System sometimes booting with XFX 7970

mjesmi

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Jan 24, 2012
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Hi all,

I've installed a XFX HD7970 in my rig a week ago, but it is having some problems booting up. My components are the following:

Mobo: Gigabyte P55 UD3R
CPU: Intel i7 860 @ stockspeeds with a Zalman cooler
MEM: 4x 2gb Corsair XMS3 @ 1600Mhz
HDD: 1x 256gb Crucial m4, 1x 1tb Samsung spinpoint fsometing
PSU: ANTEC Truepower 650W (almost 2years old now)
Old GFX: XFX HD4770

My rig will only boot up sometimes (less then 10%) when I install the HD7970 in it, but it will boot 100% with the old HD4770 in it. Once the system has booted once with the HD7970, then it won't have any problems with rebooting or turning the system on and off again. So this problem looks to be only occuring on a cold boot.

I'm not really sure what the problem is, thats why I come here to ask you guys for your opinion.
My current guess is the PSU, but from what I've heared 650W should be enough for the HD7970 in my current setup due to it's low power consumption.

What's the exact problem?
With the XFX HD7970 in my rig, the system won't startup when coldbooting. The problem has occured once in a reboot, but the other scenario's are coldboots. Not starting up means that all the fans (cpu & gfx) will start, my Samsung HDD starts to make sounds that he's reading, but I do not get a signal on my screen nor I will get any sound that Windows started up.

My screen shows black all the time, like it's done when the system is powered off (the GFX doesn't output anything). It looks like the MOBO isn't starting up.

Things I've done
First of all the installation:
I've installed the HD7970 in my 16x PCI-E with a 6+2pins PCI-E connector and a 6pins PCI-E connector comming from two different rails out of my PSU. Installing the card in my other PCI-E slot (only 4x) doesn't make any difference. Neither changing around the PCI-E connectors, e.g. connecting 6+2pins and 6 pins from a single rails or switching connectors around between the rails.

BIOS:
Updated the BIOS to the latest possible version found on the Gigabyte site. I actually didn't do this before so my SSD was not trimming *oops*.

Drivers:
Updated all the chipset drivers. Was able to do this since the system boots normally with the HD4770 in it.


What do you guys think that might be the problem and how I can resolve this?
 

mjesmi

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Jan 24, 2012
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I'm sure that 1 rail is 25A which is a module cable (12v4 rail), but I'm not sure what the A is from the PCI-E cables comming out of the PSU itself. Below here are the stats of the rails.

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mjesmi

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I didn't try yet, because I do not own another system where this card fits.
I'm going to try it in a friends system tonight, I'll keep you posted.
 

mjesmi

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I ordered a new PSU, i went for the Corsair HX series since it is 80 Plus Silver rated. Will arrive tomorrow!
I'll keep you posted.
 

sanyalvd90

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What up! Any luck??? I just got my Gigabyte 7970OC and that M..F wont start my monitors. I can hear my Windows loaded but monitors wont start.

My rig, Gigabyte ma 790x ud4p, 630W pcu, 1100T x6
 

Vettedude

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Start your own thread, don't jack someone else's. Did you disable your onboard graphics or previous driver if you had Nvidia before?
 

sanyalvd90

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raidmax rx-630ss. asus 5780 or gigabyte 5850 i had worked with no problems. i have latest bios on my mobo but same thing as OP. Switching back to Gigabyte 5850 it works, 7970 wont start monitors i tried DP DVI HDmi
 

I think it's not enough. Change it.
 

mjesmi

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Build in my new PSU yesterday (Corsair HX850), did not change a thing.. So it's clear that it is not the PSU :)
 

mjesmi

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Tried, did not work.
The other PCI-E slot is also a 1.0 not a 2.0/3.0.
 

monsta

Splendid
im actually stumped , you have done everything possible to get this card to work , you know what you are doing.
What confuses me tho is why it works perfectly in your friends system and does not in yours.
Last resort...is to back up everything and start from scratch, reinstall windows, install lastest chipset/mobo drivers and ATI drivers first before anything else...that may work but its an effort thats for sure.
 

sanyalvd90

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i got mine to work! Make shure u have latest mobo bios. change bios to display PEG1 first did the trick. 630 is not enough, pcu goes in protective mode within 1 min of playing BF3 6040x1080 eyefinity most setings ultra ~40 sec stable frames, now i need new pcu lol
 

mjesmi

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Good that it works for you!
My bios has the latest version though and I've tried that BIOS setting as well and that does not work for me. I've got XFX support currently examaning the problem with me.
 

mjesmi

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The card did not boot in the other system this weekend. His motherboard has Dr DEBUG which stated that it was stuck on the status "B2".
 

JonK99

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Having the same trouble!
XFX R7970 graphics card with 8.921.2 RC11 drivers from AMD website.
Gigabyte GA Z68XP-UD3P motherboard F7e (latest) BIOS.
BIOS set to PCie initial priority and only use on-board graphics when no PEG.
i5 2500K processor at 4.1GHz
Antec Truepower 750W PSU
Samsung Syncmaster 2333HD monitor
Appears that the card is not detected - no display at all though obviously booting - output from on-board graphics still active.
HD5870 card in same slot works fine.
XFX R7970 works in other computer with i7 960 and GA X58A-UD3R motherboard.
Raised with XFX - -sloping shoulders - must be motherboard compatibility issue contact Gigabyte. Did so 24 hrs ago waiting for reply.

Anything else to try?http://img.tomshardware.com/forum/uk/icones/frown.gif