Graphics card died, PC won't boot with a new graphics card

[KaKTy3]

Hi all

A few months ago I've built this sweet system with the help from Hexus community (relevant specs only):

• CPU: Intel® Core™ i5-3570K
• Motherboard: Gigabyte G1.Sniper M3 Intel Z77 m-ATX
• Graphics: Inno3D GTX 560 Ti 448 Core Edition
• PSU: Antec High Current Gamer M 620W
• Case: Fractal Design Core 1000 m-ATX
• Monitor: Iiyama Prolite XB2374HDS-1 23" LED IPS Monitor

After leaving it running folding@home overnight yesterday, I woke up to a PC that was off and won't start up. Pushing the power button will just light the leds for a split second, but that was all that would happen. I thought it was the PSU at first, but by trial and error, figured out it was the GPU at the end. Removing it from the system and plugging the monitor to the IGPU allowed the machine to POST.

I went ahead and bought a new graphics card today (MSI GeForce GTX 660 Twin Frozr III/OC), thinking I would just RMA Inno3D on Monday (it's sub 6 months old, so should be straightforward). However, while plugging it into PCI-E x16 slot allows the computer to start up (and the card gets powered up--the fans are spinning), the system won't POST and monitor would report that there is no DVI signal. Same thing happens if I plug in the DVI cable into the IGPU, no BIOS, no DVI signal, but everything is powered up and spinning. It definitely isn't booting into Windows, as pushing the power button won't switch it off--it normally does once it's booted. I tried plugging in the new card into PCI-E x4 slot that is otherwise unused, but that produces the same results.

I am positive the Inno3D card is dead, but could it have taken the whole of PCI-E ports with it? Or am I am missing something? Are there any tests I could run to determine whether the PCI-E ports are functioning?

Your help is very much appreciated!

[technodean]

A while back I had a simalar problem, the only thing that got it to go was to reset the BIOS by bridging BIOS pins via the motherboard.

[KaKTy3]

A while back I had a simalar problem, the only thing that got it to go was to reset the BIOS by bridging BIOS pins via the motherboard.

Thanks. Re-flashing the BIOS and resetting CMOS and DMI pool at the same time fixed it. Seems to be a common issue with a number of Z77 Gigabyte boards as well, looking at the other forums...