Display to PCIE
Enable or Disable CSM
I didn't tried the UEFI graphics mode, will try!
CMS is Enabled, I will try disabling it, ok
 
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superempie

Member
Sep 25, 2015
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I see in the manual there is also an option to set the PCIe speed. Might be worth a look. Looks like there are two options, under PCH Configuration and NB PCIe Configuration.
 

vl1969

Active Member
Feb 5, 2014
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Set boot to auto and try cards in different slots. Based on what I found the slot may be incompatible with card or off.
Disconnect the had and try booting to live in or CD. Untill you get the video or sure that card is not supported.
Make sure you plug all the power cables main and aux. I had a mb that would not run video in agp slot if power was not plugged in to mb.
 

BoredSysadmin

Not affiliated with Maxell
Mar 2, 2019
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Not sure if this will help you, but I had a somewhat similar situation, ASRock Extreme P67, and i5-2500k.
Previous HD7870 worked just fine. Upgraded to GTX1070ti and mobo won't boot. What helped was to install the absolutely the latest beta bios.
I know that you have already updated to latest bios, but it won't hurt to reach out to Asus to see if they some unpublished/beta bios which could help you.
 
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Markess

Well-Known Member
May 19, 2018
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If you have a meter, you may want to check the output of the PCI-E power cable(s) on the Power Supply. The GPUs that aren't working all should have at least one PCI-E power connector based on their TDPs. The 6800GS doesn't. (Edit: I just saw that many 6800GS DO have a PCI-E connector, so maybe my idea is mistaken)

Alternatively, try any other cards you may have that don't need a separate PCI-E connector and see if they work. What you are seeing looks like GPUs that aren't getting enough power.

Do you have anything in the second or third x16 slot?
 
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voodooFX

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Jan 26, 2014
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I tried more cards, here is the full list

- 480 GTX: no video
- HD5870: no video
- 9800 GTX: no video
- 285 GTX: no video
- FX4500 : no video

- HD3650: works fine
- X850XT: works fine
- 8600GS: works fine
- GT640: works fine

Do you see any pattern?
The PSU is a FSP 600W, used in my main rig where I have a 1070 GTX until the last week without issues

Options tried:
- changing PCIe slot
- disabling CMS (this seems completel unrelated to the problem, but I wanted to try)
- can not found any "UEFI Graphis mode option"

edit: ah and when there is no video, I can hear the system booting the OS and everything, there is just NO video
 
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voodooFX

Active Member
Jan 26, 2014
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I think i just found the issue :eek:
It's (somehow) the monitor!!

I was using a (new) Dell P1917S (yes it's a 19" but this is my retro gaming rig...)
I tried a 10 year old Dell 22" with the last card I have tested (the HD 5870) and it just works

Will try the other cards now

crazy o_O
 

voodooFX

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Jan 26, 2014
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The 285 GTX still doesn't want to output anything (will test on another MB at this point), but all the other cards are working just fine.

Thanks all for the help!
 
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vl1969

Active Member
Feb 5, 2014
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In that case the issue is with your 19".
Possibly a strange default resolution that is not supported by the cards.
I had seen monitors from Dell and hp.
That had this weird default resolution configured that required only use of video cards from them. I had an hp gaming machine 10 or so years back that when I tried to put new card in it had exactly same issue. Nothing on the monitor. Plug in into onboard video all is fine. Add-on card nothing.
Since I was doing dual monitor setup I connected the second monitor to new card and all was working except if it was the only monitor i could not see the boot up. F10 into bios worked fine but boot up was not displaying.
Plug 2 monitors in and boot up show on the hp mon. From the onboard out. Second was black until OS comes up.
Haven't seen this issue in ohh about 10 years.