Pc won't boot with new GPU

TheDarkSlice · 22 Jan 2019 at 19:40

Update: Just had the system independently tested at my local PC repair shop - The card is definitely faulty and is going back for a refund Thanks for the help everyone.

Hi folks, hope someone can offer help. I purchased a new Asus ROG Strix RXVega64 from overclockers at the start of January. When I insert the new gpu, the PC won't post, and I get a red VGA light on the mobo. Swapping back to the old card works fine. I've tried the following:

Uninstalled the previous drivers using DDU.
Reseated GPU and RAM.
Updated the bios.
Reset the Cmos.
Tried with 1 RAM stick in different slots, 2 RAM sticks in different slots.
Disconnected everything from the mobo and PSU except the motherboard connections and GPU connections.
Tried a different PCI slot.
Tried a different PSU.
I've even tried RMA-ing it and it was sent back to me as working fine.

Specs:
MSI B350 Tomahawk
AMD Ryzen 5 1600
Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 16GB
Evga 750w GQ
Sapphire R9 290xTri-X - > Asus ROG Strix Rx Vega 64

https://imgur.com/a/ezuNvls

All of these tests return the same issue with the VGA light. I'm completely at a loss as to what to do now, any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Terminal_Boy · 22 Jan 2019 at 19:54

You are powering the GPU using two separate 8 pin PCI-E cables?

TheDarkSlice · 22 Jan 2019 at 19:56

Hi mate. Yeah I am, 2x 8-pin connectors from modular PSU from slots PCIe 1 and PCIe 2.

mattyfez · 22 Jan 2019 at 19:59

Send the card back, sounds like it's faulty.

DarkHorizon472 · 22 Jan 2019 at 20:02

I would guess the card is faulty as your PSU looks fine from the spec's.

The only other thing it could be is some sort of strange side affect of an unstable overclock or you need a bios update for the motherboard.

TheDarkSlice · 22 Jan 2019 at 20:06

Thanks for the suggestions. I sent the card back about a week ago and they returned it to me, saying that it booted fine on their systems. I haven't overclocked anything on my system, and I've updated the bios to the most recent version from here: https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/B350-TOMAHAWK#down-bios

DarkHorizon472 · 22 Jan 2019 at 20:12

Going by figures on the web the Vega 64 would consume about 150w more power than your previous GPU which drew a fair amount of power anyway and worked fine.

You have tried everything that I can think of as the card is failing at BIOS level so nothing to do with Windows at all. The only other thing I can think of is your power cables may be faulty from the PSU to the card or not in properly. The same could be true of the card connecting to the motherboard. I had an old PC case that was a little out of alignment causing a poor GPU connection. After a little "persuading" on the case the card fitted in much better and was fine.

TheDarkSlice · 22 Jan 2019 at 21:08

Yeah the previous card never once gave me any issues in the 4 odd years I had it. I've just tried breadboarding it and still nothing. https://imgur.com/a/wBTtSsC

You may be right on the cables but my other card works fine (Requires 1x8 pin and 1x6 pin). I did however have to use my own PCI cables with a friend's PSU as he didn't have them to hand. The Vega lights up white when the PSU cables are clipped in, as opposed to red when they aren't. https://imgur.com/a/4qI3U1D