GTX 460 - No display!

[vortex]

Yes. I understand. I did clear the CMOS before doing the BIOS flash. Do I need to clear the CMOS again?

[Dark Mantis]

Yes I would advise it because it cant do any harm and it could just be the root of your problem. The BIOS is just like a translator between the hardware and the software, the CMOS is a list of all your hardware that is installed. The BIOS is about 8Mb in size but when you update it you only update about 1Mb.

[vortex]

OK just finished doing it. No luck .

Still - I see that the entire rig works - just that the display does not come up.

[Dark Mantis]

Are you using the same cable as on the other card?

[Dark Mantis]

I will be back in  one hour approx.

[vortex]

Are you using the same cable as on the other card?

Yes - the same cables, the same monitor and the same everything actually.

Only difference is the Radeon does not need 2 of the 6 pin cables. The NVidia needs them. Other than that, there is nothing which is different. And the Radeon gives me display.

I am worried whether the new NVidia could turn out to be faulty. I cannot make anything out on the surface or on the packing. It appeared to arrive in very good condition. And when I switch the machine on, the video card funs churn at good speed.

Its late in the night here. I will check back here tomorrow morning. Appreciate your assistance - Dark Mantis!

[Dark Mantis]

Well in that case I would either suspect the PSU or the graphics card. It could be either. Can you check the card in another computer? I fit works then it is down to the PSU not being powerfull enough. If you have to swap it out make sure that you get a good quality one with a single 12v line of at least 70amps.

[vortex]

Well in that case I would either suspect the PSU or the graphics card. It could be either. Can you check the card in another computer? I fit works then it is down to the PSU not being powerfull enough. If you have to swap it out make sure that you get a good quality one with a single 12v line of at least 70amps.

I actually made sure that the specifications of the PSU are such that it will not be overwhelmed by the graphics card. The Coolermaster GX 550 does have more than enough amperage on the 12V rail than the GTX 460 demands. So, I am not sure that it is the PSU which is at fault here.

I will have to try and see if I can test the card out in another computer. Let me see if I can do that tomorrow and get back here with the results.

[Dark Mantis]

Yes by all means make sure that it is not the card at fault first. However if it is not the case I would be very surprised if the PSU didn't turn out to be the culprit
I have just been checking the specs on your power supply and although the advertising looks good when you actually get down to numbers they are not brilliant. The efficiency drops off considerably after just a 60% loading and the 12v rail is only 40 amps which isn't bad but not enormous.
Can you also list all of your hardware that you are using so that I have a better idea of the loadings etc.

[Avathar77]

When U say"Computer gets past the bios" where exactly does it go "Blank"?
Do U see the "Verifying DMI Pool Data....." part?

[vortex]

When U say"Computer gets past the bios" where exactly does it go "Blank"?
Do U see the "Verifying DMI Pool Data....." part?

I should have clarified. I see nothing at all on the monitor. Not the stuff that comes before POSTING or anything at all. But I am saying that the system booted up based on the speaker output and the keyboard response.

[Enkal]

Sorry if I'm hijacking your thread.

I have a similar (if not identical) problem. I got my two Gigabyte GTX460 yesterday and installed them in SLI and powered by my week old Seasonic X-750.

On cold boot up I get no display but the computer seems to load to win 7's login screen. If I leave the computer on for a few minutes and restart it works normally. I read that Gigabyte recalled the first cards because of issues when these cards were too cold but I thought when I ordered my cards last week that they would be of the new batch?

[Dark Mantis]

Does it make any difference if you boot with just one card?

[Enkal]

Does it make any difference if you boot with just one card?

Not yet, I will try that tomorrow after work since the system cannot be warm.

[vortex]

Folks the issue was sorted out thanks to the friendly and knowledgeable guys at 'TheITDepot' (a local tech shop) here. Yes, I felt sheepish resorting to the technical people despite having the benefit of the worldwide web and not to mention the fact that I am myself in the IT business. But well - sometimes you need a fresh perspective. This turned out to be one of those cases.

The problem was - the card was somehow being shorted on contact with the case as well as the 2 screws that were being used to attach it to the case. Yes - very strange. But hey - it happened to me.

Although part of the mistake can be explained when I point out that I did not really nail down all the screws for the motherboard (to affix with the case). Still, it was not as if the issue went away once the motherboard was completely screwed in.

Finally we used plastic thumbscrews to secure the Graphics card to the case and that was that....

Enkal - I dont think this might be a solution which would be common. But just for what it is worth you could try and see if it is a shorting problem by assembling the entire setup on a flat cardboard surface - away from the case, to see if it makes a difference.

Thanks folks for all the replies. In particular Dark Mantis!