ASUS P8-Z77-V PRO : VGA_LED light remains red.

[deusexfan]

Hello everyone!


This is my first time posting on a forum in many years, so bear with me as I look for help with my new computer. I have been building computers for almost 15 years so I am not new at this, but I am stumped...totally on this one, so here goes:


I build this computer from the ground up with almost everything ordered from newegg. The initial spec was:

ASUS P8Z77-V PRO LGA 1155
Intel i7-3770k 3.5 Ghz
G.SKILL Ripjaws Z Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3 2133
XIGMATEK Dark Knight II SD1283 CPU Cooler
Samsung 840 PRO 128 GB (Windows Boot Drive)
WD BLACK SERIES WD1003FZEX 1TB 7200 RPM (backups and program installations)
OCZ Vector Series VTR1-25SAT3-128G (installed in bay, but not in use or powered on)
MSI N760 HAWK GeForce GTX 760 2GB
COOLMAX ZU Series ZU-1000B 1000 Watt


Wiring it all together into my case (ThermalTake Versa G1) was not a problem.

So moving on I installed Windows 7 (64 bit) and then of course I had to do some burn-in testing to make sure everything was ok.

However I started having problems before I managed to start burn-in testing!

The problems:
Weird lockups of the computer
Random reboots for no reason
Blue screen of death.

I thought at this point the problem is either PSU or motherboard.

So I sent back the motherboard I bought (it was from a different retailer, not newegg), and got a refund. Then I used this refund to buy the ASUS P8Z77-V PRO (from newegg).

I had to get the same motherboard because there was a very limited selection of motherboards for the LGA 1155 (it was around the 3rd week of December).

Now with the new motherboard, I was excited to continue building my computer.


So I installed the the new motherboard, and I installed the graphics card.
Booted to windows without a problem, so I was happy.

Now time to do some stability testing...but the computer froze up with a blue screen.
Pressed the reset button but the computer wouldnt boot.
Powered off and turned it on again but the computer would not boot.



At this point I figured the source of the problem has to be the CoolMax PSU. Apparently it was a low quality 3rd tier power supply and I took an educated guess that it wasnt providing clean power or had bad voltage regulation or not enough wattage on the 12 v line or something along these lines.

So i RMA'ed the Coolmax PSU back to newegg, got a refund and instead ordered a Corsair AX860.




Now with the new Corsair AX860 PSU I was excited as I thought I had all the problems fixed, and there just couldnt be any more problems. How wrong I was!!!

So I put in the new Corsair PSU and turn on the computer........

Now we have a new problem:
When I start my computer the VGA_LED light on my motherboard remains red.

Troubleshooting steps:
(a) Checked pcie cables are tight
(b) Seat and reseat the graphics card

No change, VGA_LED light on my motherboard remains red.

Pulled out the graphics card and booted to Windows to get more ideas what else I can try.
So after researching I updated the ASUS bios, and retested with the graphics card in.

No change, VGA_LED light on my motherboard remains red.

Took out the graphics card again and went into the BIOS to ensure that discrete and dedicated graphics are enabled at the same time. That was not the case, so I enabled the setting in the bios so that discrete and dedicated graphics are indeed on now.

Again: No change, VGA_LED light on my motherboard remains red.


Only thing I can think of it is to RMA the graphics card and I plan to do that in two days.
(MSI has promised to replace the graphics card after i explained the above situation).

But I dont know if that's going to fix the problem..................and the RAM and CPU are presumed good as they worked without any problems throughout the entire saga.

I am absolutely stumped as to what else I can try to fix this problem and I would welcome any suggestions.






The new spec as it stands now:
ASUS P8Z77-V PRO LGA 1155
Intel i7-3770k 3.5 Ghz
G.SKILL Ripjaws Z Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3 2133
XIGMATEK Dark Knight II SD1283 CPU Cooler
Samsung 840 PRO 128 GB (Windows Boot Drive)
WD BLACK SERIES WD1003FZEX 1TB 7200 RPM (backups and program installations)
OCZ Vector Series VTR1-25SAT3-128G (installed in bay, but not in use or powered on)
MSI N760 HAWK GeForce GTX 760 2GB (currently not installed pending RMA)
Corsair AX860



Looking forward to your help and thanks for reading the long post!

 

[unknownofprob]

Alright, Does this red light only appear and nothing else turns on? No fans..ect

 

[deusexfan]

This vga_led light is the only light that remains red.

Once the computer is turned (the motherboard green light is lit) on the fans will light and spin up, then the cpu light will blink red and go out (its supposed to do that), then the RAM light will blink red and go out. Again its supposed to do that. Then the red led on the motherboard for the graphics card will blink red and then remain red, and the computer will refuse to post.

Sometimes a message will come up on the monitor saying "input not supported". I have two monitors and i tired on both. The monitors support vga as well as dvi, and i tried both with no change.

So yes everything else powers up (including the graphics card fans).


Does that help?

 

[unknownofprob]

yes, that helps a lot. have you tried using different 6 pin or 8 pin connections from the PSU to graphics card?

 

[deusexfan]

My graphics card only has two 8 pin pcie connectors.

I tried all four of the 8 pin pcie leads (they came with my Corsair PSU).
The graphics card came with a 6 pin to 8 pin adapter but I did not use it as the cables are natively the correct type from the PSU to the GPU.

yes, that helps a lot. have you tried using different 6 pin or 8 pin connections from the PSU to graphics card?

 

[unknownofprob]

that shouldn't be an issue, I will come back in a few hours searching every aspect of what I think the problem could be.

 

[deusexfan]

Did any ideas come to mind?

that shouldn't be an issue, I will come back in a few hours searching every aspect of what I think the problem could be.

 

[deusexfan]

Ok Thanks for all your help!

I found the problem, and the problem is in fact the ASUS blue PCIe slot.

I did not try the second PCIe slot in my computer because the ASUS manual specifically states to use the blue slot for the first graphics card, and the other PCIe slot for the second GPU.

So...the solution was to instead use the second PCIe slot, which worked just fine.


Now the weird thing is that I in fact got this ASUS P8-Z77-v PRO motherboard twice. First time was from a store in Nevada (ordered on online) and I had this exact VGA_LED problem.

Now the second time I got the exact same motherboard but instead got it from NewEgg.

So the exact same motherboard, different retailers, presumably a different batch and all of them showed the same problem. So I be willing to bet the issue is more widespread than me just having bad luck.


Anyway...thank you everyone for all your help and I hope my solution helps someone else.

 

[unknownofprob]

Ok Thanks for all your help!

I found the problem, and the problem is in fact the ASUS blue PCIe slot.

I did not try the second PCIe slot in my computer because the ASUS manual specifically states to use the blue slot for the first graphics card, and the other PCIe slot for the second GPU.

So...the solution was to instead use the second PCIe slot, which worked just fine.


Now the weird thing is that I in fact got this ASUS P8-Z77-v PRO motherboard twice. First time was from a store in Nevada (ordered on online) and I had this exact VGA_LED problem.

Now the second time I got the exact same motherboard but instead got it from NewEgg.

So the exact same motherboard, different retailers, presumably a different batch and all of them showed the same problem. So I be willing to bet the issue is more widespread than me just having bad luck.


Anyway...thank you everyone for all your help and I hope my solution helps someone else.

Sorry fibre optic cable needed to be replaced here I live, The slot wasn't working...., I came across several of those issues but didn't think it was worth putting up but clearly should have, other issues were faulty power cables, Pin connectors ect.... But it's good you found out the problem here, great for recommendations in the future. You see anything odd about the PCI-E Slot the card was in that didn't work?

 

[deusexfan]

Hi,

No worries about the fibre cable being replaced. It happens and dont get me started about the story with the backhoe cutting..........

Anyway, to answer your question, no I do not see anything unusual about the CPI-E slow that dosent work.

I dont see bent or broken or missing pins. Solder points look clean too. Back of the area where the PCI-E slot is looks clean too. So I am guessing the issue must be something to do with where the PCI-E electrical signals are being sent/routed around the motherboard, but i dont have the skills or tools to dig further.

Sorry fibre optic cable needed to be replaced here I live, The slot wasn't working...., I came across several of those issues but didn't think it was worth putting up but clearly should have, other issues were faulty power cables, Pin connectors ect.... But it's good you found out the problem here, great for recommendations in the future. You see anything odd about the PCI-E Slot the card was in that didn't work?

 

[unknownofprob]

yeah, I wouldn't dig any further either.

 

[ithelps]

Holy shit! So my graphic card had one with 6 socket and another with 4 socket. Before i only had one with 4 socket plugged in. Now i plug everything in and it work. Idk if this is correct or not but lwt me know

 

[deusexfan]

Thanks for the tip.

In my case there is an actual hardware problem with the PCI-E lane itself, verified by a 3rd party repair company.
ASUS never sent me a reply (this was weeks ago) and when i call them they want me to pay in full for a replacement.

ASUS support just sucks really, they used to good until they outsourced "support" to non english speakers who are probably paid commission for every sucker who falls for paying out the cost of a new board, even though its covered by warranty.

Holy shit! So my graphic card had one with 6 socket and another with 4 socket. Before i only had one with 4 socket plugged in. Now i plug everything in and it work. Idk if this is correct or not but lwt me know

 

[ithelps]

Uh oh that's not good, so if mine was to stop working i am not cover