[SOLVED] PCIe slot problem?

[hars]

Hi,

I've been having a hard time with this issue and need help.

My pc was working perfectly up until last week. On Monday I turned it on and there was no display and it didn't boot either. The fan on the gfx card spins but nothing happens.

So I removed the external card and attached the monitor to the onboard one and the pc booted and switched on perfectly. I tried using another gfx card to check but again the system did not boot. So it works only with the inbuilt one.

I am guessing it's a problem with the PCIe slot or there is something else that I'm not aware of.

Any suggestions or ways to fix this?

System specs:

Processor: AMD FX 6300
Graphics card: Sapphire R7 250 1GB
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 12GB DDR3
Motherboard: ASUS M5A78L-M
PSU: Corsair VS450
Monitor: LG 22MP68

Thanks.

 

[drea.drechsler]

Hi,

I've been having a hard time with this issue and need help.

My pc was working perfectly up until last week. On Monday I turned it on and there was no display and it didn't boot either. The fan on the gfx card spins but nothing happens.

So I removed the external card and attached the monitor to the onboard one and the pc booted and switched on perfectly. I tried using another gfx card to check but again the system did not boot. So it works only with the inbuilt one.

I am guessing it's a problem with the PCIe slot or there is something else that I'm not aware of.

Any suggestions or ways to fix this?

System specs:

Processor: AMD FX 6300
Graphics card: Sapphire R7 250 1GB
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 12GB DDR3
Motherboard: ASUS M5A78L-M
PSU: Corsair VS450
Monitor: LG 22MP68

Thanks.

I'd suspect the discrete GPU before the PCIe slot but you have tested another GPU in the slot. You might try the GPU in another system to see if it's functional any way.

Since you have tested with another GPU and it still doesn't work you might have to replace the motherboard. Not much you can do to fix a bad slot since it could be cause by PCIe power distribution on the motherboard, signal distribution on the motherboard or even the chipset that feeds data to the PCIe slot on the motherboard. None of that is easy to troubleshoot, even by professionals with experience. And repairing would be cost prohibitive even if they do find the defect.

It's especially difficult since it happened to a working system that was closed up...or I assume it was... which would rule out physical damage to traces on the motherboard.

 

[hars]

I'd suspect the discrete GPU before the PCIe slot but you have tested another GPU in the slot. You might try the GPU in another system to see if it's functional any way.

Since you have tested with another GPU and it still doesn't work you might have to replace the motherboard. Not much you can do to fix a bad slot since it could be cause by PCIe power distribution on the motherboard, signal distribution on the motherboard or even the chipset that feeds data to the PCIe slot on the motherboard. None of that is easy to troubleshoot, even by professionals with experience. And repairing would be cost prohibitive even if they do find the defect.

It's especially difficult since it happened to a working system that was closed up...or I assume it was... which would rule out physical damage to traces on the motherboard.

Thanks for your response.

In the BIOS menu under the primary video controller, the default setting is selected as GFXO-GPP-IGFX-PCI. Is this the correct setting?

I tried to reset the motherboard BIOS by removing the battery and putting it back but it didn't help. I also cleaned the PCIe slot just to be sure but that didn't work either.

Is there anything else I can do? If there are no further options, then I'll have to purchase a new motherboard.

Also, can you suggest a budget friendly motherboard suitable for my current configuration?

Thanks again for your help.

 

[drea.drechsler]

....
Also, can you suggest a budget friendly motherboard suitable for my current configuration?

Thanks again for your help.

That also might be difficult since AM3/3+ motherboards are pretty well deprecated so the selection is limited, and especially so if your case only fits mATX which your current board is. You'll probably be faced with compromises like getting used or shipment from China. You might have to just take what's available or shuffle through used boards on E-Bay to find one you trust.

Here's a Newegg listing. The Asrock board might be about as much choice as you'll get for something less expensive and new.

https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?N=100007625 600641738 600009017&Order=1

 

[hars]

That also might be difficult since AM3/3+ motherboards are pretty well deprecated so the selection is limited, and especially so if your case only fits mATX which your current board is. You'll probably be faced with compromises like getting used or shipment from China. You might have to just take what's available or shuffle through used boards on E-Bay to find one you trust.

Here's a Newegg listing. The Asrock board might be about as much choice as you'll get for something less expensive and new.

https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?N=100007625 600641738 600009017&Order=1

Will adding an external PCIe card be of any use?

 

[drea.drechsler]

Will adding an external PCIe be of any use?

Such as which product do you propose?

The only ones I know of are 'pcie splitters' that would plug into the PCIe x 1 slot above the PCie x 16 slot and give you another pcie x 16 slot. That's going to be very slow, since x1 is it's maximum bandwidth, so most likely no better than the on-board GPU in the chipset for gaming with. Their purpose is to provide additional space for GPU's to be used for bit-coin mining which doesn't require high bandwidth to the GPU.

And then too, it may not work at all unless you know the x1 slot still works.

Another product uses extreme high bandwidth I/O ports like firewire or thunderbolt. Something your motherboard lacks but many high-end laptops come with. The one's I've seen require a separate power supply and chassis...and a price tag pretty close to a low-end Ryzen system (motherboard/memory/CPU) which would outperform what you have even with the x16 PCIe slot fully functional.

 

[hars]

Such as which product do you propose?

The only ones I know of are 'pcie splitters' that would plug into the PCIe x 1 slot above the PCie x 16 slot and give you another pcie x 16 slot. That's going to be very slow, since x1 is it's maximum bandwidth, so most likely no better than the on-board GPU in the chipset for gaming with. Their purpose is to provide additional space for GPU's to be used for bit-coin mining which doesn't require high bandwidth to the GPU.

And then too, it may not work at all unless you know the x1 slot still works.

Another product uses extreme high bandwidth I/O ports like firewire or thunderbolt. Something your motherboard lacks but many high-end laptops come with. The one's I've seen require a separate power supply and chassis...and a price tag pretty close to a low-end Ryzen system (motherboard/memory/CPU) which would outperform what you have even with the x16 PCIe slot fully functional.

I was asking about this:
https://www.newegg.com/p/1W7-00J6-00006

Not sure about the other ones.

 

[drea.drechsler]

I was asking about this:
https://www.newegg.com/p/1W7-00J6-00006

Not sure about the other ones.

That's similar to one of the splitters....it needs to get it's PCIe data from the remaining PCie x1 slot so it will be limited to PCie x1 bandwidth and probably not going to be any better performing than your on-board GPU is right now. If all you want this for is bit coin mining it might work.

BUT...it's not at all a sure thing it will work either as the x1 slot sources it's data from the same chipset that feeds the x16 slot that's failing you already.

 

[hars]

That's similar to one of the splitters....it needs to get it's PCIe data from the remaining PCie x1 slot so it will be limited to PCie x1 bandwidth and probably not going to be any better performing than your on-board GPU is right now. If all you want this for is bit coin mining it might work.

BUT...it's not at all a sure thing it will work either as the x1 slot sources it's data from the same chipset that feeds the x16 slot that's failing you already.

Then it will be of no use because it has to work for gaming.

I'm out of all options except buying a new motherboard, which is going to cost me a lot.

Anyways, thanks for your help.

 

[drea.drechsler]

Then it will be of no use because it has to work for gaming.

I'm out of all options except buying a new motherboard, which is going to cost me a lot.

Anyways, thanks for your help.

You can run through e-Bay listings to take chances on used motherboards. You might get lucky. It's just really not good idea throwing more money on such old tech if you can squeeze into new.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/324561967311?epid=7034766164&hash=item4b916698cf:g:YfUAAOSwbQhgb3ZD