GTX 970 causing random reboots and running at x8 on Asus Z97-A - help needed.

[photonzip]

The system:

Motherboard: ASUS Z97-A
Bios Version: 2801
Video Card: Asus Strix GTX970-DC2OC-4GD5 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970
PSU: FSP Aurum 650W CM Quiet Modular PSU, 80+ Gold
CPU: Intel Core i5 4690K (3.5 GHz, 6 MB Cache, LGA1150 Socket)
Memory: 2x 4Gb Crucial RAM
SSD: Crucial 120GB
Sound Card: integrated in motherboard
Operating System: Windows 10 pro 64bit

Other info:

Graphics card is seated in the top PCI-E slot (nearest the CPU), i.e the PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16_1 slot

Two problems:

(1) Very recently when booting the machine it will almost get to the Windows login screen (the Asus logo is on screen with the spinning progress wheel) and then it will reboot. Sometimes I will log into Windows and then the mouse will freeze followed by a reboot. Sometimes the machine will freeze when booting and the red VGA post led is lit continuously. However, once this reboot has occurred the machine runs fine, and there are no further spurious reboots.

If I remove the GTX 970 from the machine and use the onboard graphics on the CPU this problem does not occur.


(2) GPU-Z reports that the GTX 970 card is running at 8x ("PCIe x16 3.0 @ x8 1.1"). I have run the GPU-Z stress test and it reports "PCIe x16 3.0 @ x8 3.0". I assume this should actually be x16.

I've tried reseating the GTX 970 card (many times) and cleaning the contacts and slot. No difference. I tried the card in the second slot and GPU-Z reported 4x speed.

Could it be a faulty GTX 970 or the motherboard?

 

[photonzip]

I've just realised this should be posted in the Graphics Card section. Can it be moved?

 

[rocktalkrock]

According to the GPU-Z photo you've posted your graphics card drivers were last updated on Jan. 23rd 2018. Is that when these problems started?

 

[photonzip]

According to the GPU-Z photo you've posted your graphics card drivers were last updated on Jan. 23rd 2018. Is that when these problems started?

No. It's not related to the drivers. It's a hardware issue.

 

[photonzip]

Just reseat ur CPU.....it happens when some of the pins of CPU r not contact with MB or the cooler is tightened way too much

I reseated the CPU and tried loosening the cooler. It still reports x8 speed

 

[photonzip]

Do one thing ...remove everything nd run ur PC with bare minimum parts.....just CPU mobo gpu ram...nd try powering it on...also plug ur gpu in x16 slot

Tried that - bare minimum - Mobo, CPU, GPU, RAM, Mouse & KB, one SSD. No difference.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Try forcing PCIE x16 slot into 2.0 mode in BIOS.

 

[photonzip]

Remove all of the SATA connections nd try powering on

Tried that and went into BIOS settings. Under the section "NB PCI-E Configuration" it reports "PCIEX16_1 x8".

 

[photonzip]

Try forcing PCIE x16 slot into 2.0 mode in BIOS.

Tried that. No dice.

 

[rocktalkrock]

1. What are the temperatures of the video card? Is it running hotter than it should.
2. Have you run a stress test of the video card to see if it's running slower than it should, and how much slower?

 

[photonzip]

1. What are the temperatures of the video card? Is it running hotter than it should.
2. Have you run a stress test of the video card to see if it's running slower than it should, and how much slower?

1. Temps are normal idling and under stress.
2. I ran the render test in GPU-Z, but the issue here is figuring out why the card is running at x8 rather than x16 PCIe lanes.

 

[rocktalkrock]

According to this thread your CPU could be limiting the PCIe x16 slot to x8.

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2962750/pci-lanes-4690k-work.html

 

[photonzip]

According to this thread your CPU could be limiting the PCIe x16 slot to x8.

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2962750/pci-lanes-4690k-work.html

I read that thread as saying that the top PCIe slot will be limted to x8 if there is another device in the other PCIe slots

 

[rocktalkrock]

According to this thread your CPU could be limiting the PCIe x16 slot to x8.

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2962750/pci-lanes-4690k-work.html

I read that thread as saying that the top PCIe slot will be limted to x8 if there is another device in the other PCIe slots

Or a PCIe SSD.

 

[photonzip]

According to this thread your CPU could be limiting the PCIe x16 slot to x8.

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2962750/pci-lanes-4690k-work.html

I read that thread as saying that the top PCIe slot will be limted to x8 if there is another device in the other PCIe slots

Or a PCIe SSD.

And my machine does not have these. Even if I remove the SATA SSD and go into the BIOS Setup it reports x8.

 

[photonzip]

I fixed the random reboots by carefully reseating the graphics cards.

Now all I need to do is figure out why it runs at x8 and not x16.

 

[rocktalkrock]

I fixed the random reboots by carefully reseating the graphics cards.

Now all I need to do is figure out why it runs at x8 and not x16.

Check the NB (northbridge) PCI-E Configuration again. The "PCIEx16_1/2 Link Speed" configuration options are: [Auto] [Gen1] [Gen2] [Gen3]. Is your motherboard set to "Gen3"?

* NB PCI-E Configuration *
This item allows you to configure the NB PCI Express settings.

* PCIEx16_1/2 Link Speed [Auto] *
This item allows you to configure the PCIEx16 speed for slots 1 and 2.
Configuration options: [Auto] [Gen1] [Gen2] [Gen3]

 

[photonzip]

I fixed the random reboots by carefully reseating the graphics cards.

Now all I need to do is figure out why it runs at x8 and not x16.

Check the NB (northbridge) PCI-E Configuration again. The "PCIEx16_1/2 Link Speed" configuration options are: [Auto] [Gen1] [Gen2] [Gen3]. Is your motherboard set to "Gen3"?

* NB PCI-E Configuration *
This item allows you to configure the NB PCI Express settings.

* PCIEx16_1/2 Link Speed [Auto] *
This item allows you to configure the PCIEx16 speed for slots 1 and 2.
Configuration options: [Auto] [Gen1] [Gen2] [Gen3]

Tried it at Gen3 and Auto, no dice.

Note that the x8 speed is reported in the BIOS setup screen as well as GPU-Z.