[SOLVED] 2nd monitor not working properly after GPU upgrade

[ghost80808]

I've searched and I can't quite find this exact problem...

I upgraded to a 3060ti which has 2x HDMI, 2x DP.

I have 1x 1080p asus monitor as a main (connected to HDMI), which is working fine, 1x old Dell IN2020 as a secondary (the problem screen), and 1x Kamvas 13 pen screen as a third (also HDMI).

On boot up, the second screen shows my extended desktop, but is on the wrong aspect and resolution and my shortcut icons are all moved to my main (the second usually has all my icons on it). After about 30 seconds, it flashes to sleep mode, then on, then sleep, then on....etc. until finally goes to sleep permanently.

If I try to alter the resolution in settings while it's on, they change. I can set it to any of the presets available, but the same thing happens, on, off, on, off....

Oddly, if I cycle the monitor down for 30 seconds, and plug everything back in, occasionally it will go back to normal, pre-upgrade settings. All my icons move back onto that screen, it's in the usual resolution, and it stays working just fine, for hours, until i reboot. It's actually has an even crisper image than before!
Upon start up, it's back to broken. This doesn't always work either. It can take a few goes to kick in.

Some more info...

The Dell IN2020 is a vga monitor. On my previous GPU it used an adapter to connect to a DVI port. Now it has a VGA to DP adapter. Until a few days ago when i upgraded, it was working great.

New GPU and PSU are the only changes to the system, and the monitor problem existed before and after the new PSU was added today. So i think power is ruled out.

I'm running a i5 9400F, MSI Z390 A Pro, 16GB 3200 corsair Veng, Gigabyte 3060 ti, Corsair TXM 750w Gold.

I vaguely remember having to do some odd steps to get it to work on my last GPU too, but just cannot remember what.

Does anyone know what I could try? Any help would be massively appreciated.

Update: Something I just noticed. I got the 2nd monitor up and running again, via the power cycle trick, and noticed it is now listed as "CM 3316", instead of "IN2020" under display, and it's now showing as "generic pnp monitor" instead of "Dell...." in properties. Not sure if this helps?
Correction: Now all 3 monitors are listed as "Generic", but all working...until restart.

IMPORTANT: in case it's missed in the comments below, and to clarify, I cannot delete video drivers totally. My CPU has no integrated graphics. For some reason my GPU isn't accessing minimal drivers, so I can't access bios, or delete drivers for a totally clean install. I can only do clean driver install via Geforce Experience.

 

[kerberos_20]

issue could be with that vga to dp adapter

 

[ghost80808]

issue could be with that vga to dp adapter

I did wonder, but it's odd that it works after power cycling the monitor and works for hours and hours too. Sadly I don't have another device with DP ports to test it on.

 

[ghost80808]

Solved it.

I needed to create a custom resolution in the nvidia control panel. (which i forgot existed) One which matched the other two monitors, 1920x1080. Now it works without power cycle and after restart.
The native res of the Dell is 1600x900, but it handles 1080p just fine and has done for years.

I realized that cycling the monitor was just forcing the system to use generic plug and play drivers on ALL the monitors, which was also setting them all to the same resolution. Hence why it worked temporarily.

 

[ghost80808]

Correction. Logged in again today to find that now my 2nd monitor isn't displaying or detecting at all. I deleted drivers for it, but it's no longer reinstalling them when i plug it in, and the system isn't even applying generics now.
Pulled my 3060 and plugged my 1660 back in and the 2nd vga monitor works fine.

Did some more digging, and noticed that my displayports don't seem to be working at all (with adapters at least. I have no displayport monitors to test a straight DP connection). I tried using a (definitely functioning) DP to HDMI adapter on my Kamvas 13 and it just goes straight to sleep. Doesn't matter which of the two DP ports I use, no dice. The DP to HDMI definitely works on the 1660.

Also noticed my monitor drivers keep switching to generic pnp drivers. No idea why.

The major issue I have, is the 9400F, piece of garbage processor, not having built in graphics. I can't access my bios, can't completely delete my graphics drivers for reinstall, can't do much, and I'm nervous to do much of anything, given loss of my 3060 drivers means no screens and then I'm fornicated to the nth degree.

Really need help with this.

 

[faalin]

Download DDU and boot into safe mode to remove all video drivers. Shutdown and install the 3060 then boot back up and install the latest drivers for it.

 

[ghost80808]

Download DDU and boot into safe mode to remove all video drivers. Shutdown and install the 3060 then boot back up and install the latest drivers for it.

Thanks, but as stated, I can't use DDU to remove drivers, if I do, none of my monitors will work and i won't be able to install new ones.
My CPU is a 9400F with no built in GPU.

I have used Geforce experience to delete old profiles and drivers and clean install latest drivers, which seems to be the only way my system can add/remove drivers without losing screen access.

Soon as money will allow, I'm going to get a 9600k with built in GPU, because this is a massive ball ache!

 

[kerberos_20]

can you boot into safe mode? see if you get display there
in safe mode nvidia drivers arent installed, instead plain basic adapter driver is used, which is same driver you get when you uninstall drivers with DDU
if safe mode shows picture, than you should be able to get picture after DDU

if normal mode doesnt work, while safe mode is ok with your displays, here guide on what to do:
make sure you have downloaded DDU and nvidia drivers on your drive
open msconfig, switch to boot page and check mark safe boot, click OK
if youre in normal mode, reboot PC, it will boot into safe mode on its own
run DDU (in safe mode) to uninstall your nvidia drivers
reboot
install nvidia drivers
open msconfig boot page and uncheck safe mode
reboot (it will reboot into normal mode)

 

[ghost80808]

can you boot into safe mode? see if you get display there
in safe mode nvidia drivers arent installed, instead plain basic adapter driver is used, which is same driver you get when you uninstall drivers with DDU
if safe mode shows picture, than you should be able to get picture after DDU

Nope, I already had a safe mode disaster, that meant I needed to physically pull my HDD and use a laptop to disable it's msconfig safe mode changes. I think it was you who was offering me advice about that issue on another thread? Sadly it seems there are no generic adapter drivers to kick the GPU into action in the event of dedicated driver removal.

As I say, best I seem to be able to do, is use Geforce Experience to remove old drivers and install new ones automatically. And that was buttock clenchingly nerve wracking, after the safe mode misstep.

This CPU is like an albatross around my neck since this GPU upgrade.

 

[kerberos_20]

Nope, I already had a safe mode disaster, that meant I needed to physically pull my HDD and use a laptop to disable it's msconfig safe mode changes. I think it was you who was offering me advice about that issue on another thread? Sadly it seems there are no generic adapter drivers to kick the GPU into action in the event of dedicated driver removal.

As I say, best I seem to be able to do, is use Geforce Experience to remove old drivers and install new ones automatically. And that was buttock clenchingly nerve wracking, after the safe mode misstep.

This CPU is like an albatross around my neck since this GPU upgrade.

wasnt me...
but hmm if you get black screen in safe mode, then you also get black screen in bios
whichh suggest your gpu bios needs to be reflashed

 

[ghost80808]

wasnt me...
but hmm if you get black screen in safe mode, then you also get black screen in bios

apologies, I've got so many forums running. I think somebody else has you avatar, or similar.

As an example of how i have no native display drivers. When i switch the PC on, I don't get the usual "press F2 for boot menu" or such. Instead, when I switch on, the RGB lights up, fans spin, and for about 8 seconds (when boot menu options would normally show) the main monitor says "no signal", then it just kicks in and jumps straight to the password screen.

My old 1660 ti, instead had a black screen with some tiny dos style writing at the top corner saying something like "display adapter, 1660 ti" and some codes and such. but the monitor would kick in immediately. No missing signal pause.

The RTX seems to be not be getting generic driver access.

 

[kerberos_20]

apologies, I've got so many forums running. I think somebody else has you avatar, or similar.

As an example of how i have no native display drivers. When i switch the PC on, I don't get the usual "press F2 for boot menu" or such. Instead, when I switch on, the RGB lights up, fans spin, and for about 8 seconds (when boot menu options would normally show) the main monitor says "no signal", then it just kicks in and jumps straight to the password screen.

My old 1660 ti, instead had a black screen with some tiny dos style writing at the top corner saying something like "display adapter, 1660 ti" and some codes and such. but the monitor would kick in immediately. No missing signal pause.

The RTX seems to be not be getting generic driver access.

that driver at start is called vbios, mainboard bios calls that vbios and vbios starts up your monitor(s)
as this fails, you get no bios picture and same reason why windows generic driver fails, because its doesnt work with normal int10h calls
nvidia drivers works, because they talk with GPU differently than bios does (it bypasses bios entirely)
this is issue on bios level
if you have enabled CSM, its entirely vbios issue
if you have disabled CSM, it can be either UEFI GOP module (mainboard firmware aka bios/uefi) or GPU vbios compatibility issue
i have no idea if you can check this from within windows as it doesnt allow you to get into EFI enviroment to see how its setup
windows is able to do EFI calls, but its prohibited for users to do so (microsoft and its security reasons bleh)
utility to edit efi from within windows is not released to public (to change cmos data)
usual cmos reset advice might not really work if mainboard defaults to efi mode while it thinks everything is OK (well PC boots)

well lemme think

 

[kerberos_20]

do you still have some old GPU lyin around?

 

[ghost80808]

do you still have some old GPU lyin around?

yup, I have a 1660 ti, until it sells. That works, but then it connects by DVI to the problem monitor, so if there is DP issue, it won't tell me.

Thanks for that info. I'll do some digging around the net on UEFI etc, and see what I can work out on my system. Time for a processor upgrade with integrated GPU, I reckon, so can avoid all this nonsense in the future.

 

[kerberos_20]

well then connect your 1660 and go into bios, go to boot page and look for CSM settings, if its disabled, enable it, if its enabled, disable it, then save and exit and turn off pc, replace gpu with 3060