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PCI-Express GPU won't boot - MOBO or GPU problem?????

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by mojoramirez

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I'm having problems with my graphics card. I don't have access to another PCI-Ex computer to be able to test it. I don't want to go and buy another one and discover it to be a motherboard problem. I'm hoping maybe you guys might have some suggestions on how to diagnose whether it's a GPU or a MOBO problem, and/or you guys might have a fix.

Specs first:
This was my stock setup when the problem first occurred a few weeks ago.

--Gateway GM5045E Media Center PC
--Windows XP Media Center 2005
--AMD Athlon? 64 X2 3800+ dual core
--Foxconn C51GU01 Motherboa1rd
--PCI-Ex NVIDIA 6200 64 MB Turbo Cache Video Card (according to Gateway), NVIDIA 6100 (according to windows device manager)
--2 x 512MB (1GB) PC3200 DDR DIMM
--Powercolor Tul Theater 550 PRO TV Tuner (PCI slot)
--300 Watt Bestec Power Supply
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The problem:

Sometimes GPU boots up fine. Sometimes it doesn't. At first about half the time. Now, it rarely, enables, if not never. Also, since the problem first occurred, the power does not completely go off at shut down. Drives and windows shuts down, but I need to manually shut down the PSU and fans.

When GPU doesn't work, the system automatically switches to on-board graphics. Zero display from PCI-ex graphics card NVIDIA 6100. No DOS, no safe-mode, no VGA mode, No any modes, NOTHING. System boots up fine without it. I can hear Windows start, and I can switch to the motherboard's VGA and work windows just fine.

No in between problems (no crazy lines or colors). When it boots up, it works perfectly. When it doesn't, nothing.

When it doesn't work: During boot, I can hear the system clicking and drives working over and over, till it gives up and switches to onboard graphics.

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Recent changes before problem occurred:

--Installed Avid Xpress Pro and Avid Liquid Pinnacle Edition (powerful video editing softwares).

--Installed Matrox DualHead2Go Digital edition graphics expansion module. External box runs on USB power, connects in to 1 vga and out 2 DVI-I for split screen. I installed two IBM P260 with DVI-A. Heres the link for info on that:

http://matrox.com/graphics/en/gxm/products/dh2go/digital/home.php

-- Installed New Epson Scanner and tried to scan the highest possible rez image. Got warnings that "not enough memory" to process the image. This was the most recent process before the problem started. Perhaps the image scanning taxed my GPU to the limit.

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Steps taken:

Software:
-Uninstalled/reinstalled driver. Installed updated driver from NVIDIA site. No change.
-Full system restore and reformatt. In case the editing softwares had conflicts. No change.

Settings:
-Device manager reports Display Adapter as working properly.
-No "on-board" or "integrated" graphics option in device manager to disable.
-Checked bios: PCI-ex is set as first display, (that's why the system tries to boot the card, then gives up and switches to integrated graphics). No on-board or integrated option to disable in bios.
-- Selected Optimized defaults in BIOS. No go.
-- Selected fail safe defaults in BIOS. No go.

Hardware:
--Pulled off Matrox box and installed my original VGA monitor to graphics card.

--Pulled out and reinstalled graphics card. Nothing bent, broken, or dirty. At the same time I installed 1GB stick more RAM (I was gonna upgrade anyway). After install, I started system up and finally Device Manager reported the Display Adapter as not working properly. I DISabled it and rebooted. Then, magically, it started working. All RAM registering. Display adapter working properly in device manager and enabled (on it's own). I then rebooted again. This time, it didn't work, and back to the Device manager reporting it as working properly. After that, it has rarely started up since.

Maybe I didn't have enough power.

--More PSU. Upgraded 610watt PCpower and cooling. Kick Ass PSU. My system is loving it, but no luck with the graphics card. Still won't enable.

SO ALL IN ALL. I think my graphics card is fried, but the strange thing is that even though I pulled it from the slot, the device manager still reports it as working properly. So it might be my MOBO.

HOWEVER, I did some research on NVIDIA 6100 and found that it's a combo, NForce motherboard graphics and Geforce 6 series graphics card working together. Here's the link to the info. Click on the left for Media Center PDF.

http://www.nvidia.com/page/gpu_mobo.html

I also checked the forums for people with similar systems and similar problems. Some of you guys suggested resetting CMOS.

I've never done it, and am not really sure what it will do. Any suggestions?????????

3 replies

by johnh741

I see this is a really old problem, but I just wanted to reply because I'm having the exact same problem with my pc, i mean exactly. I tried everything he tried as well but went one step further and tried a new video card right out of the box and it did the same thing. It worked for a couple of boots, then like the 3rd or fourth boot it stopped working. I'm currently in the process of flashing my bios as a last resort. Just posting this in hopes it will refresh the topic as I am at a complete loss.

by oh smeg

But your answer here is to replace the Power Supply with a new one. The PS is in the process of breaking down and it is failing.

If you replace it now you may prevent damage to the M'Board, CPU, RAM and Video Card happening.

I recommend to use the better quality Power Supplies that are rated to a constant load like the Antec Brand instead of the cheap No Name Power Supply's that are rated to a Peek Loading. These offer better filtering of the Internal Voltages inside the computer and a more stable supply of the 12, 5 and 1.3 Volts DC that are used inside the computer.

Just because you see the fans running or LED's Light up, this doesn't mean that the Power Supply is working correctly there are several different Voltage Rails involved to run a computer and if any is out or down on the Power that can be delivered through that Voltage Rail the computer will not work Reliably.

If you get the same No Connection message on the monitor when the unit is first turned on, as you do if you disconnect the monitor from the computer with the Monitor Turned on, this is a sure sign that the PS is almost dead and needs replacing.

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