questions about GA-880GA-UD3H

[waiwai0808]

I have similar problem as you, while my pc doesn't plug display card
during BIOS post screen and Windows loading screen, onboard dvi won't output
after reached Windows logon screen, the dvi will function back.

Tried with Clear CMOS and load optimized setting, but the dvi still shows nothing,
I am using rev2.1 and F6 bios revision, what can i do now?

[haggis]

I'm having more problems with my new build.
On booting I was getting display via the HD5770 with no problem, have been able to reboot nuerous times and install WIn7(64) and various software.
Yesterday on cold-booting I had a blank display again (monitor plugged into the HD5770 and the on-board graphics are disabled), on hitting reset I get display (though gadgets that should be on far right have screen are central, indicating that when I couldn't see a display it was in the wrong resolution).

Same thing this morning, on cold-boot no display and this time I noticed the POST beep - one long and one short.

I guess it's time to flash the mobo from F3 to F7 to see if this resolves these issues?
Have read the helpful posts about flashing using Q-Flah, just one question.  The F7 download included three files, the new BIOS file 88GAUD32.F7 plus two others - a bat file and an EXE - I presume I don't need these two other files for Q-Flash?

[absic]

Hi,

you're correct you don't really need the other two files but I always copy all of them onto my USB stick, just to be sure!

[haggis]

right, BIOS successfully flashed to F7
PC powered down, will have lunch then power up and see what happens.

[absic]

If it powers up OK and you can see your monitor, don't forget to load Optimized Defaults then reboot before you  make any changes to BIOS that you need.

[haggis]

Aye, I've reloaded optimised settings as part of the flashing process.
After being powered-off for about 30 minutes it powered up OK, however these problems with blank display seem to be developing over time rather than being immediately apparent, so might not know for a few days whether all is definitely OK or not
Feel sure I have the latest drivers for HD5770 but will check that as well.

[haggis]

Turned PC on this morning, only one short beep when booting to imply successful boot but still blank monitor   
I'm booting into Memtest+86 so that I can wait a minute then hit Esc to reboot, and up comes the mobo splash screen and Memtest display is showing.

So now I need to prove it's the Mobo at fault I guess.
Currently I've taken out 3 sticks of RAM and am running Memtest, will put each of them back one-at-a-time in their relative slots and test each one for up to 2 hours.
Then I'll swap monitors just to be sure it isn't related to that. See what happens when I cold boot.
Then I'll swap back to onboard graphics and remove the GPU.  See what happens when I cold boot.

I bought all my kit from ebuyer, wonder if it's worth my while contacting them toflag up tat I'm having issues and am trying to figure out where the problem lies?

[absic]

Hi,

Sorry to see that you are still having issues but I think you are doing the right thing trying to find where the problem actually lies.

I would contact e-buyer and tell them that you are having problems and also what you are doing to try and resolve them so that they are aware of the situation. It should make it easier if it comes to RMA'ing any of the parts.

[KEP]

It is always best to disable the on-board graphics if you are using an add-on card as it frees up RAM that would otherwise be taken.

In BIOS you need to change the settings under IGX Configuration. You can find this under the M.I.T section or the Advanced BIOS Features. Disable the internal Graphics Mode

Wow, is that right?  So the reported "shared video memory" is just wasted, if you have an add-on card? 

and then set INIT Display First to PEG.

This is what I had done.  Actually, I had it set to PCI at first, until I read the docs and realized PEG was pointing at the x16 slot.  Is there a "practical" difference between PCI and PEG, or is PEG simply more specific and what would've happened anyway?

[haggis]

OK - I've run each RAM stick through Memtest86+ v4.10 - 4 passes each no errors reported.
I've put them all back in and switched to a different monitor also connected via DVI, took me about 20 mins to set this up and on first boot I had blank display.  Rebooted and was able to get into BIOS and enable onChip graphics and connect monitor to onChip DVI.  Has worked on every boot/reboot since. First time I've tried onChip graphics since flashing the BIOS.

Next step is to re-attach to the GPU and see what happens when I boot it tomorrow morning.
I plan to leave the onCHip graphics enabled and set INIT DISPLAY to PEG (it's working for KEP)
Just to confirm - I do have my GPU inserted into the PCI-Express  x16 slot 
I'll leave all other BIOS settings as per optimised settings.

Time for a drink

[haggis]

I'm hoping that I have fnally got to the bottom of this, I think it's the combination of which port I have the monitor plugged into, and the BIOS settings for graphics adapters.  I had assumed that the words "Init display first" on the BIOS setting meant it would try one then the next and so on.  Instead I think it means that if you have multiple displays, whichever you select here will be treated as primary monitor, anything else plugged-in will be secondary. What appears to happen is that if you select something here that relates to a graphics port with no monitor attached, it looks no further.

Extra confusion has been added by:
- "load optimised settings" sets the BIOS to a combination of settings such that I will get a blank display if my monitor is plugged into any of the onboard graphics ports (so would "load fail-safe") because "PCI" is the default
- having said the above, when I first booted the system after assembly, I got a display, it was only on subsequent boots that I had problems, I have no explanation for this
- one day booting gave me an error beep code every time, seems to have been fixed by flashing the BIOS to F7, so I'm going to ignore that it ever happened

I've done some experiments with settings this morning, booting into Memtest on CDROM, hoping this wee table will make sense:
BIOS option                                         setting combinations tested
                                                            combo1        combo2       combo3
Internal Graphics Mode                           UMA            Disabled      UMA           
Onboard VGA Output                              Auto             -                 Auto
Init Display First                                      PCI             PEG           OnChip
Results were:
Monitor connect to GPU DVI                    OK                OK             Blank
Monitor connect to OnBoard DVI             Blank             -                OK

I currently have it set to "combo2" above and will reboot periodically through the day and see if there are any failures.
Must remember if loading optimised settings, to rejig the graphics setttings !

[haggis]

Just wanted to update this and say that since I've set the BIOS options as per my last post I've had no issues with blank display.

Thanks guys for your help and advice with this.