No video output from any PCI-E graphics cards. (Integrated works fine)

SneakyCorndog

Honorable
Sep 19, 2013
4
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10,510
Consider this a challenge if you will:

I originally had a
GTX 560 and Asus P8Z77-V LK motherboard. I run an Intel Core-i5 3570k, and have
16 gigs of corsair vengeance, along with a 600 GB Western Digital Green Power hard drive on a Thermaltake TR-2 600W PSU

My system worked fine for two months since I built it, until one day, in a game of Dota 2, my screen went black, and didn't come back on. I was forced to restart my system.

My video never came back on for that card, or the replacement 760 I bought assuming the card went dead. Booting with the monitor plugged into the integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics works fine, after an automatic driver install. Unfortunately, this doesn't give me the performance I need for my hardcore gaming sessions.

Even after wiping the Intel HD graphics and reinstalling Nvidia's, the cards are completely skipped over in the boot process, in favor of outputting video through the integrated video (Intel 4000). I returned the GTX 760 after realizing it wasn't needed.

Running out of options, I look through the mobo manual one more time to see if I missed anything. Several settings catch my attention, regarding priority over PCI and IGD. I switched the graphics boot priority to [PCI], as opposed to [AUTO], saved, and exit. At no point in the boot process was a signal reaching my monitor when the cable was plugged into the dedicated graphics card. Restarting my computer with the cable in integrated port reveals that the setting reverts to [AUTO] in bios.

I update bios hoping it's just a bios bug. It could still be, but even the latest bios does not solve my the issue.

It's at this point I assume (wrongly) that the board's PCI slots on the motherboard itself are defective, and request RMA, after verifying that none of the other slots work either.

Now, I don't want to be out of a PC for a couple weeks, so I decide to purchase (planning to return later), a new motherboard (MSi Z77 A-G45). Unexpectedly, (again, after removing all old drivers and installing fresh new ones--chipset, audio, everything), the issue persists. The same bios settings are available (although under slightly different titles) and they do not fix the issue.

The problem is not tied to drivers, as they are all up to date, wiped, and resintalled as several graphics card upgrades in the past have taught me.

The problem is not related to my graphics card hardware, as both the 560 and 760 had the same issue.

The problem is not related to the motherboard or bios settings, as both motherboards with up to date bios had the same issue.

The problem may be related to the PSU, however, the GPUs fans spin, telling me they're receiving power, and the rest of the system is very stable. 600 watts should be enough for my mid-range gaming build (graphics cards both suggest between 450-550 watt PSUs. I have several USB gaming peripherals drawing some power as well. [UPDATE: Since drafting this, I've upgraded my PSU to a corsair RM650. This is more than plenty of power for my system, and still, no dice.]

After using various calculators, I've determined that I should be well within wattage budget, and that there is ample amperage on the 12 volt rails to power the cards.

What then, could be causing this issue?

It's not the bios, it's not the card, it's not the power, it's not the motherboard.

Intel Processor Diagnostic passes in all fields.

The motherboard and processor socket have been inspected for bent pins. There are none. Processor temps are also well within safe levels under load, according to 'Core Temp' utility.

I don't know if RAM could cause an issue. It's a pretty specific, and weird issue for RAM to conflict with. Same with the harddrive.

I'm at my wits end. Please help.
 
I would say that it's about time to visit a computer store's tech department and I don't mean Bestbuy's "Geek Squad" because those guys are a bunch of unqualified monkeys with high sales targets as their motivation. Obviously something hardware-related has failed because you didn't change anything software-wise before this happened. I would expect that something happened that has completely flown under the radar and you should get the system professionally tested.
 

SneakyCorndog

Honorable
Sep 19, 2013
4
0
10,510


I was thinking of doing just that. That's sort of a last resort, however, as I'd need to do some research into places that I could take it into, and I'm far too lazy to do that just yet.

Anyway, like I said, I built it myself, so it's not like I could just RMA the entire machine... Oh computers, why cant things ever run smoothly with you. :(

Anyone have ideas of tests I could do before taking it to 'experts'?
 

niavlys

Reputable
Apr 3, 2016
10
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4,520
Hmmm, I've been experiencing the exact same problem these last days. Was playing a not so demanding game (subnautica), when suddenly, a grey screen, followed a couple of seconds later by a blac screem (no viedo input). Tried dusting off changing the card to another PCIe slot, nothing worked. So like you I assumed that the GPU was the problem. I bought another one, but same problem. Tried both card in diffenrent PCI slots, tried connecting both cards on bth DVI port and their HDMI ports but nothing is working.

I dunno if anyone have an answer to this question: Could it be that the PCI bus is dead? Or the north bridge?

My only other possibility would be that both my video cards (hd 6850 and hd 6970) do not switch automatically to the HDMI ports once the cable is plugged in and there are no DVIs connetced and since I have no picture, I can't see my system asking for me to accept the new setting or something, and that my DVI cable is broken (i don't have a spare so i couldn't check it out). I plugged my tablet on my screen with another micro hdmi to hdmi on my screen and that worked fine. So my screen is not the problem.

If anyone has any idea...
 


In your case it may be the motherboard but OP tested with another motherboard. OP it might be yoru cpu if i m not mistaken a part of the motherboard controllers have been moved to the cpu now. Well trya new cpu and see if it works if not go to a pro.
 

niavlys

Reputable
Apr 3, 2016
10
0
4,520
That's funny,... I put back my old GPU in (hd 6850) and now, when I plug the HDMI cable, I have video (with two big red vertical bars thou). If I put the new one in (HD 6970) I have nothing at all. Also I tried using the "performance" pre setting in the bios, ans everything becomes black again, even with the old card with HDMI. Now I think the 65970 is a little more power hungry (it has one 6 pin power connector and an 8 pin one, where my 6850 had two 6 pins). So I tried unplugging everything unnecessary just to see if it was a power problem suddenly (my power supply would suddenly be less powerfull? Its a corsair 5650W). But so far no luck either.