[SOLVED] GPU refusing to work on specific mobo

Nov 10, 2019
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I have recently built a gaming rig from all brand new parts (besides the GPU which is used, but perfectly functional).

Specs:
Mobo: Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Master
CPU: i9-9900k
RAM: 32GB G.Skill Trident Z Neo 3600Mhz CL16 (2x16GB) f4-3600c16d-32gtznc
GPU: EVGA RXT 2080Ti XC Ultra
PSU: Seasonic Prime Platinum 850W
Boot drive: Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1TB + second exact same drive

After a lot of troubleshooting, asking on forums etc the problem persisted: i am unable to get any signal from the video card when its in any of the PCIE slots, doesnt matter if its through HDMI or DP. I am unable to even get to BIOS, when the card is in there is completely no display at all, and also with the card plugged in (and BIOS settings at "Auto"), i dont get video via onboard, meaning the mobo detects the GPU and automatically disables the IGPU. During that time, the "VGA" LED on my mobo is lit up, meaning it sees that there is SOME problem, although the debug display shows "A0 (IDE Initialization is started)" code (might also be AD - which is "Issue Ready To Boot event for OS Boot"), and the same is displayed when I'm fine in windows via onboard or another GPU.

Everything runs just fine if i take the 2080Ti out of the PC and run it just from the IGPU, zero problems, instant boot, everything detected, even managed to OC the 9900k to stable 5.1Ghz, out of boredom.. The 2080Ti is fine, i used it for the past two months with my old rig (Z77 mobo and i7-2600k) and it was running perfectly okay, i also tested it in two different PCs (also using my PSU in those PCs, to eliminate the PSU as the problem) and it works just fine. I flashed card's bios to the newest one in my friends PC, didnt help. I also tested a 2070 and a 1060 in my new rig, boots fine with no issues, got instant video via DP. I tested the power cable, PSU, i tried if the card is seated in the PCIE slot correctly, nothing helped. I uptaded mobo's bios, no change.
If i manually force the PC to use onboard via BIOS, i am able to get video with the GPU plugged in , but the card itself doesnt show up in BIOS, it doesnt show up in device manager, and if i try to install GeForce experience, it says i have no Nvidia GPU plugged it. All of that is quite weird because card's RGB is lit up, the fans are spinning and the backplate is getting warm when i touch it over the die.
I also reassembled the thing outside of the case, i reseated the CPU to make sure it was fine, checked the inside of all PCIE slots, they look fine inside. I tried three different PSUs and different cables, to no effect.

Coming to the conclusion - i did a whole ton of troubleshooting, tried every single common fix that people suggested, nothing worked. The problem is still the same with zero change - everything runs fine, until i plug my 2080Ti in my system, then i get no video via any output..
I totally ran out of ideas, everything is fine by itself. The 2080Ti is fine and working in another rig. Mobo's PCIE slot is fine too, as it works perfectly fine with other GPUs plugged in. Also the monitor and cables are fine, im certain.

I hope someone can help me finally fix this without RMAing anything as i'm already very frustrated by the time waste on all of this.
 
Solution
So basically you've verified the likely contributors to the problem are all actually working, but for some unspecified reason the RTX 2080 ti won't work in this particular system. Very strange.

On the times you've forced the PC to boot from the iGPU with the graphics card installed, did you by any chance check device manager? I suspect it's one of those cases where it will only show up under hidden devices, which would confirm the recognition problem. (Was speculating whether you can boot into safe mode with the graphics card.)

You mention checking the PCIe slots. Is this a visual check or installing the graphics card into them? If you haven't try installing it to another PCIe slot; it's at least worth a try.

Assuming Windows, is it...
So basically you've verified the likely contributors to the problem are all actually working, but for some unspecified reason the RTX 2080 ti won't work in this particular system. Very strange.

On the times you've forced the PC to boot from the iGPU with the graphics card installed, did you by any chance check device manager? I suspect it's one of those cases where it will only show up under hidden devices, which would confirm the recognition problem. (Was speculating whether you can boot into safe mode with the graphics card.)

You mention checking the PCIe slots. Is this a visual check or installing the graphics card into them? If you haven't try installing it to another PCIe slot; it's at least worth a try.

Assuming Windows, is it up to date?

I'm sure others will have additional advice.
 
Solution
Nov 10, 2019
12
1
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Yes, exactly. Everything by itself is fine and working with different components, but this exact combination is not. Windows is up to date too.
I tried booting with the GPU in all three of PCIE slots, same thing. I did not check hidden devices though. Will give it a shot in a sec.

Edit. Im in windows right now via the IGPU (brute forced) with the dGPU in, and nothing is showing in device manager when i check "show hidden devices"
 
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I had hoped it would show in hidden devices as that would just mean Windows not recognising it (it would just be an unknown device), and there are .ini fixes to get around that (as I understand it). In which case, even trying to boot into safe mode with the graphics card as display output wouldn't work.

Have you tried EVGA and Gigabyte support? The worry I would have for an RMA is once they receive it they find no fault and reject it, thus leaving you with the same problem now.
 
Nov 10, 2019
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I have tried Gigabyte only, as (sadly) my card is not on EVGA's warranty, i only have seller's one for it. Gigabyte basically said that if i cannot check with any other 2080Ti then i should RMA the board via the shop i bought it from, which i dont really want to do because it will take a crapload of time.
For now, i'm just waiting for the guy that sold me the card to message me once he gets new delivery of 2080Ti's so we can maybe replace mine with an Asus Strix or so (i'd love EVGA with warranty though, as my desire is to watercool it, and as far as i know EVGA is the only AIB partner that is fine with watercooling cards and i could do it without losing warranty) to check if it will work. If any other 2080Ti will work i'll just leave it in, if it wont, then i will RMA the board.
No more ideas here, i just dont want to waste more time XD
 
Nov 10, 2019
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Update on the topic: i tried literally everything, i talked to EVGA and Gigabyte support, i tried a lot of fixes and troubleshoots, yet nothing helped.
Today, i finally managed to get in touch with the seller (he didnt have any in stock before), returned the card and exchanged it for a Zotac AMP (brand new one though, compared to the fact that the EVGA was used) and it gives me completely zero issues, runs smoothly while also maintaning lower temps and noise levels.
For anyone reading this in the future and trying to solve similiar problem - just return the GPU and exchange it for another model (maybe even another piece of the same model might work just fine, i dont know). Nothing besides that was able to solve my issue, and it seems that the motherboard is perfectly fine.

Thank you everyone for attempting to help anyway, i really appreciate that <3
 
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