Computer doesn't work when I connect graphics card.

[Woozie]

Specs:
Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor
ASRock Z87 Extreme4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard
Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory
Toshiba 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
Sentey CS1-1420 PLUS ATX Mid Tower Case
Antec HCG-620M
Gigabyte Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card

I assembled this computer yesterday. It didn't work. I took the motherboard back, they tested it with my CPU, it worked, so I went home and assembled it.

If I put it all together and do not connect the graphics card directly to the PSU through the two outlets on the graphics card itself, the fans on the graphics card do not spin. I assume that means it's not working. But the computer itself works fine this way (I turn it on, BIOS comes up, option to install windows, etc.).

However, if I connect the graphics card to the PSU, everything on the computer itself runs normally (lights light up, fans spin even on the graphics card, etc) but I get a blank screen. Nothing happens at all. No BIOS, no option to install windows, etc. I haven't the slightest clue how to fix this. How do I get my graphics card to work properly?

Edit: Added video card to specs. Now sure how I forgot that.

[orinthia]

Tried the other ports on the video card for the monitor? Does the motherboard have a switch to tell it which video-out source to use (noticed yours has an onboard vid port), or have you tried the onboard connection? Have another vid card to test motherboard with? Have another motherboard/cpu combo to test card with? You forgot to mention your vid card.

How did they test it (or were you allowed to know/witness)? Did they try your ram and psu as well? Just listing some things that could possibly prevent a post or otherwise nothing on the monitor.

[xopher]

Bad gpu. Replace it

[Woozie]

Tried the other ports on the video card for the monitor? Does the motherboard have a switch to tell it which video-out source to use (noticed yours has an onboard vid port), or have you tried the onboard connection? Have another vid card to test motherboard with? Have another motherboard/cpu combo to test card with? You forgot to mention your vid card.

How did they test it (or were you allowed to know/witness)? Did they try your ram and psu as well? Just listing some things that could possibly prevent a post or otherwise nothing on the monitor.

I have a Gigabyte Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card

I tried very port I could. I don't think the motherboard has such a switch. I did not witness the test, but I know the RAM, PSU, MOBO, and CPU work because I can boot my computer without the graphics card.

Bad gpu. Replace it

Are you sure? My GPU was like $270 I don't want to have to throw it away.

[xopher]

How long ago did you buy it? Could still be in warranty for RMA.

Bad GPU does exactly what you've described

[Woozie]

I bought it Saturday. But microcenter gives me issues when trying to return stuff so I was really hoping to avoid having to try to return this. They may not let me return it.

[Kryssan]

Hm. The motherboard does have an option setup for the video mode in BIOS ( no hardware setting, just software / firmware ). Actually, it's got a couple video modes. It doesn't seem like, based on reading the manual ( link provided in case you don't have the manual or I'm reading the wrong one ) though, that you should have to manually set them. IE; the manual doesn't say to change the setting when you go to install video cards. This could be an oversight, but likely not. Just for S&Gs you could also look at the onboard debugger LED display and see what the code on it is, in the event that it is giving you an error code. Codes are listed in the manual.

If you haven't already, and you want to be sure, remove the video card completely. Then only use the motherboard's monitor ports. If you are using HDMI, consult the manual - one of those HDMI ports on the motherboard is HDMI In, not Out, so that won't help you. If you can get signal to the monitor then, you know it is either a setup issue and you really do have to setup the BIOS option, or the video card is a bust. If you should change the BIOS option and the video card still doesn't work after that, and you can't get onboard video to work, reset the CMOS ( procedure in manual ). That should allow you to run it on the motherboard. If with the video card completely removed you get no signal from the motherboard display ports, and you reset CMOS, you either have an issue with your MB or your monitor. I know I had a cheapo monitor once I picked up young and dumb that wouldn't accept certain signal outputs and thus wouldn't display anything if those outputs / resolutions were being driven.

[Woozie]

Hm. The motherboard does have an option setup for the video mode in BIOS ( no hardware setting, just software / firmware ). Actually, it's got a couple video modes. It doesn't seem like, based on reading the manual ( link provided in case you don't have the manual or I'm reading the wrong one ) though, that you should have to manually set them. IE; the manual doesn't say to change the setting when you go to install video cards. This could be an oversight, but likely not. Just for S&Gs you could also look at the onboard debugger LED display and see what the code on it is, in the event that it is giving you an error code. Codes are listed in the manual.

If you haven't already, and you want to be sure, remove the video card completely. Then only use the motherboard's monitor ports. If you are using HDMI, consult the manual - one of those HDMI ports on the motherboard is HDMI In, not Out, so that won't help you. If you can get signal to the monitor then, you know it is either a setup issue and you really do have to setup the BIOS option, or the video card is a bust. If you should change the BIOS option and the video card still doesn't work after that, and you can't get onboard video to work, reset the CMOS ( procedure in manual ). That should allow you to run it on the motherboard. If with the video card completely removed you get no signal from the motherboard display ports, and you reset CMOS, you either have an issue with your MB or your monitor. I know I had a cheapo monitor once I picked up young and dumb that wouldn't accept certain signal outputs and thus wouldn't display anything if those outputs / resolutions were being driven.

The onboard video works fine. I have tried it with the video card completely removed. I'll look into the BIOS and CMOS stuff as you recommended and if that doesn't work I'll exchange the card.

[Woozie]

They let me exchange it without having to choke anyone. I ended up exchanging it for a GTX 760 and I'm having the exact same problem. If the fans are spinning on the graphics card, I only get a blank screen. I'm testing this on two different monitors (and with both VGA and HDMI. I'm testing with every available port on my computer).

At one point, I only had one of the cables connected from the graphics card to the power supply and the HDMI connected from the graphics card to one of my monitors. I got an error message that said "Please connect the power to the PCI-express" or something like that. The fans were spinning in this case. I then connected both slots into the PSU got a blank screen. Every since then, it's been back to the way it was before (fans spinning = blank screen. Fans not spinning = boots up just fine).

[Caiyuo]

Woozie


what did you doozie

[Woozie]

I didn't do anything. This is clearly a government conspiracy to keep the black man down

Edit: Sense the video card doesn't seem to be the issue and GTX 760 and Radeon 7950 are the same price, which one is a better card? Also, any suggestions on how to fix the issue?

[orinthia]

Last things I can think of: your PSU is either not enough for such high end cards (unlikely), is bad (semi-likely), or the pci express slot you're using isn't working correctly (this would be weird). Try different slot (easy check), and if you have a spare psu with enough output, try it. Chances of getting two dud vid cards in a row are pretty slim, especially from two different manufacturers. Something else is afoot instead of the vid card. A bad PSU can still boot up things, but on higher load can flake out. Modern vid cards are real power hungry.

Are you sure you're plugging in power to the vid card completely? Card seated fully? New motherboards/cards can sometimes need an uncomfortable amount of force to get things seated completely, though really take a look before trying to apply more pressure.

[Kryssan]

Not enough exotic matter to make this work, obviously. Could you post your PSU specs Woozie? I can be blind sometimes but I didn't see them above. The MB does have a recommended card placement sequence for your graphics card so check the manual and make sure you've slotted it correctly. And if the card is seated correctly and you have verified the slot, try a different PCIe slot anyway just to see what happens. At this point if changing the video card didn't work, and you're not just horribly unlucky to get two bricked cards, it's the motherboard, the monitor, or the PSU.

[xopher]

His specs are in the first post.

I would also suggest trying the card in other slots to see if maybe it's a bad PCIe slot.

[Woozie]

Antec HCG-620M (which is 620W) is my power supply. Not sure how I keep forgetting important stuff.

Edit: It's actually it was already there in the first post.

[Woozie]

I got my computer to boot up with the graphics card in (fans spinning too) but the computer did not recognize that the card was even there. I'm going to try the other PCI-e slots now.

[Shazam]

I believe you are failing to connect one of the extra PSU cables to your graphics card.

Alot of graphics cards nowadays have 3 different sets of cables to connect from PSU.

If it's not that, there's something wrong with your PCI-E bus.

[Caiyuo]

And just to clarify, there's not an option that needs to be selected in the BIOS to choose to use the PCI-E as video instead of the integrated video, right?

[Woozie]

I don't think there were three sets of cables. It only came with two cords and I only saw two slots. I wasn't really *looking* for a third slot though but I doubt that there was one. I'll check when I get home. I'm thinking it's the PCI-E slot too, something else I plan to test when I get home.

[xopher]

@Aryslan check the first post. He has also listed the model of his PSU a second time in this thread.

@OP the power connectors on the card are going to be right next to each other so you're not going to miss them. Typically it's two six-pin adapters or like the GTX 760 I just got, a six-pin and an eight-pin.