Some help needed.

Tonester0011 · 1 Apr 2013 at 16:47

I've recently got back my second 7970 from RMA. Went to plug it in this morning to get CF back up and running and it was a no go, motherboard kept showing code 97.

The PC would boot whenever the card was uninstalled or unplugged from the PSU, so i assumed the GPU was DOA, i've since checked the card on my brothers computer. It works, fine.
Went back to reinstall into my computer and the same code, this is where i would like your help...i'm confused and lost.

The card is identical to the one i used to have installed before it crapped out and everything in the computer is identical.

3770k
UD5H
7970
1200i

Any help, ta very much.

Tried in both 8x and 4x slots, only one i've not tried is top slot because that GPU is WC'd.

Edit: Video to better explain what's going on. Sorry about the noise, my PC boots on a 100% fan profile for 20 seconds

Rusty0611 · 1 Apr 2013 at 17:30

Tried card one's power cables into card two?

Might need to clear CMOS as well.

I remembered when I was faffing around with my broken MSI 7950s and was installing and re-installing... the BIOS would randomly corrupt and need resetting. Had it backed up to a USB hard drive but still irritating.

Tonester0011 · 1 Apr 2013 at 17:33

Rusty0611 said:
Tried card one's power cables into card two?

Might need to clear CMOS as well.

I remembered when I was faffing around with my broken MSI 7950s and was installing and re-installing... the BIOS would randomly corrupt and need resetting. Had it backed up to a USB hard drive but still irritating.

Yup. Tried all the 6+2s the 1200i came with, along with 2 sets of prebraded 1200i cables, in different plugs on the PSU itself.
Edit: Cleared the Cmos, restarted with defaults, tried second bios on the card as well.

pgi947 · 1 Apr 2013 at 17:35

Tried changing the pci lane settings too and from gen3? Could be only one lane will run 3.0, which might want reverted back to 2.0 when other lanes are populated?

Tonester0011 · 1 Apr 2013 at 17:42

pgi947 said:
Tried changing the pci lane settings too and from gen3? Could be only one lane will run 3.0, which might want reverted back to 2.0 when other lanes are populated?

Used to have CF on the same board before and ran at 3.0 8x for both. I'm pretty sure the 3rd slot is 3.0 4x but cant remember.
Where abouts in the bios would i change the lanes from 3.0 to 2.0 anyway? Wanted to check the benefits from 2.0 > 3.0 when i had time so would be nice to know

pgi947 · 1 Apr 2013 at 17:43

Can't remember, I think it's in a similar place you find the ahci and raid settings

Rusty0611 · 1 Apr 2013 at 17:44

I'll check - similar board... one sec.

MIT -> Miscellaneous settings

Kaapstad · 1 Apr 2013 at 17:55

Have you tried swapping the cards around to see if the problem moves/changes.

Also have you tried running the new card in slot 1 on its own.

Tonester0011 · 1 Apr 2013 at 18:05

Kaapstad said:
Have you tried swapping the cards around to see if the problem moves/changes.

Also have you tried running the new card in slot 1 on its own.

That's the only thing i haven't tried. It's also one thing i'd rather not do

If i had to choose between two cards working and having to mess about with my loop or sticking with one card and selling/giving the other card away i know which i would prefer

Tonester0011 · 1 Apr 2013 at 18:36

Added a video to first post. Hopefully that shows what i mean.

whyscotty · 1 Apr 2013 at 18:41

What does your mobo book say about code 97?

Tonester0011 · 1 Apr 2013 at 18:44

whyscotty said:
What does your mobo book say about code 97?

Checked the googles. "Console Output devices connect" no idea what that means.

pgi947 · 1 Apr 2013 at 18:47

Firstly, I would say you should have enough slack on that tubing to move the top card out of the way without disrupting the loop - based on the presumption the top outlet is connected to the radiator.

Secondly thats an odd one, full CMOS clear?

whyscotty · 1 Apr 2013 at 18:56

Can you turn the top card off and run the 2nd card on its own?

Tonester0011 · 1 Apr 2013 at 19:07

pgi947 said:
Firstly, I would say you should have enough slack on that tubing to move the top card out of the way without disrupting the loop - based on the presumption the top outlet is connected to the radiator.

Secondly thats an odd one, full CMOS clear?

Had just enough room, tried the second card in the top slot by itself and the same code appeared. Code 97.

Reset CMOS by taking out the battery, and restarted with optimised defaults. Same result.

whyscotty said:
Can you turn the top card off and run the 2nd card on its own?

Don't think i can turn off lanes on this board, tried single card in top slot by itself anyway. Same results.

whyscotty · 1 Apr 2013 at 19:10

Latest bios?

pgi947 · 1 Apr 2013 at 19:20

Yeah this is starting to remind me of the issues that plagued the Z77 D3's on launch, refusing to post with certain GPU's in. BIOS update was the only solution, perhaps a Giga related issue?

My friend had to (only has a single 7950) remove GPU, boot from iGPU, update bios, re-fit the card, working! This was a D3H Z77 & MSI 7950.

whyscotty · 1 Apr 2013 at 19:23

For me, I'd update/reinstall the bios and reinstall windows

I know its a pain

Tonester0011 · 1 Apr 2013 at 19:40

Updated to latest non beta bios. F14.
All working, thanks guys

I've never updated the bios before, my K90 now works?!?

I also have 8 profiles to save overclocks etc into and i can turn the PCI-E lanes from 3.0 to 1.0. Why have i never bothered to do this before?

What i would like to know though, howcome the problem only showed up now? Howcome it didn't materialise when i first got CF.

Something Else · 1 Apr 2013 at 19:41

not that i understand much about it but surely you need a crossfire bridge?

glad its working now though