GA-880GA-UD3H - problem with graphics

[haggis]

Hi

This is not strictly a mobo issue but I'm sure you guys will be able to advise me.
In Nov 2010 I built a rig with a GA-880GA-UD3H mobo (rev2.1). BIOS is flashed to F7 which I believe is the latest for that rev.

Other components:
AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition
2 x Kingston 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 1333MHz HyperX Blu Memory Kit CL9 1.5V Non-ECC Unbuffered
Sapphire HD 5770 1GB GDDR5
Thermaltake Armor A60 Mid Tower Case
Samsung HD103SJ Spinpoint F3
OCZ ModXStream Pro 600W - 80+ & SLI Certified - ATX12V 2.2/ EPS12V
Have two monitors rinning off the HD5770 DVI ports.

This has been running fine since some initial teething troubles with BIOS settings for PCI-Express card vs. on-board graphics (see http://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php/topic,3579.0.html)
Yesterday morning at boot I had no action on either monitor and boot code was 1 long beep and 1 short. I had the BIOS set to disable UMA so I guess the beep code was because the mobo couldn't find any enabled graphics to use.

I removed the HD5770 card and reset the CMOS - having enabled UMA am able to run both monitors from the on-board graphics but if I switch monitor to the HD5770 there is no action on the monitor.  Seems likely that the HD5770 is dead, otherwise I guess it could be the PCI-Ex16 slot on the mobo?

I have no spare PC to try the HD5770 in, nor a spare PCI-E card to try on this mobo.
Can I put the HD5770 into the PCI-E x4 slot - I guess it should work (if it's not dead)?
If I put it into that slot and it works then I guess I know for sure that the PCI-Ex16 slot on the mobo is not working?
If it doesn't work it looks more likely that the card is dead?

Any other suggestions? 

[absic]

Hi there,

yes, you can try using the X4 slot as a part of the fault finding process.

Also, have you checked that your PSU is supplying power properly? It could be a fault there, rather than with the GPU or motherboard and is worth checking just to eliminate that as a possible cause.

[haggis]

Ah yes, forgot to say, the HD5770 has power - the fan is spinning.
Also, I tried the only other PCI power plug on the power supply.
Will give the PCI-Ex4 slot a try
thanks

[haggis]

OK, I've tried the PCI-Ex4 slot and no action on monitor when plugged into either DVI plug on the GPU card.
Other thing to note is that the PC used to run almost silent, but since Tuesday morning it's as noisy as hell, because the fan on the GPU is running full-tilt all the time. I'm guessing this is another indication that the GPU card is faulty.
Thank goodness the on-board graphics is OK.
Thanks for advice absic

[absic]

Hi again,

yes, if the fan is running at full tilt on the graphics card I would suspect there is an issue there.
As a matter of interest, when you have the card plugged into the X16 or X4 slot is it still showing up in Device Manager? If it isn't then it could also point to a problem with the card.

However, if the motherboard has developed a fault you could still see similar issues and the only way of knowing for certain is to try another card in the slot(s), which you have already said, you don't have. Could you borrow one from a friend, just to make sure it is the GPU and not the motherboad?

[haggis]

Hi, good point about Device Manager.
Booted into Win7 to have a look and not it doesn't appear, only have the on-board HD4250 appearing.
I don't have scope to borrow one either unfortunately.
I think I'll contact eBuyer about retuurning the GPU. If that is sent back to me as being not faulty then I presume it must be the mobo.
(Jings, I hope it's not the mobo)

[absic]

Well as the easiest option is to RMA the graphics card that is what I would also do. 

I hope it's not the mobo

I'd be surprised if it is the Mobo, especially as everything else seems to be fine.

[Dark Mantis]

Don't forget if he has disabled it in the BIOS it won't appear in Device Manager even if it is fine.

[absic]

Don't forget if he has disabled it in the BIOS it won't appear in Device Manager even if it is fine.

Good point DM!

[haggis]

Don't forget if he has disabled it in the BIOS it won't appear in Device Manager even if it is fine.

There's a point.  My current BIOS settings are:
UMA enabled
Init First Display = PEG
On board graphics works OK

Until the problem occured yesterday, my settings were:
UMA disabled
Init First Display = PEG

I understood that I could have UMA enabled but still use a PCI-E GPU (if it worked).
I'm not aware of any other setting for disabling the PCI-E GPU?

[absic]

Yes, your BIOS settings should enable the GPU if it is working and installed correctly. If you checked the Device Manager settings with this BIOS configuration then it should have shown the GPU if it was OK. The fact that it didn't show up would seem to point to there being a fault with the Graphic Card.

But, as DM said, it is something that could have been overlooked and is worth double checking.

[haggis]

Just to update this, I RMA'd the HD5770 card to eBuyer who have tested it and replaced it (within a week, picked up by their courier Thursday new unit delivered Wed).  New card works just fine 
Thanks for your help

[absic]

Hey again, pleased it's all sorted and now working fine.