No display with older monitor

[rakka]

I just finished a new build with a GeForce 680 graphics card, but I'm having trouble getting a display on my monitor. I'm wondering if its because my monitor is rather old. I'm using an ancient Viewsonic E90F 19' CRT monitor right now while I save up money for a new one. It has a VGA connector which I connect to the DVI-I port on the graphics card with the included adapter. If I hook the computer up to my TV via an HDMI cable, the display shows up fine and I get into the BIOS with no problems.

My first thought was i might need the NVidia drivers installed, and I plan on installing windows 7 once the package with it arrives, but I was wondering if anyone else knew if older CRT monitors are compatible with newer graphics cards? I'd appreciate any help. My computer specs are included below:

Intel 3770K
ASUS Sabertooth Z77 motherboard
EVGA GeForce 680gtx
G. SKill RipJaw 1600 16gb DDR3
120gb OCZ Vertex 3 SSD

Thanks.

Rakka

 

[Sunius]

It should be compatible. Did you try another DVI port? GTX 680 has more than one of them.

 

[rakka]

The second port is a DVI-D port. Unfortunately the card didn't come with a VGA to DVI-D adapter so I can't try the second port.

 

[Sunius]

Oh yea, I see. DVI-D to VGA adapter wouldn't work either. Do you have a friend with DVI monitor? It would be nice to check if the port isn't dead.

 

[ko888]

Did you just connect it up with the analog VGA monitor and no devices connected to the HDMI port?

The graphics card may consider any display connected to the HDMI port to be the primary display and won't display anything on other displays until you you go into the NVIDIA control panel and setup the multiple monitor configuration or change around which display is considered the primary display.

 

[rakka]

No friends with a monitor I could use. Nothing else is connected to the card except for the monitor via the vga to dvi converter.

 

[ko888]

No friends with a monitor I could use. Nothing else is connected to the card except for the monitor via the vga to dvi converter.

Is the DVI-to-VGA adapter connected to the DVI 1 port (i.e. DVI-I port on the same side as the HDMI and DisplayPort ports)?

 

[rakka]

Is the DVI-to-VGA adapter connected to the DVI 1 port (i.e. DVI-I port on the same side as the HDMI and DisplayPort ports)?

Yes. The adapter doesn't fit into the DVI-D port.

 

[ko888]

Yes. The adapter doesn't fit into the DVI-D port.

What Operating System are you currently using?

If you're using Windows did you try booting up in Safe Mode?

 

[rakka]

I don't currently have an operating system installed. I just finished building this guy today, and I just wanted to get into the BIOS to look at fan speeds, CPU temps, and play with settings. The fact that my old CRT isn't getting recognized but my HD TV is getting recognized has me a bit worried, though. Do you think I simply need to wait to get into windows and install the NVidia drivers? I'm planning on using my TV as a monitor for the install. Is there any reason why my CRT wouldn't be compatible with a 680 gtx?

 

[Sunius]

No, BIOS is not affected by windows drivers. I'm pretty certain that either the adapter or the DVI-I slot is faulty.

 

[ko888]

I don't currently have an operating system installed. I just finished building this guy today, and I just wanted to get into the BIOS to look at fan speeds, CPU temps, and play with settings. The fact that my old CRT isn't getting recognized but my HD TV is getting recognized has me a bit worried, though. Do you think I simply need to wait to get into windows and install the NVidia drivers? I'm planning on using my TV as a monitor for the install. Is there any reason why my CRT wouldn't be compatible with a 680 gtx?

Displaying the UEFI BIOS Setup doesn't require any Windows display drivers because the Windows Operating system isn't even needed or loaded at this point. In fact you don't even need any disk drives of any sort connected and you should still be able to get into the UEFI BIOS Setup.

I would say that your analog VGA monitor is not being detected by the graphics card. That could be due to the implementation of the DVI-I to VGA adapter.

 

[rakka]

I just tried connecting a not-so-old-but-still-5+ years old lenovo LCD monitor via the same VGA to DVI-I adapter and it worked. I know the CRT monitor is good as I can still hook it up to my laptop and get a picture. Is there any reason a CRT monitor wouldn't be compatible with this new graphics card?

 

[ko888]

I just tried connecting a not-so-old-but-still-5+ years old lenovo LCD monitor via the same VGA to DVI-I adapter and it worked. I know the CRT monitor is good as I can still hook it up to my laptop and get a picture. Is there any reason a CRT monitor wouldn't be compatible with this new graphics card?

Maybe Viewsonic left out something in its implementation of the VGA spec that allows the monitor to be properly detected.