No video during POST, but starts working when Windows loads???

[Glendor]

Specs:
Biostar TForce4 SLI w/ latest bios
Opteron 165 (also tried 3500+)
4x Corsair 512mb CMX512-3200XLPro w/ actvity LEDs
600w SLI approved PSU
Two GeForce 7950GX2 video cards in SLI (Quad SLI)
SATA Harddrive & DVDRW

Note one: All the hardware above was working perfectly on an Abit Fatal1ty AN8-SLI before being moved to the Biostar mobo, and it works perfectly when moved back to the Abit board.
Note two: With only one 7950GX2 card installed, the video works correctly, but the memory problem (if it is a problem) still remains.

Problem one: When the 2nd 7950GX2 is installed, and the SLI Key is changed to SLI Mode, and the SLI Bridge is connected to both cards, the computer no longer displays video output during the POST stage of the bootup process. Video comes back when Windows loads, but nothing from the time it's powered on, till you get to the Windows logon screen. Makes it impossible to get into the CMOS while two video cards are installed.

Problem two (possibly related to one above): After each reboot, the Windows resolution resets to 800x600, and must be manually reset to 1024x768. With only one card, it doesn't have this problem.

Problem three: Only memory modules 1 & 3 display activity even though Windows shows that there is 2048mb of memory in dual channel mode. The same combination on the Abit board showed equal amounts of activity on all four modules.

Help...

 

[cputeq]

Sounds like a BIOS problem. Checked for any BIOS updates?

edit - la la, just saw "latest bios". Still, sounds to me like a BIOS incompatibility.

 

[Glendor]

You might be onto something...

I installed the latest (and only) Bios from the Biostar-USA website:
Name / Description / Date
NSLIA503.bst / Fixed SLI issue / 5/3/06

But on the Biostar-Global (and on the Biostar-Taiwan) site I found two bios updates:
Name / Description / Date
NSLIA503.bst / Update Bios Source Code / 8/3/07
NSLIA927.bst / Fix SLI mode detect issue / 8/3/07

I wonder if I should install the newer NSLIA503 bios from the Global site AND the NSLIA927 bios, OR just skip to the NSLIA927 bios.

Suggestions?

 

[Glendor]

The new bios didn't help, same problems.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Your motherboard does not officially support Quad Sli and make sure your Psu can put out the extreme ammount of power needed for Quad Sli.

 

[Glendor]

Originally posted by: Dazed and Confused
Your motherboard does not officially support http://www.nvidia.com/content/...os/us.asp">Quad Sli and make sure your Psu can put out the extreme ammount of power needed for Quad Sli.

I noticed that, but neither did my previous one, yet it worked on it. The CPU, RAM, PSU, both video cards, etc... All came off my Abit mobo, and worked great with Quad SLI. The only varible that changed was the mobo itself. I already found that PCI to PCIe option in the CMOS, and changing it didn't seem to make a difference.