Ergh, PCI Sucks (Help Required)

Darkwave · 25 Jul 2006 at 13:24

Hey guys,

Don't ask me why because it's a long story, but I am trying to get a PCI 9200SE temporarily working alongside or instead of my PCI-E X1800XT while I sort out my current hardware situation and decide what I want to keep or sell. I am having no luck so far.

For some reason my PC simply will not boot with the PCI 9200SE and it won't even POST, all I get is a black screen. I have tried using the 9200SE in all three PCI slots, I have tried resetting the CMOS, I have tried messing with every BIOS setting I can think of, I have tried with and without my X1800XT in the PCI-E slot, and I have even tried updating the BIOS on my motherboard to no avail.

I tried the 9200SE in one of the the PCI slots in my other system once I got around to it, and I can confirm that the graphics card itself is working superbly (for what it is) even though that machine has Nvidia drivers installed on it.

Cliff Notes: -

1.) I am using a Gigabyte GA-K8NE Revision 1.x nForce4/PCI-E motherboard.
2.) The 9200SE works in another PC (K8T800/AGP) but not in mine.
3.) The PC I am trying to get this to work in does not even POST, in fact all I get is a black screen and my monitor switches to standby mode (amber LED.)
4.) I have tried messing with all the relevent BIOS settings and resetting the CMOS.
5.) I have tried updating my motherboard with the latest BIOS revision.
6.) I am getting a migraine the size of Australia from getting so mad.

Thanks for any help you guys can offer, this is really frustrating.

Sincerely yours,
Úlfhednar.

vanandjuanunited · 25 Jul 2006 at 13:29

Are you sure the 9200 works?

Darkwave · 25 Jul 2006 at 13:30

Not sure at all, and I will try it in another machine as soon as possible, but even if it was broken then there's no reason my X1800XT should stop working while it's in as far as I know.

vanandjuanunited · 25 Jul 2006 at 13:32

If the x1800 works on its own then it is fine but if it doesnt work with the pci card then the card is stopping the pc from booting properly.

Darkwave · 25 Jul 2006 at 13:33

Aye the X1800XT works on its own, but with the 9200SE in with it the X1800XT hangs and doesn't show anything on the display, with its fan going at 100% speed. With the 9200SE in on its own the system just doesn't display.

I will go and try the 9200SE in another machine now.

leezer3 · 25 Jul 2006 at 13:40

Sounds like the cards toast. I would guess that its attempting to initialise & failing hence the other fan staying at 100% (IE. It hasn't been initialised yet & so no fan control)
You could also check the GFX priority settings in the BIOS- No idea if these could have any effect?

-Leezer-

Darkwave · 25 Jul 2006 at 13:44

I am hoping it is not toast because it just arrived about two hours ago and costed far too much for the piece of rubbish that it is, and if it is toast then this would be my third RMA in the space of a fortnight (for various items.)

El_Watcher · 25 Jul 2006 at 15:10

Have you tried it in a different PCI slot. Maybe it's an IRQ problem or something, with it conflicting with something onboard using same resources as that slot.

Lanz · 25 Jul 2006 at 15:16

You may need to enable the correct initial display device in the bios.

Darkwave · 25 Jul 2006 at 15:29

El_Watcher said:
Have you tried it in a different PCI slot. Maybe it's an IRQ problem or something, with it conflicting with something onboard using same resources as that slot.

I have tried using it in all three PCI slots, I'm afraid, and I even tried assigning different settings to them before giving up and setting them back to automatic.

Lanz said:
You may need to enable the correct initial display device in the bios.

The only option I can really find is to set as either PEG, PEG(2), or PCI graphics. Is this the option I am looking for? If so then I have tried setting it to PCI with no results.

cokecan · 25 Jul 2006 at 18:29

have you tried booting with the pci card in and not the pci-e card?? just to see if it actually works on its own or not

Darkwave · 25 Jul 2006 at 18:40

cokecan72 said:
have you tried booting with the pci card in and not the pci-e card?? just to see if it actually works on its own or not

Aye, I've tried it and there is just nothing on screen at all. In fact I think the monitor just goes on standby.

I am going to try the PCI card in an entirely different computer but I don't have access to it right now.

Darkwave · 25 Jul 2006 at 19:30

Tried the PCI card in another PC and it works fine.

Any suggestions?

Edit: Updated opening post.

Boogle · 25 Jul 2006 at 20:19

I found using PCI cards with PCI-E cards can be quite hit and miss. I tried to use an FX5200 with my GTX pair, and while I could boot, Windows wouldn't get to the login prompt.

Darkwave · 25 Jul 2006 at 20:21

Boogle said:
I found using PCI cards with PCI-E cards can be quite hit and miss. I tried to use an FX5200 with my GTX pair, and while I could boot, Windows wouldn't get to the login prompt.

Aye, I wasn't expecting it to be easy, computers have a knack for making everything difficult don't they? What's annoying me most is that I can't even get the 9200SE working on its own as the only graphics card in the machine, which is what I am trying to do.

Reality|Bites · 25 Jul 2006 at 22:22

reset the cmos when you change the graphics card?

Darkwave · 25 Jul 2006 at 22:23

Reality|Bites said:
reset the cmos when you change the graphics card?

Aye I tried it, and set the BIOS to optimised defaults. It didn't work.

This is sooo frustrating, I can't even send the card back because there's nothing wrong with it.

Reality|Bites · 25 Jul 2006 at 22:25

If there was an unforseen(spell it) compatability problem and you have it less than a week you can request a refund i'm sure, Maybe not.

Darkwave · 25 Jul 2006 at 22:28

Reality|Bites said:
If there was an unforseen(spell it) compatability problem and you have it less than a week you can request a refund i'm sure, Maybe not.

I know that under the distance selling act I'm within my rights to request a refund within ten or twelve days, but as far as I'm aware that's only true if the box is unopened etc. Otherwise the only option is an RMA.

I would be happy if someone could tell me otherwise.

I never thought I'd say this but I wish I'd bought a bloody 6200LE PCI-E instead.

Darkwave · 26 Jul 2006 at 10:59

Quick update: I've read the Distance Selling Regulations and the only mention of the package being opened or unopened is in regards to DVD's, music CD's, or video/music tapes. It says nothing about electronics, so I am going to send it back for unforseen incompatability reasons and order the PCI-E Radeon X300SE instead since it's only £11.99.

P.S. I bought the 9200SE from a competitor, not from OcUK. Maybe it was destined to go wrong.

I will be buying the X300SE from OcUK.