Graphics Card Not Recognised

[5ive]

Hi everyone, long time lurker finally having to ask for some help with a problem!

I've recently upgraded my system with a new processor, motherboard and RAM to something a bit more up to date.

Everything is running exactly as expected, apart from the fact I cannot get my graphics card to be recognised by either the bios or in windows. I know the graphics card works as it has been carried over from the previous build.

The current specs now are:

i5-3450
MSI B75MA - P45 motherboard
8GB memory.
550W PSU.

The GPU is an nVidia GTX260.

Everything is seated properly, power connections are all there and the GPU fans are running.
I've updated the BIOS and motherboard drivers but I still cannot find a way to tell it to use external graphics. There doesn't seem to be an option to turn off integrated graphics in the BIOS. The nVidia driver installer can't find any cards either.

Does anyone have any experience with the MSI BIOS? I think I'm missing something obvious but it is starting to get annoying.

It's a bit of a mixture of components but there's no reason why they shouldn't be able to work together.

Anyone got any suggestions?

 

[Steltek]

Look in the BIOS settings for an option labeled Initiate Graphics Display. You want to ensure that it is set to PEG and not IGD. If there is also an option there labeled IGD Multi-Monitor, make sure to turn it on as well. If it is turned off, the system will always default to integrated graphics and will never look for a PCIe graphics card.

 

[5ive]

I definitely have those options so I'll try that.

Silly question before I do, if I make those changes and the graphics card still isn't putting anything out, will the motherboard's VGA outputs still work in the BIOS for me to revert the changes? Don't want to end up with no way of seeing what's happening on the screen!

 

[Steltek]

I definitely have those options so I'll try that.
Silly question before I do, if I make those changes and the graphics card still isn't putting anything out, will the motherboard's VGA outputs still work in the BIOS for me to revert the changes? Don't want to end up with no way of seeing what's happening on the screen!

Those are the options that control what video output options are available.

If it doesn't work, you might have to reset the BIOS options to defaults by using the CMOS jumper on the motherboard (make sure to do it with the power turned off, though, as you otherwise could damage the motherboard) to get back in.

Just make sure you know which BIOS settings you changed (if any) when you built the system.

The IGD Multi-Monitor setting should allow you to have both active at the same time. There is probably a software driver (like Lucidlogix VirtuMVP) that will allow you to jump back and forth between them or use them at the same time on different monitors.

 

[5ive]

That makes sense thanks.

PEG was already set and turning on IGD Multi-Monitor hasn't made any difference.

I think I'll need to try another graphics card in the slot. Starting to think it might be an issue with the PCI-e slot.

 

[Steltek]

That makes sense thanks.

PEG was already set and turning on IGD Multi-Monitor hasn't made any difference.

I think I'll need to try another graphics card in the slot. Starting to think it might be an issue with the PCI-e slot.

If you haven't done so, I'd suggest trying that graphics card in another system as well just to be sure it isn't defective. I presume you double-checked to ensure that the external power cables were firmly plugged in to the card?

 

[Ketchup]

Are you using the same connection (cable) for the integrated graphics and the card?

 

[5ive]

I'll need to put together some of my old bits to see if the card is still working with those.

Power cables are both fully in, card is firmly attached on the motherboard side.

I'm using the same cable to try both so that rules out the cable.

Everything seems to be right which is why I'm suspecting the motherboard.

My next steps are to try the card with my old motherboard and also to get hold of another working card to try with the new setup. Hopefully that will shed some light on where the problem lies.

Everything else is running so nicely, this is just annoying me now. I was planning on switching to a less huge card in the near future anyway so if the card is dead it's no big deal, I just need to rule everything else out first.

 

[Ketchup]

I'll need to put together some of my old bits to see if the card is still working with those.

Power cables are both fully in, card is firmly attached on the motherboard side.

I'm using the same cable to try both so that rules out the cable.

Everything seems to be right which is why I'm suspecting the motherboard.

My next steps are to try the card with my old motherboard and also to get hold of another working card to try with the new setup. Hopefully that will shed some light on where the problem lies.

Everything else is running so nicely, this is just annoying me now. I was planning on switching to a less huge card in the near future anyway so if the card is dead it's no big deal, I just need to rule everything else out first.

So, if you go into device manager, what do you see for the card, if anything? If the card were getting power, I would expect to see at the very lest a listing under device manager for an unrecognized item, or maybe just a video card, but not giving signal? Have you tried installing video drivers just to see what it says?

When you say all power connectors, I am assuming you mean the one on the video card.

Oh, and I downloaded your manual. Pretty much useless for BIOS settings.

 

[Steltek]

When you say all power connectors, I am assuming you mean the one on the video card.

That was my question, too. The GTX260 (at least the one I have in my old Q9550 based system) requires two 6 pin power connectors.

 

[5ive]

There's an unknown device showing in the device manager yeah, the only device shown under display adapters is the integrated graphics.

The manual has been useless with all of this.

Both 6 pin connectors are connected properly, using the PSU from the previous build.

I've tried to install the video drivers but the nVidia installer refuses to do anything without a card detected.

Another bit of hunting has found this which lists testing of a few nVidia cards at the bottom. The absence of a GTX260 is a bit strange...

 

[Steltek]

There's an unknown device showing in the device manager yeah, the only device shown under display adapters is the integrated graphics.

The manual has been useless with all of this.

Both 6 pin connectors are connected properly, using the PSU from the previous build.

I've tried to install the video drivers but the nVidia installer refuses to do anything without a card detected.

Another bit of hunting has found this which lists testing of a few nVidia cards at the bottom. The absence of a GTX260 is a bit strange...

I think you were on the right track before with trying another video card in the motherboard, and/or trying the GTX260 in another system. Something just doesn't seem right here. I presume you've tried re-installing all the motherboard chipset drivers?

Another thing you might consider is pulling the motherboard from the case, placing it on a non-conductive surface (cardboard or a static bag), plugging in the video card, one stick of DRAM and the power supply and trying to start it up. Doing this would at least ensure that the problem isn't being caused by a grounding issue of some sort.

 

[Ketchup]

There's an unknown device showing in the device manager yeah, the only device shown under display adapters is the integrated graphics.

If it's not there when you take the card out, it's your video card.

The manual has been useless with all of this.

Agreed

Both 6 pin connectors are connected properly, using the PSU from the previous build.

Good

I've tried to install the video drivers but the nVidia installer refuses to do anything without a card detected.

Have you tried to manually install the drivers through the Update Driver option in device manager? I have had boards that did not like the Nvidia driver installer, granted they were mostly laptops. Since you started the installation, all the Nvidia files you need will be in folder C\Nvidia.

On a side note, my motherboard would boot on the card in my sig just fine with the onboard video enabled, so I wouldn't worry too much that the option can't be found in your BIOS.

Also, I would go ahead and use the Windows program to update the BIOS to 1.6. The description reads "Improved PCI-E display card compatibility." Don't worry, it will run fine.

 

[5ive]

I'll spend some time with it all out the case.

Turns out the unknown device is to do with "Smart Connect", no idea why I'd need that but it's irrelevant at the moment anyway.

I'd already updated the BIOS before doing much else just so that I was starting as up to date as possible.

I'll have time later this week to do a bit more investigation.

Thank you both for your help so far, it has at least confirmed that I've not done anything stupid (I think!). I'll post an update when I've had a chance to get it all out the case.

 

[Ketchup]

I'll spend some time with it all out the case.

Turns out the unknown device is to do with "Smart Connect", no idea why I'd need that but it's irrelevant at the moment anyway.

I'd already updated the BIOS before doing much else just so that I was starting as up to date as possible.

I'll have time later this week to do a bit more investigation.

Thank you both for your help so far, it has at least confirmed that I've not done anything stupid (I think!). I'll post an update when I've had a chance to get it all out the case.

Very good. Let us know how it goes.

 

[5ive]

Just a quick update.

I've borrowed another card to try and am having the exact same issues. Looks like there is probably an issue with the board.

However, this time it is a card which needs no extra power from the psu, just what it gets from the motherboard and the fan is spinning up fine. I do find that a bit odd.

 

[Ketchup]

I was afraid it was the board, but applaud your patience with the whole matter. A similar board shouldn't be too much. Just don't go MSI this time, lol.

This is barley relevant, but I had one MSI board years ago (we're talking AMD Athlon old), and it died on me after a relatively short period of time. I know there are plenty of others who have bought fine MSI boards, but I don't think I'll be going back.

 

[5ive]

Well I have managed to resolve the original issue. I've got a new motherboard - this time a Gigabyte one and I'm running from the graphics card now.

However, I've now got an overall fuzzy appearance to the display. Not massively, but enough to be giving me a bit of a sore head after only 10 minutes or so. I've got a few things to try to resolve it but at least it's up and running now.

 

[Ketchup]

Well I have managed to resolve the original issue. I've got a new motherboard - this time a Gigabyte one and I'm running from the graphics card now.

However, I've now got an overall fuzzy appearance to the display. Not massively, but enough to be giving me a bit of a sore head after only 10 minutes or so. I've got a few things to try to resolve it but at least it's up and running now.

Cool, sometimes it's that way "seems like there is always something." Could be a physical issue like the cord, but hard to say for sure (at least for me).

 

[5ive]

I'm certain that it is something to do with the Windows or nVidia settings as the fuzziness only starts at the login screen. Everything before that is crystal clear. I've got it slightly better so just need to find the sweet setup. Seems to be a bit of common thing with certain nVidia cards.

Thanks for all your help! :thumbsup: