Please help, TWO X1900XTs don't work in EITHER of my PCs

[hynat]

Ok, here's the story.

A week ago I got myself a Sapphire X1900XT along with other parts to build a new gaming rig.

The rig is this:
A8N32-SLI Deluxe
Aforementioned GPU
Opteron 170
OCZ 2GB Platinum ed. DDR500
WD Raptor 74
Seasonic 500

I put it together and booted it up. No go. So after a few hours I isolated the problem--the GPU. My old Geforce 6800 GT worked fine in this new rig. I get signal to monitor and shows pre-BIOS stuff.
So I try the X1900XT in my older comp (MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum, AMD 3400+, TwinMOS ram) and it doesn't work in this either. The 6-pin connector from the PSU is connected to the GPU, I've had confirmation that this GPU works with the A8N32, the monitor I'm using has DVI input. Both cards have DVI output.

I ran out of ideas, so I decided this GPU was DOA. I was about to send it in for return.

But today I got an ATI 1900XT at a local store and tried this in my A8N32.
And guess what? IT DOESN'T WORK. I then put this in my old PC and didn't work there EITHER.

Can someone please solve this mystery? What am I doing wrong?
Did I really get 2 DOA GPUs in a row, or am I doing something really, really stupid?

Please help

 

[WaTaGuMp]

edit I read your problem wrong sorry.

 

[hynat]

My Geforce 6800 GT worked in the same slot. So that can't be the cause.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Just a guess check to make sure SLI isnt enabled?

 

[hynat]

I haven't disabled or enabled the SLI. Do I need to do somethng in order to disable it?
I imagined it would automatically know if there was only one card connected.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Originally posted by: hynat
I haven't disabled or enabled the SLI. Do I need to do somethng in order to disable it?
I imagined it would automatically know if there was only one card connected.

I would guess check the bios make sure everything is ok in there then go from there.

 

[hynat]

Thanks, I will do this right now and report soon..

 

[WaTaGuMp]

If that isnt the issue then I will say this and take it as you wish. When I made the jump from Nvidia to Ati I did a full format and install of the OS, granted this was a LONG time ago and driver cleaner wasnt out, but I found this to be the best way to make sure there are no driver issues and residue built up. I also find this makes things easier to diagnose when installing things from scratch.

 

[Jules]

Originally posted by: WaTaGuMp
If that isnt the issue then I will say this and take it as you wish. When I made the jump from Nvidia to Ati I did a full format and install of the OS, granted this was a LONG time ago and driver cleaner wasnt out, but I found this to be the best way to make sure there are no driver issues and residue built up. I also find this makes things easier to diagnose when installing things from scratch.

THERE IS NO NEED TO REFORMAT CUS OF A GRAFIC CARD CHANGE.

use Nvidia nasty file remover.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Originally posted by: MyStupidMouth

Originally posted by: WaTaGuMp
If that isnt the issue then I will say this and take it as you wish. When I made the jump from Nvidia to Ati I did a full format and install of the OS, granted this was a LONG time ago and driver cleaner wasnt out, but I found this to be the best way to make sure there are no driver issues and residue built up. I also find this makes things easier to diagnose when installing things from scratch.

THERE IS NO NEED TO REFORMAT CUS OF A GRAFIC CARD CHANGE.

use Nvidia nasty file remover.

Thats fine like I said back in my days alot of that stuff wasnt around, I am just saying what I had to do when I did this YEARS ago.

 

[Gagan]

sounds like your Card is failing to power.
From what you're saying is that in theory the x1900xt works with the A8n32, which is right.

The thing is, theory and practice are different, and the reason is percent error, no machine is 100 percent efficient, in this case a person.

I am suspecting you have to little power going to the board itself(Molex's on the motherboard, 28pin+8pin+4pin) or the video card. If it's not posting it also could be that your PSU cannot handle it.

Another thing is that make SURE it is in the first PCIX slot, and that you are plugging in the RIGHT dvi input, dual link sometimes is finicky

Iw ill not see post on my sli setup if i choose the wrong dvi input, other than that my man, I am SoL for ideas

good luck with that!

 

[hynat]

Gagan,

I previously did not have the EZ-Plug plugged in to the mobo so I tried this--no go. The GPU is getting 6-pin and two sources of power from the mobo. It's difficult to think that's not enough power. I only have 1 optical, 1 X-Fi soundcard and 1 sata.

I didn't see any option to disable or enable SLI in the BIOS, so I didn't touch anything there besides disabling PEG link mode which someone on the A8N thread suggests I do. This didn't help either.
I also have been connecting the monitor DVI to both DVI outputs on the card to make sure I'm not connecting in the wrong one.

The only thing I havent tried is using the other PCI-e (black) slot. I've been using the blue one because the black one is difficult to install in (space issues). I will try this now though. I'm not sure if the black or the blue is the "first" slot, but the manual didn't specify which slot, so I assumed it didn't matter.

Anyway, I'll try the black slot. I'll also try it without the X-Fi. (more power?)

 

[Gagan]

Let me look at my 32.

Yeah man you have to have it in the blue one! Jeez! No wonder it didnt work1

edit for stupidity let me think one sec!

 

[Gagan]

So wait, you do see bios with the x1900xt, or how do you get to bios with the mobo/gpu?

 

[darkswordsman17]

I don't think it could be drivers because he's not even getting the machine to boot.

Hmm. This is a really strange thing. There's only two things I could possibly think of, and those would be either you somehow did get two defective cards in a row, or else your power supplies aren't enough for it (although a Seasonic S500 should be able to handle it no problem).

 

[hynat]

Gagan: I used the geforce 6800 GT to get to the BIOS. CPU/RAM is detected, no problem. SATA HD is detected as master and CD drive is also detected as master.

I've had the card in the blue slot, now I'm trying the black slot. *prays*

 

[hynat]

Ok, so I tried the black slot. It doesn't work.

 

[Gagan]

I meant keep t in the blue when I said edited for stupidity sorry for the hassle.

It is obviously notthe card. The A8n32 never behaves like this either. And you said you tried the old and new x1900 on both mobo's and no go?

It seriously sounds like a powering issue, you said the 6800gt works in it fine. that excludes the motherboard ports.

Are you using a pin convertor for the video card? Also is that video card's power lead being used by ANYTHING ELSE? Every PCI-E video card should have it's OWN DEDICATED LEDfrom the PSU

The adaptor may be the issue if you're using some sort of 4 to 6 pin PCI-e

 

[hynat]

The ATI X1900XT didn't come with a 4 to 6 pin adapter, so I just plugged in the PSU 6-pin to the GPU.
I have 3 fans that come with the p180 case, all of them is used on one power lead. The GPU lead has 2 6-pins) and only one of them is used by the GPU. I put the fans on Medium RPM so maybe that's eating too much power? As stupid as it sounds...
The other 4-pin lead is used by the optical (NEC ND-3550A) and the EZ-plug on the mobo only.

So for single card config, it only works in the blue slot?

 

[Gagan]

The blue slot is the primary one.

The wire coming from your PSU should be dedicated to your video card, Leave your case open disconnect the stuff connected to your video card lead and see what happens.
If this works then it's your pSU but I doubt it. Also try a different array with the video card and bare minimums connected and see what happens.

Also disconnect your HD troubleshoot one by one man.

 

[hynat]

Thanks Gagan.

I tried with just the minimum (mobo, CPU, GPU) and still no good.

There's this 3-pin connector on the card near the 6-pin power, I assume it's a fan controller and I'm not using it but there is no way this could affect anything--oh nevermind, it doens't look like one.

 

[Gagan]

Still no good hmm.

Do you have a friends' rig you could test on? If so I suggest you head on over to his place to see if his card setup is any better. Try finding a person with the same motherboard to really nitpick if it's hte psu or the card

obviously if the card works it's the PSU so go on and giv'er

How old is the fortron do you have a link?

 

[hynat]

I have a Seasonic 500 PSU. Should be good enough for a single x1900xt setup, but who knows.

Link:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817151024

I am now installing Windows XP Pro SP2 and install ATI drivers/update BIOS etc, see if that helps. Do you think it might help?

 

[whitelight]

the seasonic is definitely more than enough. according to AT's review, a x1900xt setup draws 300-350 watts.

can't think of why 2 new cards would fail in 2 computers.

 

[hynat]

I decided not to update my BIOS, but updated the nf4 drivers... also tried to install the ATI Catalyst software but it seems like it's not getting installed, probably because I'm using the nvidia.

In any case, still no good.