The best laid plans

Alphane · 18 Jan 2012 at 07:32

Well my parts arrived yesterday from OC and I set about my first build got as far as an external setup as per the video I was shown.

Then I hit a snag. I had failed to realise that DVI is not the same thing I had assumed it to be (which is analog) therefore my old monitor ain't gonna work with my graphics card *DOH*

My solution is to order a couple of these. Complete the build running on onboard graphics today and add my graphics card when the monitors arrive.

Just a couple of questions though before I order.

Will I need to buy leads to go with these monitors or are they supplied ?

This is the ports my card has

- Display Connectors: 1 Dual Link DVI and 1 Single Link DVI, 1 HDMI & 2x Mini-DisplayPort

What is the diffrence between the single and dual link DVI and will both those ports be compatable with that monitor or am I going to have to buy some sort of HDMI/Displayport to DVI converter block/cable to support two monitors ?

Cheers

stulid · 18 Jan 2012 at 07:47

Wasn't there a DVI to VGA adapter in the GFX box to at least get you up and running on a single screen.?

Alphane · 18 Jan 2012 at 07:52

unfortunatley not

Philip Perfect · 18 Jan 2012 at 07:53

Yes, the DVI connector includes both digital and analog signals - so to connect to a VGA-only monitor, you should just need a DVI-VGA adapter as stulid says.

stulid · 18 Jan 2012 at 07:54

Alphane said:
unfortunatley not

Ok then,

What GFX card is it?

And you want three monitors in Eyefinity I take it?

Alphane · 18 Jan 2012 at 07:57

GPU

And I'm happy with a two monior setup for now, the old analog monitor can stay with my backup rig (this one).

stulid · 18 Jan 2012 at 08:03

Well you can use two of those screens, using the DVI outputs from the card

Alphane · 18 Jan 2012 at 08:13

Cool I was hoping that would be the case but thought it best to check the signifcance of the single/dual thing.

Any idea whether I'll need to buy the cables seperate I'm kinda assuming I will.

stulid · 18 Jan 2012 at 08:18

I would get two DVI cables just incase.

I believe it comes with a power cable and the old type VGA (or Dsub) only.

Alphane · 18 Jan 2012 at 08:21

Cheers Stulid fella, thats 2 pints I owe you now mate

Thinking on might be able to blag a DVI to VGA lead in one of the computer repair shops not far from mine (theres about half a dozen of them in the student area)

olivier renault · 18 Jan 2012 at 09:23

Can your card output two DVI-D signals? Some can only do one digital, one analogue. So you would need a VGA adapter (which you may have already). If your monitor has a DVI-I / DVI-A input, then that'll work too.

Or some HDMI -> DVI-D conversion, although in my experience, these are less reliable.

stulid · 18 Jan 2012 at 09:48

Can your card output two DVI-D signals?

Yes it does support using both DVI's.

Alphane · 18 Jan 2012 at 13:49

Ok been out and managed to get a DVI cable and a DVI-Analog block.

But....

My external build test's fine without boot device on the on board graphics analog out , but my monitor claims 'no signal' when I install the GPU and attach the monitor to either DVI slot using the new lead. Fan spins on GPU so it's not entirely dead.

Any ideas what might be causing this?

Currently planning to continue the build and if I can get it all setup and running using onboard graphics I can then try and install the GPU. Does that sound OK ?

stulid · 18 Jan 2012 at 13:50

Put power into the card with a 6pin PCI-E connector?

Alphane · 18 Jan 2012 at 14:01

yes two in the top of it,as I say fan spins fine

stulid · 18 Jan 2012 at 14:03

Any life from the rest of the system?

Have you put a 24pin and 4/8 pin ATX into the motherboard?

Try a ClearCMOS.

Alphane said:
yes two in the top of it,as I say fan spins fine

I thought a 6850 used just one 6pin?

Alphane · 18 Jan 2012 at 14:26

stulid said:
Any life from the rest of the system?

Yes looks the same as the succseful test under onboard graphics

Have you put a 24pin and 4/8 pin ATX into the motherboard?

yes

Try a ClearCMOS.

Is that where you remove the battery or is that something else?

I thought a 6850 used just one 6pin?

Defenatly two 6 pin ports next to each other on top of card

/edit something just occured to me what res is the card gonna default to cos the monitor I'm using isn't 1080p able

honosuseri · 18 Jan 2012 at 15:15

Alphane said:
/edit something just occured to me what res is the card gonna default to cos the monitor I'm using isn't 1080p able

Only one of the DVI ports should work. As one will be digital output only and one is digital/analogue, if im not mistaken.

Doing a CMOS reset (yes popping the battery out with the PSU off) might resolve the issue. It might be as simple as getting into the bios using the onboard graphics and setting it to use the PCI-Express lane before the IGP. Save settings, power off then hook up the screen to your GPU. Like I said one of the DVI ports probably wont work with the adapter.....the other will be fine

Hope that helps you out

*EDIT* Dual link DVI is the digital output to answer your original question

Alphane · 19 Jan 2012 at 13:04

Ok have got my rig up and running under onboard graphics, just tried to swap in my GPU and fans spin fine but still no signal to the monitor.

Plan of action at the moment is wait till I can get myself my new monitors and check it on them, if that fails then see if I can get a friend to test it in there rig.

Should both those things fail I suppose I'm going to have to return the item as faulty, whats the procedure for that, can anyone enlighten me?

honosuseri · 19 Jan 2012 at 13:37

I've not had to return anything to OCuk but the general practice is to get in touch with the vendor and ask for an RMA number. You post the card back with the RMA number written clearly on the box then they can test it and send out a replacement if they find a fault.

It would be easier if you could just test it in another PC.......any mates that could help you out is there?

*EDIT*

like your sig, that give me a flashback to an old classic jungle tune!