Computer not booting

[themaverick2007]

I am trying to install Sapphire HD 5450 1GB DDR3 card on a emachines T6410.

As soon as I install the card in the PCIe slot, the computer refuses to boot. Once I remove the card the computer boots up again.

First I thought that it was a power supply issue, so I borrowed a 500watt PSU from a friend who has a gaming machine. But this didn't work either.

Is there a fundamental problem of compatibility with my motherboard?

Here are the specs for my machine (I know its old)

Specifications
CPU : AMD Athlon™ 64 3200+ Processor (512KB L2 cache, 2.2GHz, 1600MHz FSB)
Operating System : Genuine Microsoft® Windows® XP Home SP2
Chipset : ATI RS480
Memory : 2GB DDR (400MHz)
Hard Drive : 160GB
Video : ATI Radeon™® Xpress 200 (PCI-Express® )128MB DDR shared video memory
Sound : AC '97 audio, Dolby 5.1 (6-channel)

Thanks

 

[themaverick2007]

It looks like there is a problem with PCIe 2.1 cards on a PCIe 1.0 slot

 

[Lutfij]

Welcome to the forums!

The other thing you can do is you can get into BIOS and see if evrything checks out OK (without the card installed).See if detection of hardware is set to - auto or disabled.

PCI-e 2.1 is backwards compatible to 1.0 slots, so there's no issue with the slot. Here's something crazy to do - try taking one of your ram sticks out (i.e - have 1 Gb running on your system) and see if the PC boots up with the graphics card in your machine

 

[themaverick2007]

Checked the BIOS settings and made sure the BIOS looks for a graphics card on the PCIe slot. Removed 1GB RAM stick.

But it is still not booting up.

 

[1tym]

I am trying to install Sapphire HD 5450 1GB DDR3 card on a emachines T6410.

As soon as I install the card in the PCIe slot, the computer refuses to boot. Once I remove the card the computer boots up again.

Sounds like you have onboad graphics so here's a question did you plug your monitor into the new graphics card because it sounds like you still have it pluged to the onboard one.

 

[themaverick2007]

Sounds like you have onboad graphics so here's a question did you plug your monitor into the new graphics card because it sounds like you still have it pluged to the onboard one.

Even when I have the monitor connected to the new graphics card, it still doesn't boot.

 

[themaverick2007]

I am going to try the following escalation steps:

1) Clear CMOS

I will try clearing the CMOS and the boot with the new card.

If the above doesn't work, then

2) Flash the BIOS

MSI has released drivers for the mainboard/motherboard (RS480m Socket 754) on 23 Feb 2006. Although old, this will repalce the emachines BIOS software and may help in proper implementation of the PCIe1.0a slot.

I will let you know the results tonight.

 

[themaverick2007]

So I tried the clear CMOS process and that didn't work.

I am not sure if the BIOS updates provided by MSI for the RS480m board contain anything specific for this issue, so I haven't gone ahead with the BIOS flash.

Any idea if the latest drivers would fix this problem?

 

[knopv]

Hi, I have the same issue with my graphics card and computer. So yesterday we had a chance to try another card and my computer was booting. After that we tried another computer with my card (5770) and the other computer didn't boot at all. So it looks like it's a problem with the card (broken?!). I'll return my card and try a new one

 

[themaverick2007]

I tried flashing the BIOS yesterday and got an error. Apparently, emachines have installed their own BIOS which I gather from the chatter on other forums is very buggy.

I will try and get another BIOS version from them, but I am more inclined to just go and change the card.

I had got a PCIe2.0 card before that worked. I was not happy with the fan in that card and hence returned that. Now I have the option of getting a silent PCIe2.0 graphics card, which is what I will get tonight.

Hoping that would work.

 

[Lutfij]

a silent version usually means a quieter overall working environment but the payoff i that the heat gets dumped into your casing. So make sure ur case air flow is optimal.

From the way you've pointed out the problems - there may be a problem with the slot/card. Let us know what happens

 

[themaverick2007]

So finally I got a ASUS 4350 512MB PCIe 2.0 and that works fine in the slot. Maybe it is a problem with ATI's 2.1 cards.

 

[Lutfij]

hmmmm wierd , i havent heard of that problem before. Ofcourse there was a post that mentioned some older versions of PCI-e 1.0 slots being incompatible with 2.1 otherwise the ones after that bug were fine with PCI-e 2.1

anyways GAME ON!

 

[themaverick2007]

Thank you all for your contribution

 

[themaverick2007]

Best answer selected by themaverick2007.

 

[ansley]

I just wanted to update this thread a little. I just pulled an ATI(by ATI) Radeon 5670 after upgrading another computer, and put it in my Emachines T6410 with the exact same results. I've tried every combo of monitor cable and monitor, plus changed bios to check PCEie slot first. I also found another thread on another forum with no solution. I suspect that yes, PCIEx 2.1 cards are indeed not compatible with this computer. I REALLY want it to work, but I don't think it will.