GPU at PCIE 2.0 x16 Slot running at x4!

[llort14]

Hi guys, I've come to see if you can help me a little bit with this problem that has me tired of looking for a solution.
I just bought a Asrock M3A790GXH/128M Motherboard, and everything is working fine, except for my GPU.
Right now, I have a Nvidia GTS 250 1gb ddr3, and this GPU is inserted in the x16 green port, and everything is physically correctly, yet, by some reason, GPU-Z and AIDA64 report is running at x4.
I've tried updating BIOS, cleaning the GPU and slot, reinstalling windows and drivers, clearing CMOS, checking for an option in BIOS and I'm being unable to solve this issue.

Could anybody please help me with this?

Thanks in advance

 

[llort14]

your board has PCI-E 2.0 that is 500Mbs a lane. so a x16 ought to be 8Gbs.
so your x10 now? 😛 ( does not compute . .)

i'll tell ya what. play an older game, one where that card has been benchmarked at like far cry2 if you have it. if the fps is close to the same, ignore everything.

Just to add more info, I just moved the GPU to the blue slot and now it is at x8...
So then? What could be the problem with the x16 slot?

 

[Guest]

Just to add more info, I just moved the GPU to the blue slot and now it is at x8...
So then? What could be the problem with the x16 slot?

i would start to consider a RMA process. it seems to be flonky*

* uber tech term for malfunctioning

 

[llort14]

i would start to consider a RMA process. it seems to be flonky*

* uber tech term for malfunctioning

Sorry for not answering 😛 I was doing some benchmarks with the GPU at the blue x8 slot and the green x16 slots and it seems that my friend was somehow right.
I used MSI Kombustor and also tested some games and even if it sounds odd, the GPU performed better at the green slot (the one with the problem that it is working at x4) and also scored higher at benchmark.
Just say, difference is not too much, by 3 fps and in score by about 10 but that shows something.
Haven't tested the orange x4 slot.

So, would that mean that after all, it is just a slot with a problem reporting real speed?

 

[Guest]

ok, lets look over things.

you get various readings about the speed of the slot.
you cleaned it and reseated the card.
you were told that this model of board gets flonky when reporting the slot speed and you researched it.
you performed real life testing and found it seemed to perform better than the x8 slot.

i will not tell you to ignore it and that its nothing. if is not a problem for you and you are satisfied with the performance then just keep an eye on it while you use it.

 

[llort14]

ok, lets look over things.

you get various readings about the speed of the slot.
you cleaned it and reseated the card.
you were told that this model of board gets flonky when reporting the slot speed and you researched it.
you performed real life testing and found it seemed to perform better than the x8 slot.

i will not tell you to ignore it and that its nothing. if is not a problem for you and you are satisfied with the performance then just keep an eye on it while you use it.

Yeah thanks, I'll keep an eye on it.
And yes performance right now is ok, haven't tested real x4 socket but I don't think it will perform so good.
Indeed I tested many games (using athlon II x3 - unlocked to Phenom II x4 b40) and performance is ok.
But, do you think things could get worse by some reason?

Thanks!

 

[Guest]

if it is a "bug" then it sounds like a whacky sensor. some cpus can have a sensor that "sticks" at 32c even if the temp is lower but they are fine. if it is a "problem" anything would be a guess without diagnosing what the problem is.

i do not know if you talked to asrock or where you bought the board from about the situation. you might want to let them know what happened (the reading apparently being off), what you have done (researched and tested), and ask if they think you should be concerned about it.

it sounds like your willing to live with it. but if something does go wrong, you're stuck. by contacting a tech support atleast you may be able to recover the loss of the board if it gets that bad.

 

[llort14]

if it is a "bug" then it sounds like a whacky sensor. some cpus can have a sensor that "sticks" at 32c even if the temp is lower but they are fine. if it is a "problem" anything would be a guess without diagnosing what the problem is.

i do not know if you talked to asrock or where you bought the board from about the situation. you might want to let them know what happened (the reading apparently being off), what you have done (researched and tested), and ask if they think you should be concerned about it.

it sounds like your willing to live with it. but if something does go wrong, you're stuck. by contacting a tech support atleast you may be able to recover the loss of the board if it gets that bad.

I understand what you say and indeed, you're completely right in everything you said.
Indeed, the fact that the PCIE is reporting wrong speed shouldn't happen as it may get worse someday.
One solution could be sell it and buy a ASUS M4A78, don't remember the exact model but it's a nice motherboard with almost all that this Asrock has.
Also, indeed I contacted the support and explained them my issue (by email) and they just told me "try reinstalling graphic drivers, conctact nvidia and ask them for a new firmware" and not really a solution (maybe I will mention an RMA process)

Thanks!

 

[llort14]

if it is a "bug" then it sounds like a whacky sensor. some cpus can have a sensor that "sticks" at 32c even if the temp is lower but they are fine. if it is a "problem" anything would be a guess without diagnosing what the problem is.

i do not know if you talked to asrock or where you bought the board from about the situation. you might want to let them know what happened (the reading apparently being off), what you have done (researched and tested), and ask if they think you should be concerned about it.

it sounds like your willing to live with it. but if something does go wrong, you're stuck. by contacting a tech support atleast you may be able to recover the loss of the board if it gets that bad.

looniam, I made an interesting discovery.
The PCIE green slot has 3 condenser next to it 2 on one side and one in the other (solid).
Well, one of them is easy to move when you try do it, probably not well solded on the motherboard while the others are really tight and don't even move.
Could this be the cause?

 

[Guest]

you mean a little can?
the capacitors are actually soldered on the bottom. two wires come down and go through two holes in the motherboard and soldered there. it just wasn't pulled down tight. and i believe that would be for the power to the slot and not the data.

watch this at 1:10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oyJYZRRU8c
i think the guy is an idiot but he does that point that out.

please do not wiggle it nor attempt to re-solder it.

 

[llort14]

you mean a little can?
the capacitors are actually soldered on the bottom. two wires come down and go through two holes in the motherboard and soldered there. it just wasn't pulled down tight. and i believe that would be for the power to the slot and not the data.

watch this at 1:10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oyJYZRRU8c
i think the guy is an idiot but he does that point that out.

please do not wiggle it nor attempt to re-solder it.

Of course I know that they are solded, what I wanted to say is that this special one is not properly solded as others, and no, I won't try to sold it again as my knowledge in electronic is not that good.
But I read that, one of these capacitors controls the energy of the PCIE port (the green one) and that if this capacitor suffered a damage or similar, probably that would give trouble (as maybe the performance is the same, but probably the slot is actually electrically at x4).

 

[llort14]

Best answer selected by llort14.