OLD SCHOOL: Tyan K7 Tiger (S2462) - won't post when AGP card is installed?

[Centauri]

Hey guys,

Building a system around this Athlon MP board currently. It posts and works fine with the onboard Rage 128. But it won't post once I install any of my 5, known-working, AGP video cards. I don't get video from the onboard VGA either when an AGP card is installed.

The slot is getting power because the fans on the AGP cards will spin up on power-on. I've also tried a more modern AGP card with a direct PCIe power connector to bypass the powerdraw on the AGP slot - no dice either.

Anybody have any insights into what the problem could be?

Thanks

 

[Insert_Nickname]

AGP compatibility was always something of a mess. Some older mainboards don't like AGP4x cards, older AGP2x cards don't like newer mainboards, different power supply (3.3v, 1.5v, 0.8v) etc. There is little you can do apart from trying to match mainboard and card specification. Try and avoid AGP8x (AGP3.0) cards, those tend to only work in the last few AGP mainboard generations.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accelerated_Graphics_Port#Compatibility

 

[Centauri]

Yes but that's why I picked up this board - it has AGP Pro Universal. Should work with everything.

There're people with HD 4000 series cards in these.

 

[Insert_Nickname]

Yes but that's why I picked up this board - it has AGP Pro Universal. Should work with everything.

Key word there. But before anything else, what kind of power supply are you using? Old mainboards like this draw most of their power from the 3.3v and 5v rails. A modern PSU might not be able to supply enough power on those rails when you add a card. You'll want something that can put out 20A minimum on both those rails, 25A or 30A would be better. An AGP card will still draw quite a bit, even with the additional external connector.

There're people with HD 4000 series cards in these.

This board specifically, or AGP Pro Universal slots in general?A HD4000 series would be an AGP8x card, and backwards compatibility was pretty spotty with those.

If you have one available, I'd try an AGP2x card. They're generally the most compatible from what I remember (it's been a while). See if it works with that.

 

[Centauri]

I think you're onto something with the power supply. My 3.3 and 5s are only 18a

Yeah, there's a guy on YouTube with a litany of benchmarks using this board with a 4000 series Radeon.

I've tried a Rage 128, original Radeon and Radeon 7500 among others. No dice.

I'll definitely try another PSU now though

 

[Centauri]

Got a unit with a 28/30a on the 3.3 and 5s - still no dice.

 

[Insert_Nickname]

Got a unit with a 28/30a on the 3.3 and 5s - still no dice.

Dang. Was worth a shot. Might be the board has gone bad. Seems unlikely since it'll post with the Rage...

Could it be some BIOS setting interfering when adding a card? Perhaps it's set to only recognise the onboard card. Could try clearing the CMOS. Is there output on the Rage's VGA port when you add a card?

Might try cleaning the slot, with a little compressed air.

Other then that, I'm out of ideas.

 

[Centauri]

Thanks.

I've looked in the BIOS and don't see a setting that would be affecting an AGP card.

Already tried compressed air in the slot and the CMOS clear.

Onboard Rage doesn't output either when an AGP card is installed.

 

[Centauri]

Alright, I've tracked down the Tyan recommended PSU finally.

5v - 27a
3.3v - 45a

Still no video when an AGP card is installed.

I also picked up a Radeon 9250 PCI card. No video from it either. And the AGP card is out when it is in.

I can't imagine there's something wrong enough with this board that the AGP and all PCI slots don't work.

*sigh*

 

[Centauri]

Also just tried a Promise PCI SATA card and running from onboard video I can see its BIOS identified during post. So the PCI slots are working.

 

[kastriot]

Do you have latest bios?

Edit: Did you disable onboard video before inserting AGP card?