Z77-D3H and graphics question....

[Rivergoat]

IIRC this is rev 1.0 of the board. I am running a GT-520 graphics card. Out of nowhere I started getting a blacked out screen (and system reboot) , then when switching over to internal graphics, the card is not recognized in Device Manager. I tried the PCIe x4 slot, and at first not recognized, then it was...then trying in the x16 slot it came up again and all worked. I flashed BIOS with the newest version I found, which was the beta F14d. I had also tried an RMA on the video card with the manufacturer; thought all was OK. Yesterday in the middle of a session the screen went black, and the system rebooted (I am wondering if I actually got a BSOD, but with no graphics could not see it). When rebooting I went to safe mode, but before I could complete that it went black again, and upon attempted reboot received beep code error messages indicating no video present.

I removed the video card, removed the CMOS battery, even shorted the CMOS pins to reset everything; that way I got back into BIOS via internal graphics (my prior config had internal set from "Auto" to "Disabled" so that's why I wouldn't see internal even with the card not working).

OK...so using internal graphics, I got the system up. Then I shut down, tried the card again in both the x16 and x4 slot. No graphics. Set up another RMA with the manufacturer in case this card was tweaked. After something like 20 minutes decided to try the card again (I do not have another PCIe card to try, not another system to try that card into). This time the card came up in x16 slot fine.

At this point I checked and updated chipset drivers to the mobo (the ones on the site are newer than was on the board). So far it's working again, so....a chipset driver issue, or some other oddity?

As a minor question...I noticed that even after I removed the CMOS battery, the internal clock was still correct time after I re-inserted it and booted. Is there somewhere elsewhere the clock keeps time? A power cap that doesn't drain off immediately?

Anyway, the issue seems to be less of an actual hardware failure, but more of the software/driver type. Any thoughts, experiences appreciated.

[Rivergoat]

To anyone that's followed this thread.

I have not had success after all. The system worked for a while, not a single problem, Yesterday right after boot, I lost video again. I could use on-board graphics, but the GT520 card was not being seen in the PCIe x16 slot; I tried the x4 slot with no success at first, then at a subsequent try it was seen in the x4 slot (I had again tried resetting CMOS and all that). I was still unable to get the card recognized in the x16 slot. Since this was a replacement card from when I thought the issue was in it (and the manufacturer tested the old card, finding no issues), I again began to think the mobo at fault.

Talking to Gigabyte tech support, the best suggestion was to initiate PEG as the graphics choice, and see what happens. I did, but the x16 slot was not seeing the card. Gigabyte said to create an RMA for a suspect board, so in the interim I am using the card on x4, awaiting a replacement mobo.

Tech support agreed I did what i could with newest BIOS, updated video drivers, updated chipset drivers, known good power supply...

Rather dismayed here. I got the Gigabyte board after going through 5 or 6 bad ASUS boards; I could no longer wait for their service to try to fix the problems (and the board they finally returned to me did not have the audio problem corrected; I have given up on ASUS). I went with Gigabyte, but possibly facing another issue with a defect. Don't know about you, but I get tired of ripping the case open and changing parts frequently!

[Slevin]

I have the exact same problem as u are. Seems that afterall gigabyte moba's are quite bad...

I am still using on board graphics and i bought my pc 1 month ago

[Rivergoat]

Well, after installing an RMA board, everything is fine...so far. It's been about a week and a half. The graphics are fine in the PCIe x16 slot. Keeping my fingers crossed for no more issues (however, I just swapped RAM due to suspect chips as well!). Everything stable at the moment.