jonathanc Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Right, I am totally stumped here but maybe I am bit tired and missed something so I hope peeps can help out. I have x2 GTX295s on my main rig and I wanted to take one out as I rarely use SLi anymore these days. I plan to put them on my other rig to be turned into a HTPC or something in the future. Rig #2 is running GTX280 with W7 recently installed. Anyway, I make sure SLi is turned off on donor rig and then proceeded to transplant the GTX295 to Rig 2. Problem is I can't see anything. The card is definitely no dead as I don't have any error peeps and the LCD readout (Asus Rampage Formula has led readout) shows I passed POST. Only thing odd was the blue LED not lighting up (Blue LED indicatiing this card is primary display). I put the old card back in and everything works. I put the GTX295 back in Rig 1 and that seems to get picked up as well (it's the secondary card on donor rig). I am really confused here. I've even uninstalled all drivers on Rig 2 beforehand. I also ensured all cables are properly plugged in... What could I have missed here? edited with more info: Rig 1 (Donor) : PSU 850W GTX295x2 (one to be taken out) Mobo : Asus Rampage 2 Extreme Rig 2 : PSU 800W GTX280 (current GPU) Mobo : Asus Rampage Formula Problem : No display on Rig 2 when GTX295 is installed. Tried both PCI slots. Seemed to have passed POST according to the Asus LCD poster display. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny g Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Is there enough power for both cards? What's the primary display set too? Does your BIOS show up on screen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobUK Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Onboard video taking over when it detects a new card maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathanc Posted January 26, 2011 Author Share Posted January 26, 2011 Is there enough power for both cards? What's the primary display set too? Does your BIOS show up on screen? I suspected the power too but both PSUs has 800+W so I reckon it should be enough. Besides the green LED would indicate power supply is OK... Onboard video taking over when it detects a new card maybe? I would've thought so too but there's no onboard video on the Asus Formula Totally stumped at this one. POST passed with flying colours... only REALLY odd thing I noticed on Rig 2 was that even with no video card it passed POST ... Also the fact that everything works as it should if I put the old GPU back in Rig 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobUK Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Have you tried the 2nd card from rig 1? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny g Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Try the cards indpendantly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathanc Posted January 26, 2011 Author Share Posted January 26, 2011 Have you tried the 2nd card from rig 1? Ah sorry should;ve been clearer. I've only tried with the 2nd card. I didn't try with 1st card on first rig yet. Does that make any difference? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathanc Posted January 26, 2011 Author Share Posted January 26, 2011 Try the cards indpendantly. hmm alright will do that now. Didn't know if it would make a difference since SLI is switched off on Rig 1 and both cards should work independently but its all worth a shot! Back in a few minutes lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobUK Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 The bios on the cards might be different, one card might work even though the one you have tried isn't... Might also Be worth checking for motherboard bios updates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neo2810 Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 What monitor are you running on Rig 2? Are you using the DVI or HDMI port on the GTX295? Are you hitting the auto detect function on monitor if it has one? (sometime the DVI port needs a little help to detect the monitor first time round...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathanc Posted January 26, 2011 Author Share Posted January 26, 2011 Right... the plot thickens. I took out card 1 from rig 1 and put it into rig 2 and everything works. So I got a little bit curious and put ONLY card 2 in Rig 1. This time I hear a beep ( I reckon I didn't hear anything on rig 2 because it didn't have onboard speaker). It's a one long 3 short beep meaning VGA not detected. I put card 1 back into rig 1 and that worked too. This seems to suggest to me that card 2 is faulty! Weird though as it has always been detected by rig one and I can set SLi via software fine... What do you guys think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neo2810 Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Oi Jon.... Your audience are getting restless! Bad timing!!!! Card 2 is goosed, I thought you had tested it seperately, otherwise that would have been my only answer... Is it outside it's 3 year manufacturers warranty? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathanc Posted January 26, 2011 Author Share Posted January 26, 2011 Oi Jon.... Your audience are getting restless! Bad timing!!!! Card 2 is goosed, I thought you had tested it seperately, otherwise that would have been my only answer... Is it outside it's 3 year manufacturers warranty? Yeah bought that card back in 2008 Strange though would've thought is its fried it won't show up in my main rig... This really puzzles me! If it is faulty why does it show up on Rig 1 when I try to set SLi? So now I have 2 choices it seems : 1) Buy a new card for Rig 1 and use the working GTX 295 on Rig 2 (this leaves me with a functional GTX 280 for sale?) 2) Use the working GTX 295 back in Rig 1 and get a DVI to HDMI convertor for Rig 2 with GTX 280 ? I haven't researched the GPU market but they seem to be many options around now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abz Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Right... the plot thickens. I took out card 1 from rig 1 and put it into rig 2 and everything works. So I got a little bit curious and put ONLY card 2 in Rig 1. This time I hear a beep ( I reckon I didn't hear anything on rig 2 because it didn't have onboard speaker). It's a one long 3 short beep meaning VGA not detected. I put card 1 back into rig 1 and that worked too. This seems to suggest to me that card 2 is faulty! Weird though as it has always been detected by rig one and I can set SLi via software fine... What do you guys think? Err you didn't mention this bit when you said you didn't hear no bleeps from second rig! Possibly it could be the card by the sounds of it, do you have any other donor rigs? Or a good friend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neo2810 Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Yeah bought that card back in 2008 Unless you bought it before 26 Jan 2008, it's still covered under warranty. Who's the manufacturer? Get onto their website, have a search through their "support" section and you'll find their info on RMA's. Follow the instructions and you'll soon find out whether they will accept an RMA or not. I recently sent a 2 year and 11 month old 8800GTX back to Asus and they replaced it with a brand new GTX470... I've done this twice for faulty cards. I have a feeling that all card manufacturers have to offer a 3 year warranty in the EU now, but you're also covered under the Sale of Goods act if they get arsy. 3 years is not a reasonable length of time for a fault to develope with a gfx card. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathanc Posted January 27, 2011 Author Share Posted January 27, 2011 Unless you bought it before 26 Jan 2008, it's still covered under warranty. Who's the manufacturer? Get onto their website, have a search through their "support" section and you'll find their info on RMA's. Follow the instructions and you'll soon find out whether they will accept an RMA or not. I recently sent a 2 year and 11 month old 8800GTX back to Asus and they replaced it with a brand new GTX470... I've done this twice for faulty cards. It's a BFG Tech GTX 295 bought from Scan I think. Good call I think I will try to dig the receipt out although I am pretty sure I lost it Hopefully Scan has some kinna online receipt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neo2810 Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 It's a BFG Tech GTX 295 bought from Scan I think. Good call I think I will try to dig the receipt out although I am pretty sure I lost it Hopefully Scan has some kinna online receipt! You don't need a reciept I don't think. The serial number is enough, BFG will have a record of sale registered by Scan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobUK Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Ah sorry should;ve been clearer. I've only tried with the 2nd card. I didn't try with 1st card on first rig yet. Does that make any difference? I think the answer is Yes.... Glad you found the problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neo2810 Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Oh dear... Good news and bad news... Good news: Your card has a lifetime warranty off BFG Bad news: BFG have begun liquidation of their graphics card business and are no longer honouring any RMA's... Looks like youve lucked out. New card it is... Source: http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1728060/nvidia-graphics-card-partner-refuses-honour-lifetime-warranty In fact their website "http://www.bfgtech.com" is no longer there.... They are indeed history Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathanc Posted January 27, 2011 Author Share Posted January 27, 2011 Oh dear... Good news and bad news... Good news: Your card has a lifetime warranty off BFG Bad news: BFG have begun liquidation of their graphics card business and are no longer honouring any RMA's... Looks like youve lucked out. New card it is... Source: http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1728060/nvidia-graphics-card-partner-refuses-honour-lifetime-warranty In fact their website "http://www.bfgtech.com" is no longer there.... They are indeed history yea beat me to it Oh well... wouldn't have found this out if I didn't plan the mini HTPC project lol. I am planning to get a GTX460 card as replacement. The price is within my budget. Cannot afford £300+ cards I think the GTX460 should roughly match what I currently have. edit: Thinking of putting the GTX295 in the HTPC as I don't mind the heat/noise since it wont be always on. Gonna put the newer GTX460 in my main rig This leaves me the GTX280 to sell on eBay and also to mourn my other 295 lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathanc Posted January 27, 2011 Author Share Posted January 27, 2011 I think the answer is Yes.... Glad you found the problem Cheers. This is definitely a first for me though. Didn't realise SLi is so complex. Which is a shame. The card looks brand new and also seems to light up. Funny how it can't get detected on its on but if I pair it up as SLi it shows up under Nvidia control panel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neo2810 Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 You may want to look at the spec of a GTX465 against the 460. I believe there's a good jump in spec for the extra £5-£10 hike if I remember correctly... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathanc Posted January 27, 2011 Author Share Posted January 27, 2011 tempted to go ATI as well but I have always been Nvidia fanboy. Heard ATI doing well these days? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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