GTX 970 doesn't work in first PCI slot, does in second.

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Nexus Radical

Nexus Radical

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Jan 29, 2015
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Hello people.

For some reason. My graphics card is only capable now of working in my second PCI slot. And doesnt work in the first slot. To the eye their is no damage on the contacts or around the PCB but it refuse to give the monitor a signal and will usually cause the IGP to kick in and block the 970 from displaying anything.

Ive tried another graphics card on the 1st slot (MSI R7 250) and it worked perfectly fine.

I first discovered this in the following thread:
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-2918667/graphics-cards-arent-connecting-motherboard.html

I think its something with the x8 and x16 lanes. Purely because my second PCI slot is x8.
If this is true. Will i be missing out on some performance and ability to overclock?

Cheers
 
Solution
jimmysmitty
It is possible, yes. Although I would go for the GPU first due to that fact but the first PCIe lane might be faulty as the R7 250 doesn't need nearly as much bandwidth.

When a GPU is plugged into a x16 or x8 slot it knows and will account for this. When you plug the 970 into the x8 slot it might turn off the pins that are the problem on the motherboard or the GPU.

I would still lean towards the GPU but I also would not rule out the motherboard.
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jimmysmitty

jimmysmitty

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Oct 5, 2007
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You actually wont be losing any performance. PCIe 3.0 x8 is equal to a PCIe 2.0 x16 slot and not even a Titan X saturates a PCIe 2.0 x16 slot yet.

It is, however, worrysome that the 970 does not work in the first slot. It should work in a x16 slot. It was designed to be used in a x16 slot. It makes me wonder if the board might be faulty or the GPU.
 
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Nexus Radical

Nexus Radical

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Is it still possible for the board to be faulty even though the R7 250 worked fine on the first pcie lane?
 
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jimmysmitty

jimmysmitty

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It is possible, yes. Although I would go for the GPU first due to that fact but the first PCIe lane might be faulty as the R7 250 doesn't need nearly as much bandwidth.

When a GPU is plugged into a x16 or x8 slot it knows and will account for this. When you plug the 970 into the x8 slot it might turn off the pins that are the problem on the motherboard or the GPU.

I would still lean towards the GPU but I also would not rule out the motherboard.
 
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Solution
Nexus Radical

Nexus Radical

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Jan 29, 2015
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Thanks. On this bases. I think im going to try and RMA the GPU. If a replacement 970 doesn't fix the problem. Then its the motherboard Thanks. :)

If i actualy get round to it. Ill report back if i remember to do so.
 
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junkeymonkey

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Nov 11, 2013
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sounds like a older intel board I just answered a guy on something as this with a z68

''one guy with that board and a 900 card did the bios and still not not work so for the heck of it he put the card in the boards 8x slot and he claimed it worked in it fine just for some reason not in the x16 slot ???''

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-3103471/gtx-1080-wont-work.html

seeing you did not tell what your system spesc were ??

900 cards and some older board have compatibility issues if not given a proper bios update for them or run a full uefi bios

so it may not even be the card at all and any 900 series may not work


did not know this was a year old post
 
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Justin_91

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Jun 27, 2016
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So when I use my gpu it won't display, on the first pcie, but when I placed my gpu in my friends mobo it ran fine, and when I put his gtx 970 in the first slot in my mobo it worked as well... Not sure what to do.

Specs:
Gpu - Powercolor r9 280
Mobo - gigabyte z97-d3h
Psu - evga 600w bronze
Ram - 8 gigs
Cpu- i5 4690k with liquid cooling
Windows 10 pro
Rest hdd and fans
 
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Nexus Radical

Nexus Radical

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Jan 29, 2015
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Yes i did, i think. I've been using my card in the first PCI-E x16 slot now for a while. The problem was my case and motherboard aren't the greatest pair. If i screw in my GPU to hard to my case then the right side of my card is loose to my motherboard.

To get around the problem I made sure the screwing in wasn't as tough on the case, making sure that the connection was great all the way round the PCI-E slot and the card.

Sorry i forgot to report back. Im still rocking my 970 and it works like a dream for the most part.
 
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CedricSysAdmin

CedricSysAdmin

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Jul 16, 2016
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I got the 1070x and having this issue. Hmmm I screwed my mobo pretty darn hard into my case. So you say loose it up? I also left one screw out because my hands are too big. Would that have anything to do with it ?


 
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Nexus Radical

Nexus Radical

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Jan 29, 2015
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I can't say for certain but im pretty sure as long as the area that's not screwed in isn't in contact with your case there shouldn't be any problems. As for screwing the case in too hard. If that was the problem then you'd probably felt something off when you finished screwing it in like cracking or grinding if it was to that extent. In any case i think that the points you addressed for your mobo arent a cause for concern, however if you where to screw in the GPU to hard to your case then maybe like it did for me will cause it to loosen from the pci-e slot.
 
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R

ren.lafraise

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Jan 17, 2018
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I everyone !! I got the same problems. After I created accidentenly shortcut because I forgot to unplug my PSU and make cmos. It's start my computer but crash my pcie x16 slot. I have 3 pcie x. pcie x16, one x8 and another x4. Now I can only put it in the x8 and x4 slot. Any solution here ?
 
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