Abit KR7A and PowerColor 9800 Pro problem

[Shears]

Hi guys,

I just bought a PowerColor 9800 Radeon Pro and installed it in my system (it was replacing my NVidia 4400Ti). The problem is that it won't post. If I unplug the PSU power cable that connects to the video card, the computer will post, but it will display a message saying to connect the power cable to the video card. The trick I have to use in order to get it to post is to plug the power cable into the video card during that Message Display and then hit reset. After that, the computer will boot up. If I don't do that, the computer won't post at all.

Does anyone have any information or knowledge that could help me with this problem?

Specs:
Abit KR7A w/ lastest BIOS
Athlon XP 1700+
Enermax 425w PSU
Radeon 9800 Pro
Audigy 2 ZS


Thank you in advance.

 

[MichaelD]

You have a really good PS, so I doubt it's that. Remove and reseat the card; when a card is new, sometimes it takes a little "wiggling and scuffing" to get the contacts to seat correctly.

Also, does your PS have "fan only" 12v connectors? Possibly you have the videocard's additional power connector plugged into one of those instead of a "normal" 12v connector?

 

[Shears]

Yeah, I've experimented with using different power connectors to see if that would help, but to my dismay, nothing helped.

 

[MichaelD]

Have you tried reseating the card?

Possibly the card is bad. Give a good once-over under a bright light. Is the aux 12v connector firmly attached to the PCB? Maybe it's loose or something. Hopefully it works out and you don't have to return it.

 

[Shears]

Yeah, I've tried all that. I've done almost everything I can think of. I contacted PowerColor and they said they don't think it's their card and to contact Abit.
I wrote to Abit, but I have yet to hear a word from them.

 

[MichaelD]

Come to think of it...well...maybe not.

Here's what I'm thinking. Your motherboard is not AGP 8X capable...AFAIK, it's 4xAGP, right? The 9800 is an 8x card...but so is the tTi4400 it replaces, right? I'm thinking maybe your mobo just doesn't like that card due to the AGP thing.

BUT, the card should just run at 4xAGP speeds then...

 

[Shears]

I was thinking the same thing. I can't explain it. I've emailed Abit too and they haven't responded.

 

[MichaelD]

It's my guess that Abit will say "the card is defective" just like PowerColor said "the mob is defective."

Unfortunately, that's the way it works in this hobby sometimes.

Bottom-Reality-Line: You have a new, top of the line, powerful videocard in an old (relatively...) basic motherboard. Sometimes these things just don't play well together.

It would be nice if you could try that card out in another rig. You've gotta know SOMEONE that has a system with an AGP slot on the mobo. Just to see if it boots, you know?

I highly doubt it's your PS...but in this hobby, anything is possible. Again, I doubt it's the PS.

If I were in your shoes, I would try that card out in whatever system I could get my hands on.

Did you just buy the thing? If you feel you're at wits' end, return it. They have to deal with it, not you.

 

[trevinom]

In this hobby, you at least 3 of everthing so that when you aren't sure, you have at least 2 others that you can try out before you come to any conclusions.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

I know you have a decent enermax but it still sounds like a PSU issue.

 

[Unforgiven]

yeah that is a quality power supply but my question is how many devices are hooked up to the psu? how many hard drives, fans, cd rom's, etc?