Motherboard does not Recognize External Graphics Card

[karino]

I'm using a MSI Z97-G45 Gaming Motherboard, and a Radeon R9 290 DC2OC, with 4GB memory as my graphics card. I just built the computer a few days ago. However, as the title says, the motherboard does not recognize that the graphics card is there--I first had suspicions after seeing that I could not autodetect the card in order to get the drivers. I went into the BIOS and discovered that the board doesn't even see the card there. I'm not sure how to proceed--I know that the card itself is working, as the fans spin and the led power lights turn on. However, since it's a very good graphics card, I would very much like it if I could actually use it, haha. Any and all help is appreciated.

 

[volcanoscout]

Try going back to the bios and checking the display setting - make sure PEG or PEG/IGP is selected, then reboot and see if that does the trick. Otherwise it will look for the integrated graphics and stop looking when it finds it.

 

[karino]

Try going back to the bios and checking the display setting - make sure PEG or PEG/IGP is selected, then reboot and see if that does the trick. Otherwise it will look for the integrated graphics and stop looking when it finds it.

Unfortunately this did not work. PEG was already selected as the mode.

However, I looked at the board explorer, which highlights in red all the things that are attached to the motherboard, and the pcie input area where I plugged in the video card and it is not highlighted. I'm not sure if that helps.

 

[volcanoscout]

Try going back to the bios and checking the display setting - make sure PEG or PEG/IGP is selected, then reboot and see if that does the trick. Otherwise it will look for the integrated graphics and stop looking when it finds it.

Unfortunately this did not work. PEG was already selected as the mode.

However, I looked at the board explorer, which highlights in red all the things that are attached to the motherboard, and the pcie input area where I plugged in the video card and it is not highlighted. I'm not sure if that helps.

So much for the easy answer Next thing I would try is to remove the card, make sure you've got the latest BIOS installed, reinstall the card making sure you've got it fully seated, and do a fresh install on your drivers. Make sure the system is powered down when removing and reinstalling the card - don't mean to insult your intelligence if that was obvious to you, but I've seen people do some crazy things.

 

[karino]

Try going back to the bios and checking the display setting - make sure PEG or PEG/IGP is selected, then reboot and see if that does the trick. Otherwise it will look for the integrated graphics and stop looking when it finds it.

Unfortunately this did not work. PEG was already selected as the mode.

However, I looked at the board explorer, which highlights in red all the things that are attached to the motherboard, and the pcie input area where I plugged in the video card and it is not highlighted. I'm not sure if that helps.

So much for the easy answer Next thing I would try is to remove the card, make sure you've got the latest BIOS installed, reinstall the card making sure you've got it fully seated, and do a fresh install on your drivers. Make sure the system is powered down when removing and reinstalling the card - don't mean to insult your intelligence if that was obvious to you, but I've seen people do some crazy things.

Sorry, but did you mean to reinstall the motherboard's drivers? And, sorry, but how would I install the latest BIOS? Would that be available from MSI's site?

 

[volcanoscout]

You can go to MSI's website and download their Live Update 6. That should let you know if any updates are needed and have instructions on how to apply them. For the GPU, you can go to AMD or the website for the particular brand you bought (i.e. Asus, MSI, EVGA, etc).

 

[karino]

You can go to MSI's website and download their Live Update 6. That should let you know if any updates are needed and have instructions on how to apply them. For the GPU, you can go to AMD or the website for the particular brand you bought (i.e. Asus, MSI, EVGA, etc).

I did all of that except download the drivers for the gpu--I put the card back in to a different PCI slot in the motherboard, updated the bios and got everything from the live update except for norton internet security, and the motherboard still says there's nothing in the PCI slot.

Could it be that I failed to remove some film that was on the side of the card? I really don't think that would break it, especially since it still ran even after removing said film, but it's all that I can really think of.

 

[volcanoscout]

I don't think it has anything to do with film unless there's a film on the actual connector. Which slot did you initially install it in and which one is it in now?

 

[karino]

I don't think it has anything to do with film unless there's a film on the actual connector. Which slot did you initially install it in and which one is it in now?

I had it in what i believe is slot 3, the one closest to the processor. I moved it from there to the slot in the middle, between the other two long slots. I'm fairly certain the PCI slots are working, because I have a wireless adapter that's worked now in two different smaller pci slots (i had to move it to make room for the graphics card).

 

[volcanoscout]

Try going here and downloading "VBIOS update for R9290-DC2OC-4GD5" dated 2014/06/13 under the BIOS tab, then follow the steps below:

http://www.asus.com/Graphics_Cards/R9290DC2OC4GD5/HelpDesk_Download/

1. Once it's downloaded, extract the zip file to a folder on your desktop.
2. Next go into your Device Manager and under display adapter right click on your onboard graphics and select disable. If it prompts you to restart, click "No".
3. Shutdown your PC and remove the GPU and reinstall it into slot PCI_E2 which should be the long slot closest to your CPU (where it started at).
4. Restart your PC. If the found new hardware wizard pops up, cancel out of it, then install the graphics driver that's on your installation CD.
5. If your PC recognizes the R9 at this point, open up the Live Update application and run another update scan - this time it should pull the VBIOS update automatically. If it doesn't, open up the file that you downloaded earlier and double click on it.
6. If, when you restart, the hardware wizard doesn't pop up, try loading the driver anyway, and if that takes, then do Step 5.
7. If the system won't boot at all, shut it down, pop the card and install it in PCI_E5 (the second long slot down from the CPU), then start again at Step 4.
8. If the system still won't reboot, then you'll have to try reflashing your mobo bios.

 

[karino]

Try going here and downloading "VBIOS update for R9290-DC2OC-4GD5" dated 2014/06/13 under the BIOS tab, then follow the steps below:

http://www.asus.com/Graphics_Cards/R9290DC2OC4GD5/HelpDesk_Download/

1. Once it's downloaded, extract the zip file to a folder on your desktop.
2. Next go into your Device Manager and under display adapter right click on your onboard graphics and select disable. If it prompts you to restart, click "No".
3. Shutdown your PC and remove the GPU and reinstall it into slot PCI_E2 which should be the long slot closest to your CPU (where it started at).
4. Restart your PC. If the found new hardware wizard pops up, cancel out of it, then install the graphics driver that's on your installation CD.
5. If your PC recognizes the R9 at this point, open up the Live Update application and run another update scan - this time it should pull the VBIOS update automatically. If it doesn't, open up the file that you downloaded earlier and double click on it.
6. If, when you restart, the hardware wizard doesn't pop up, try loading the driver anyway, and if that takes, then do Step 5.
7. If the system won't boot at all, shut it down, pop the card and install it in PCI_E5 (the second long slot down from the CPU), then start again at Step 4.
8. If the system still won't reboot, then you'll have to try reflashing your mobo bios.

Very, very sorry that it took me so long to respond to this. I discovered that I had the power cords plugged in incorrectly, because I'm a little slow apparently, and was able to get both LED lights on the card to light up. Now, of course, the monitor won't recieve as long as the video card is on, but it's a start. Thanks again for your help!