Accidently broke the default PCI-E x16 slot. Now PC freezes on startup with distorted bar on screen

SilverDeers · Jun 10, 2017

Hi,

I bought a new PC case to replace my old one, reusing all my old components. When I tried to pull out the video card (Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970) from the motherboard (ASUS P8P67 Pro), I forgot to release the plastic latch that locks the card and accidentally broke the latch and twisted the PCI-E slot. After I installed everything onto the new case and powered the computer for the first time, I got a "No Signal" on my monitor. I figured that this would happen, as I must have ruined that slot. Because the Asus P8P67 Pro has a second PCI-E slot, I placed the video card in the second slot. Now the monitor gets a signal and my computer starts up, until the Windows 10 logo shows up and 5 seconds later the screen freezes and a thin white distorted horizontal bar appears on the top side of the screen.

Does anyone have an idea what might be causing this? My first guess would be that the motherboard isn't configured to have a single video card seated on the second slot, and that causes my PC to freeze on startup...Does that make sense?

I would love to hear your thoughts.

My PC specs:
Intel Core i5‑2500 3.3 GHz Quad‑Core Processor
Motherboard: ASUS P8P67 Pro
Video card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970
Power Supply: Evga 600B

Thanks in advance.

DRagor · Jun 10, 2017

If you go to BIOS, does it work for whatever long time you want? If yes, that would mean it's just Windows problem - it is probably waiting to get signal from GPU in first slot (as it always was), and gets confused when it does not come. In that case you should try going to safe mode or do Windows clean install.
Another possibility is that there is a shortcut in destroyed PCIe slot - but I think that should make the freeze happen in BIOS too.

SilverDeers · Jun 10, 2017

Thanks DRagor. To answer your question - I can go to the Asus EFI Bios Utility setup (by pressing F8), and everything works fine there. The computer freezes immediately after windows 10 starts up. Also, I don't have an option to boot into safe mode.

DRagor · Jun 10, 2017

If BIOS works, there's hope. Check if keyboard works after freeze. If so, you could try pressing Windows+P several times.

SilverDeers · Jun 10, 2017

Tried your suggestion but unfortunately the keyboard doesn't seem to respond after freeze.

I read somewhere that a distorted bar showing up on the screen will usually imply that something is wrong with the video card or the PCI-E slot. Is there any truth to this claim?

SBMfromLA · Jun 10, 2017

Did you double check your card to see if you might have damaged that as well?

DRagor · Jun 10, 2017

SilverDeers :

Yes, any visual artifacts usually point to GPU failure. But any such problems often appear in BIOS too, which is not the case here. However, possibility of damaging GPU cannot be excluded. SBMfromLA raised good point, remove the card from PC and take a close look at pins on the card.

SilverDeers · Jun 10, 2017

SBMfromLA :

Physically it seems like the card wasn't affected at all... Is there any other way to check whether the card has been damaged?

SilverDeers · Jun 10, 2017

DRagor :

SilverDeers :

Yes, any visual artifacts usually point to GPU failure. But any such problems often appear in BIOS too, which is not the case here. However, possibility of damaging GPU cannot be excluded. SBMfromLA raised good point, remove the card from PC and take a close look at pins on the card.

Looking closely at the pins on the card, everything looks good.

DRagor · Jun 10, 2017

In that case, the only other thing I think could help, would be Windows clean install.

SilverDeers · Jun 10, 2017

DRagor :

If I don't want to do a clean Windows install, is replacing the motherboard a good alternative?

DRagor · Jun 10, 2017

Sure, but you would need exactly same model of motherboard. Otherwise, there's a good chance that you will need to do a clean install anyway (for different reasons though).

ko888 · Jun 10, 2017

SilverDeers :

I would say that is your only alternative.

The problem you're encountering is when the graphics card driver in Windows accesses or enables the last 8 lanes of the damaged PCI-e x16 slot.

I would try placing another PCI-e card in the PCIEX16_2 slot so that the PCIEX16_1 slot operates in x8 mode to test the hypothesis.

SilverDeers · Jun 10, 2017

ko888 :

Good idea!! I will try to get another PCI-E card for testing purposes.
And if your theory is correct, I guess I will have to buy a second Asus P8P67 Pro motherboard and swap it with the damaged one.

SilverDeers · Jun 10, 2017

Thank you all for your help!

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