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Abit AN-M2 + Sparkle 8800GT

Tefty

Tefty

Tefty

Associate
Joined
28 Oct 2007
Posts
65
Location
Luton, Bedfordshire
Hey all,

Just wanted to run a problem past yourselves.

I have recently purchased an ABIT AN-M2 motherboard and an Nvidia 8800GT GFX card.

I am unable to boot the system with the GFX card.
With the card plugged in and powered the system wont even go to POST.
With the card un-plugged and using the on-board GFX the system loads fine.

I unfortunately have no other MB's or GFX cards i can try.

I have updated the Firmware to latest release of .16 as per 02/11/07 to no-avail.

Now i have seen people running the 8800GTS, GTX and Ultra on forums with no issues.

Having searched the ABIT forums i have found someone else with the same problem but am unable to register to discuss with him.
He appears to have the same model of GFX card but a different manufacturer ruling out the fact that it could be a manufacturer incompatibility with the motherboard.

Link to forum thread:- http://forum.abit-usa.com/showthread.php?t=129948

For reference i am also using a 580Watt Hiper R Type PSU which i have thoroughly gone over with a Volt meter.

My conclusion is that there seems to be an incompatibility issue with the model of GFX card and motherboard maybe to do with the fact that the GFX card is of a PCIe 2.0 standard?

Is anyone aware of this or having/had a similar issue?

I have just ordered a Gigabyte GA-M61PM-S2 in the hope that this may resolve the issue.

I have literally just brought a complete new setup and slapped it into a Lanbox and slightly wishing i didn't now with the headache i've had with this.
 
I don't think it will work on any mobo that does not have a PCI-e 1.1 certified slot :S
 
mrk said:
:S


I dunno now, I#m sure I read it here myself!
Click to expand...

LMAO. I'm the same.

I started to believe that 1.1 would be the only saving grace for people but on the day of release I'm sure there is a post or 3 amongst the thousands of GT posts that 1.0 would still be compatible.

Let's hope for someone to come in and sort this one out as I'm confuddled :confused::o.

:D
 
Thanks for the replies guys...

I really hope its not a case of PCIe 1.1 certified slot as i cannot find a single mATX board with this...
 
Just found this little snipbit:-

The SPARKLE GeForce 8800 GT graphics card can maximize the usage of 80GB/s bandwidth ( doubled than 40GB/s PCI Express 1.1 can provide) provided by PCI Express 2.0, to be full ready for future games and applications which have strict requirements on bandwidth. At the same time, the SPARKLE GeForce 8800 GT graphics card is also compatible with with present PCI Express 1.1 motherboards with widest scope of support
 
Now i dont know much about PCIe and very little about this PCIe 1.1/2.0 business...

So in a nutshell i'm going to need a mobo which has a PCIe version 1.1 or 2.0.

How am i able to tell which boards are and which aren't ?
 
Also just found this little snippet of information.

As i know absolutely nothing about PCIe standards can anyone help translate my findings?

pcie.jpg


The other thing i am confused about it in the link i stated in my first post "http://forum.abit-usa.com/showthread.php?t=129948" the other person having this issue in the US has mananged to get the card working under windows somehow without booting through the card and then switching but i cannot work out how he has done that when i cant boot at all with the card in and powered even if i swap the DVI cable to on-board...

Thanks in advance...
 
Last edited:
This is the thing that's getting me at the moment Tefty :(. As I've not got a GT or have seen anyone using the 8800GT with PCI-E 1.0, I have nothing to go by other than some reports of it being backwards compatible. Then I see reports of it not being compatible.

I'll have a look in google for you. I hope that there is at least one user on these boards with a definite answer to this.

Welcome to the forums btw :D.
 
If its a case of the PCIe 1.1/2.0 standards then how the **** can i tell which boards are and which aren't and can anyone point me in the direction of some mATX boards that are?

Read the FAQ re. swearing, JG
 
Ok so after reading a little info (Thanks J.D) and sitting down to do some more testing i have found that the GFX card is running when plugged in.

I went into the BIOS with the card unplugged and set an option for BOOT DISPLAY to ONBOARD and then plugged in the card.

Surprise surprise the system now loads with the 8800GT in the board and powered on, installed the drivers and windows can see it in the DEVICE MANAGER.

Still cannot get any display through it though via the DVI connection so trying to work that bit out.

Overall it sounds like a BIOS issue and ABIT need to sort some sort of update out as the card is functioning and windows see's it.

I am also using WinXP-SP2 for reference.
 
Ok well this morning i still cant swap onto the 8800GT but Windows see's it and all drivers are installed.

I'm presuming the ABIT AN-M2 is PCIe 1.0 compliant but not PCIe 1.1.

As i've placed an order for a Gigabyte GA-M61PM-S2 does anyone know if this is PCIe 1.1 compliant or how i can tell if a board is 1.1 complaint as i guess my next port of call if to try and get my hands on an mATX 1.1 PCIe complaint motherboard.
 
I'm having exactly the same problem with a BFG 8800gt Tefty, i've got an AN-M2 also and it won't even post with the card installed. Unfortunately there seems to be nothing on the abit forums etc about this, and i've even emailed abit themselves but they haven't replied. Looks like a new board is the only answer to the problem as yet, unless a new bios will fix it, but who knows how long that could take?
Does anyone know if the MSI K9N neo v3 will work with the card? (ocuk seem a bit thin on the ground with am2 boards).
 
R34pz said:
I'm having exactly the same problem with a BFG 8800gt Tefty, i've got an AN-M2 also and it won't even post with the card installed. Unfortunately there seems to be nothing on the abit forums etc about this, and i've even emailed abit themselves but they haven't replied. Looks like a new board is the only answer to the problem as yet, unless a new bios will fix it, but who knows how long that could take?
Does anyone know if the MSI K9N neo v3 will work with the card? (ocuk seem a bit thin on the ground with am2 boards).
Click to expand...

A good test mate is to boot into the BIOS without the card installed into the system and set the primary display device to "on-board", save these settings then power off and install the card.

I'm willing to bet the system will boot and windows will see the card.

Its the boot-up process and being able to change to it thats the issue.

My investigation as it stands points to this PCIe compliancy but unable to find how i can tell whether a mobo is 1.0, 1.1 or 2.0.

If your in the same boat as me and need a mATX with 1.1 or 2.0 than good luck.

Still looking... Will keep posted...
 
You're right Tefty I just plugged it in and it does boot from the onboard gfx and will see the card. I flashed to the latest bios the other night too but this doesn't change anything. There doesn't seem to be any info whether it's the PCIe slot or a bios issue. Luckily I don't now need a micro atx board so any that work (as long as it's quite cheap) will do.
I wonder if I explain to ocuk tomorrow and buy an MSI off them they will have it back if it's no go? (bearing in mind I bought the card from them the other day)
 
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