Project Ignorant Bliss

Zeeflyboy · 27 Jan 2016 at 14:09

Cenedd said:
These are the items involved:

CPU - tried

RAM - tried

Motherboard - tried

PSU - tried

GFX card

Cable

Monitor

Is it worth trying a different cable and/or different monitor? Possibly even a different type of connection - DVI instead of HDMI? VGA even?

Normally when you have one of those cards installed, the motherboard disables the onboard graphics. I think there's a setting for whether to initialise the PCI-E graphics first or the onboard first. Worth checking that.

Also worth seeing (ruling out) whether it's a legacy/UEFI bios issue. I'm sure I read that some cards don't have UEFI bios. Worth turning Fast Boot and Secure Boot off and try turning legacy boot and option bios options on. It's a stab in the dark....but nothing to lose.

Well the screen and HDMI work perfectly when using the onboard GPU... But early on in testing I did actually try a small monitor and DVI connection but it didn't work either.

I don't see any option to turn off secure boot - I thought that was only to do with launching OS's rather than hardware?

The Maximus has more detailed error codes - I get the VGA led lit up and a code 62 which is "Installation of the PCH Runtime Services"

Zeeflyboy · 27 Jan 2016 at 15:23

Ah actually it is probably b2 not 62....

I found this https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthre...980Ti-SLI-getting-AE-Q-Code-with-black-screen

Seems there was an issue with the GPU BIOS - he has the same issue as me also, but this is 7 months old or so.... could it still be the reason for my problem?

Cenedd · 27 Jan 2016 at 15:48

It certainly sounds like it. I take it you read the linked EVGA forum thread which is only just over a month old: http://forums.evga.com/GTX-980TI-Hy...t-QCode-B2-black-screen-2-Cards-m2423070.aspx
Now you just need the bios from EVGA (personally I'd get it from them direct if possible rather than a random source) and another card in a slot closer to the CPU to flash them. Good luck!

Trying · 27 Jan 2016 at 16:17

Seems you are definitely narrowing down the cause of your problems Zeeflyboy.

Looks like you are not alone reading that EVGA forum thread.

Can you see what gpu bios you currently have on the cards?

Lets hope EVGA come up trumps soon.

Am I right in thinking you should be able to use the igpu option to get visuals for any needed gpu bios update?

TechMinerUK · 27 Jan 2016 at 19:26

At least you appear to be narrowing down the issues by the looks of it, the BIOS sounds like it could cause these issues but has the system already booted before these issues ocurred as its very odd if so for a BIOS to work and then stop without any flashing etc.

Hopefully you'll solve it soon, good luck

craig_t · 27 Jan 2016 at 20:35

Sorry that I can't help with the issue but the grommet for the GPU wires is amazing!

Zeeflyboy · 27 Jan 2016 at 23:10

Cenedd said:
It certainly sounds like it. I take it you read the linked EVGA forum thread which is only just over a month old: http://forums.evga.com/GTX-980TI-Hy...t-QCode-B2-black-screen-2-Cards-m2423070.aspx
Now you just need the bios from EVGA (personally I'd get it from them direct if possible rather than a random source) and another card in a slot closer to the CPU to flash them. Good luck!

No I hadn't, will have a quick read when I'm back from work, cheers.

Trying said:
Am I right in thinking you should be able to use the igpu option to get visuals for any needed gpu bios update?

Hope so!

TechMinerUK said:
but has the system already booted before these issues ocurred as its very odd if so for a BIOS to work and then stop without any flashing etc.

No it's never got past POST on the discrete GPUs.

craig_t said:
Sorry that I can't help with the issue but the grommet for the GPU wires is amazing!

Haha cheers!

Well so just after I found that thread I got a reply to the RMA case I filed... Looks like you have to go the RMA rote to get through to the more knowledgeable guys.

Anyway, completely unrelated (I hadn't found the bios issue when I submitted the RMA) this was his response:

Hi,

thanks for your detailed RMA request – we do offer a BIOS version, which could be flashed to your 4999 – in such a case it´s needed to start the system within a spare GPU and flash the second EVGA 980ti HydroCopper within NVFLASH – attached you will find the .rom File – if not possible to get it flashed, we could offer to do the process through one of our RMA employee, engineer.

Unfortunately we are not able to give any information about NVFLASH, as it´s not our tools, but you would find a lot tutorials online.

Please let us know.

Thanks.

Perhaps we have found the solution... Fingers crossed the machine will let me update with the igpu rather than having to get a different discrete card.

Trying · 27 Jan 2016 at 23:27

Here is the link for the EVGA Forum thread referring, as mentioned earlier, to what seems your problem....

http://forums.evga.com/GTX-980TI-Hy...t-QCode-B2-black-screen-2-Cards-m2423070.aspx

Zeeflyboy · 28 Jan 2016 at 00:23

Cheers.

I have to admit I'm a little bit miffed by this... I am of course assuming that this is my problem, but given EVGA have now told me to update the GPU BIOS and provided the file I guess the chances are pretty good.

If this does turn out to be the golden ticket, if they had simply made their first tier support aware of this issue (which clearly isn't new nor particularly isolated) I could have saved myself a week of frustration, huge faff of draining a beeeeeaaautifully bled loop, setting up temporary water cooling test rig, many hours spent playing with settings in UEFI and a lot of money faffing around with a new power supply... and even then I only found this initially by buying a new ROG motherboard which gave me the more advanced diagnostics that then led me to the b2 breadcrumb.

Poor show really

Trying · 28 Jan 2016 at 02:12

I wouldn't have been very amused myself....if I had been in your boat.

Pity there is not an overseeing organisation, or someone, to monitor what is obviously, in this case, a known and quite major problem... and enforce a product recall... or force an open supply of the remedial requirement.

Zeeflyboy · 28 Jan 2016 at 12:07

Well eventually it's freaking ALIIIIIIIIVE

I've got both cards flashed now by using the IGPU and both are working.

I'm really quite annoyed with EVGA... on the one hand they have been very good at replying to my service requests, and when I did get through to the RMA guys they were immediately forthcoming with the GPU BIOS file I needed, but on the other hand the first thread I found goes back 7-8 months and the one on their own forums is still current. If they had simply made their normal tech support aware of this I could have saved all that heart ache and expense.

Anyway, live and learn.

So I now need to get Ignorant Bliss all built back up... Next question - do I stick with my corsair PSU and sell the EVGA or do I sell the corsair and keep the EVGA since I think it's a better PSU anyway... and has a 10 year warranty. Will just be a little more work re-jigging custom cables.

Uncle Petey · 28 Jan 2016 at 12:11

Nice one!
Keep the EVGA IMO. If it's not too much hassle with the cables of course.

Cenedd · 28 Jan 2016 at 12:13

Glad it's working for you now.
I'd keep the better PSU - so long as it fits! (Could be longer)

OJ46 · 28 Jan 2016 at 12:18

That's cracking news, glad it finally all worked out for ya even if it did take a lot more time and hassle than it should have. Personally I'd keep the EVGA PSU over the Corsair but guess it all depends on how much hassle it is to make new cables for it.

craig_t · 28 Jan 2016 at 14:24

Glad to see it is now alive and running!

faheemrazzaq · 28 Jan 2016 at 14:31

happy days. looking forward to this thing put together

Trying · 28 Jan 2016 at 14:55

Zeeflyboy said:
Well eventually it's freaking ALIIIIIIIIVE

I've got both cards flashed now by using the IGPU and both are working.

So I now need to get Ignorant Bliss all built back up... Next question - do I stick with my corsair PSU and sell the EVGA or do I sell the corsair and keep the EVGA since I think it's a better PSU anyway... and has a 10 year warranty. Will just be a little more work re-jigging custom cables.

Great news

May 'Happy Days' be here again

I cant say I have any knowledge as to which psu is better, but the 10 year warranty would probably figure in my decision making, as would the fact that same manufacturer for both gpu's and psu seems kind of cool, plus you already have an understanding of the ways their product support works.

jbh110tdi · 28 Jan 2016 at 15:05

good news. I would keep the EVGA psu personally. but the RM1000x is also a nice looking unit. just the EVGA has a better warranty and does get a good name.

Im still in 2 minds on what PSU to go for my system to replace the CX750M

Zeeflyboy · 28 Jan 2016 at 19:15

Cheers guys.

I've just been rebuilding it all, unfortunately Asus don't keep the processor in quite the same place between the two boards so I had to re-do some tubing with the formula motherboard.

Nearly there though! Got the loop filled up and it's currently busy working out the bubbles.

Jbh - if you are looking for a higher rated PSU then I'm sure we could make a good deal on the corsair if you're interested.

jbh110tdi · 28 Jan 2016 at 19:31

Zeeflyboy said:
Jbh - if you are looking for a higher rated PSU then I'm sure we could make a good deal on the corsair if you're interested.

hmm send me a msg through trust