POSTcode B2 with new GTX 970

[moonraker0]

Hello,

I recently purchased two new Gigabyte Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 "Twin Turbo" graphics cards from Newegg. Unfortunately, when I originally put them in, I'd either get a POSTcode of B2 (PCIe 3.0 disabled in BIOS) or 0D (PCIe 3.0 enabled in BIOS) and the computer would hang at that point and never boot into Windows. After reading about the latter code (0D), it seems like there are problems running PCIe 3.0 cards with my type of processor, so I'm not going to attempt to run it in PCIe 3.0 mode unless I can get a new CPU.

I tried a lot of things once I started getting the B2 error with the cards at first. I tried just putting in one card to test it out (tried both of them individually) as well as trying several different PCI express slots on my motherboard (including the even-numbered slots, which are just PCIe 2.0). I read something suggesting removing all but one stick of memory, so I did that. I read something about unplugging all USB headers and devices, so I tried that. (These things were to fix the 0D error in PCIe 3.0 mode, but I'm including them anyway so you know I've tried them.)

Eventually I decided they were probably both DOA (however unlikely it seems that they would both have been defective) and sent them back to Newegg for a replacement pair. The new cards just arrived yesterday, and what do you know, same error code. I've only tried one of them so far but I'm pretty sure the other card will produce the same error when I try it (I'll probably do so tomorrow).

Another possible solution I'd read about is to update the motherboard's BIOS. Mine is already at the latest version; they don't make new versions of this motherboard's BIOS since 2014 I think, and I'd updated it last month to fix another problem I'd been having. I know the problem is being somehow caused by the new video cards, because I'd been using two GTX 570s before, and everything works fine again if I put those back in instead of the 970s. Also, to elaborate on the symptoms of my problem, I get the B2 code showing on the motherboard's debug LCD panel and usually see it on the monitor as well, and then if I wait 5 minutes or so, it eventually goes to a blinking text cursor in the upper left corner of my screen indefinitely (I've waited at least 10 minutes at that part) and never boots into Windows like other people have experienced eventually happening.

Thanks in advance for any help with this issue. I'm still well within the RMA period with Newegg, but I figured I'd ask for help before I try to send them back (and hopefully get a refund somehow; it's a "replacement-only" return policy for these cards). I'm not too hopeful because it seems like a lot of people have this same problem with the 970 and many never fix it.

Specifications of my system:
Motherboard: MSI Big Bang Xpower II
Processor: Intel Core i7 3.6-3.8 GHz quad-core
Memory: 20 GB DDR3 1600
Video card(s): 2x Gigabyte Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 "Twin Turbo"
Power supply: EVGA Supernova 1600 G2 (1.6 kW)

 

[Sinistercr0c]

I have a bad feeling you might be scuppered. Looking at the MSI website for this motherboard, they have a compatibility document for different GPU's they have tested with the board (albeit only at v1.0 of the BIOS):

http://www.msi.com/file/test_report/TR1_2509.pdf

Nowhere in those tests are any later series GPU's from either Nvidia or AMD noted. I'd recommend emailing MSI support and asking them explicitly if the GTX9xx series cards will work with that motherboard.

Someone else may post up saying they do work, in which case you might have a chance. Hope it works out for you.

 

[moonraker0]

Thanks for the response. I emailed MSI support, but they ignored it (I had to email Sales because of glitches with their website prohibiting me from contacting their support through the form). I contacted Newegg about this, and they said that Gigabyte would refund the cards since they're under warranty, but of course they did not do this. Newegg also refused to refund the defective products, and only let me get another replacement. I just had the one I'd opened replaced by them so I can sell both of them as new on eBay. I'm pretty disappointed in Newegg; they've never let me down like this before. I've purchased a Titan Black card to use instead.

 

[moonraker0]

Ugh, unbelievable! The Titan Black produced the EXACT same error code. I first tried it in one of the PCIe 3.0 slots, and got a different POSTcode (dE), and never any video output from the card. When I put it in one of the PCIe 2.0 slots, I get B2 every time, on the motherboard LED panel and on the display, and then a flashing text cursor forever just like before. I also tried switching back to the stock BIOS version (BIOS slot C) with the Multi BIOS button on the motherboard. The regular Titan was on the list of MSI's tested cards, but I went with the Titan Black because I found a good deal on one and I'd read reports of people successfully getting this card to work on the Big Bang Xpower II. Apparently there's no way of getting any newer card than the 570 (or whatever the newest workable card happens to be) to work on this board, and I'll have to get a new motherboard to use any newer video card.