Problems getting PCI-E graphics cards to work on DFI SLI-DR

Im having a problem running pci-e graphics cards on my dfi sli-dr. I had a Leadtek 6800GT which ran fine in the system for ages. While reinstalling some hardware i took the card out a put it back in a few times. After booting up the bios screen was corrupted. I tried everything and couldn't get it to work so i assumed that the card was dead. I replaced it with an inno 6800Gt. On booting up its exactly the same (albeit not half as bad). The weird thing is it runs an old PCI graphics card fine.

Ive tried :

Resetting cmos
Plugging in 4pin molex and floppy to mobo
trying 6pin pci-e adapter instead of native PSU 6pin
Increasing pci-e frequency in bios.
Taping insulating tape round 6800gt bracket incase its shorting on something.
Checked fans working fine.
Updated to latest bios.
reset cmos another 100 times.

Any ideas?

My system:

DFI SLI-DR
A64 3000+
xp-120
OCZ 520W Powerstream
1GB OCZ Plat rev2
SB Audigy 2 ZS Plat
3x 250GB diamondmax 10's in raid 0
1x 200GB WD
1x 160Gb Samsung SP1604N
1x 100GB WD
Nec 1100A DVD writer

Any ideas?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pudds

Any ideas?

---

Have you tried the new firmware:
BIOS (10/03/05) for the DFI LanParty UT NF4 SLI-D
or
Another page closer to your model?
It fixes a lot of problems with memory compatibility, I think I saw OCZ memory mentioned, but don't hold me to that.
Might be an idea to flash the BIOS with the old PCI graphics card fitted, and just one DIMM (slot nearest the CPU) to be on the safe side.

Also, do you get the screen corruption in the BIOS if you disconnect all the drives?

EDIT> Sorry, just noticed you said you'd already updated the BIOS, but the latest is just a few days old, so I guess it's still worth asking.

thanks for the suggestions. Ive updated to latest bios. Also tried with one stick of memory. Also tried barebone with mobo,cpu,ram and vga connected with no drives.
Its the weirdest thing ive ever come across, i don't know what to rma as i don't know whats faulty.

I'd RMA the board tbh as it's unlikly both youe PCIE boards are knackered ( you could even probably take them to your local PC world and have them test it if your not sure) more likely it's the connector on the board, judging from overclock's page on DFI they must have had quite a few faulty ones as DFI themselves are doing the RMA not the supplier..http://www.overclock.co.uk/customer/...roductid=18231

It sounds like you hosed the memory on the graphics cards. You need to be very very careful with the new videocards. A couple of steps on the carpet while holding it and it's all over. There is another possibility though.

Some PCI-E motherboards are very particular about which videocards they will work with. For example, my Foxconn/Winfast NF4 microATX board hates NVidia cards but likes ATi. The Winfast board killed an Asus 6600GT of mine. Had to RMA it. I tried it in an MSI RS480M2-IL and it had the same problem you described. In the documentation of the Winfast board it lists a few cards (6, 5 were ATi) the motherboard works with and cautions against using unlisted PCI-E boards.

Anyway, with the implementation of a new buss/connector it is not uncommon to have problems like this which is why I steer people away from PCI-E (and NF4) for now unless they absolutely have to have it. When I do build SLI I use the Asus A8N. It is the best I've found with very few problems. :thumbsup: