Question RTX 4090 sometimes gives no video via DisplayPort during boot/reboot ?

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Player701

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Sep 15, 2019
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Hello everyone.

I'm not sure whether this question is best suited for the graphics cards or the monitors forum - but since I think the issue is probably with the former, I'm posting it here. I wouldn't mind if this thread were moved, though.

I've recently built a new PC with an RTX 4090 Asus Strix OC graphics card, and I seem to be having issues with my primary monitor since the upgrade. The monitor in question is also an Asus, model VG27AQ1LA, and I'm going to mention right away that it works perfectly with my old Gigabyte RTX 2080 Ti - that's why I think it's the RTX 4090 that is causing the problem, not the monitor.

Now here's what happens. In short form: The primary monitor is sometimes not recognized by the GPU but only during the boot sequence. The power LED on the monitor glows orange, indicating no video signal present, and the POST screen is displayed on my secondary monitor instead. If I disconnect the secondary monitor, I don't see the POST screen at all - however, POST still completes successfully, and the PC boots into Windows, which is also when the primary monitor starts working and shows the Windows login screen.

What's most interesting about this is when it happens. So far I've been able to reliably reproduce the issue in two scenarios:
  1. If the monitor is completely powered off, turning it on causes it to display an Asus splash screen. At this time, the monitor's power LED is glowing white, as it usually does when it's getting a video signal. If I turn on the PC while the monitor's LED is still glowing white, the monitor won't be recognized during boot. But if instead I wait for the splash screen to go away, the power LED will change color to orange, and if I then turn on the PC, the monitor will work normally.
  2. If the NVIDIA driver is installed, the monitor is not recognized during every second reboot from the OS, as long as the PC is powered on.
The second scenario is especially perplexing. Every two reboots, the monitor works during the first one, and then stops working during the other one. It is not random, there is a pattern here and I've observed it countless times by now to be 100% sure about it. Seriously, what the heck is happening here? I'm almost certain it has something to do with the GPU and/or its drivers, especially considering that it always works on every reboot if I uninstall them via Display Driver Uninstaller. It still doesn't help in the first scenario, however, but it is not surprising because that one happens when the OS (and hence the driver) hasn't booted up yet.

Restarting the PC while in BIOS usually does not cause the primary monitor to stop working. This includes both pressing the reset switch as well as saving and exiting. However, I have been able to make the issue trigger sometimes, for example, when toggling the XMP profile.

Things I've tried so far, unsuccessfully, to resolve this issue:
  • Uninstalling the NVIDIA driver via DDU and installing it again;
  • Updating the NVIDIA driver (currently at the latest version 531.18 as of the time of writing this message);
  • Updating the card's VBIOS with the official Asus update tool (v. 2.1 as of the time of writing this message);
  • Running NVIDIA GPU UEFI Firmware Update Tool (said the firmware was already up to date);
  • Updating the MB BIOS to the latest version;
  • Disabling fast boot (BIOS) and fast startup (Windows);
  • Increasing POST delay (BIOS) - probably not relevant as it only makes the POST screen stay for longer, the problem likely occurs before it comes up;
  • Enabling CSM (BIOS) - wouldn't have been a long-term solution anyway as it disables some useful options, in particular Resizable BAR;
  • Changing "Primary Display" (BIOS) from "Auto" to "PEG Slot" (nothing changes) and "PCIE" (causes POST error, gets reset to "Auto" - probably because it refers to the PCIE slots attached to the chipset, where nothing is plugged in);
  • Forcing the PCIEx16 slot to Gen4/Gen3 (it normally runs at Gen5, but that shouldn't matter since the 4090 is only Gen4);
  • Disabling the XMP profile;
  • Removing one of the RAM sticks;
  • Forcing the monitor's refresh rate to 60 Hz - probably not relevant because the OSD already says it's running at 60 Hz at bootup, only switches to 144 Hz in Windows;
  • Disabling the monitor's G-Sync Compatible feature;
  • Using the Asus monitor driver instead of the built-in Windows driver;
  • Switching to another DisplayPort (tried all 3);
  • Using another DisplayPort cable (VESA certified for up to 8K resolutions!).
Right now, I'm at a complete loss. As far as I see it now, what's going on here is: either the GPU is not taking enough time to recognize the monitor, or the monitor itself is somehow being too slow to connect to the GPU - but I don't have any idea what could be done about it. And let me reiterate that the monitor worked (and still works) perfectly with my old PC's 2080 Ti card, where it was always prioritized on boot in my dual-monitor setup.

I originally thought the problem was that the GPU disabled all video outputs except for one HDMI port (the one my second monitor is plugged into) every other reboot, but since then I've been able to prove otherwise. For starters, the second HDMI port also works if I plug my second monitor in there instead, and the issue with the primary monitor on first boot can be avoided by simply waiting long enough for the monitor's own splash screen to go away. Which led me to conclude that the DisplayPorts on the GPU almost certainly do work all the time.

Note that I don't have another DisplayPort monitor to test, and I also don't have any means to connect the primary monitor via HDMI because I don't have an HDMI-to-HDMI cable (the second monitor uses a DVI-to-HDMI one, and it does not have DisplayPort at all). Sure thing, I could order an HDMI cable, but using HDMI normally is not an option because, as far as I'm aware, it will prevent G-Sync Compatible from working - Google says it only works with DisplayPort and maybe HDMI 2.1, but the monitor only supports HDMI 2.0. But please correct me if I'm wrong here, then I guess there will be a reason to test the HDMI connection also. I don't want to buy a cable just for testing if I'm not going to ever use it again. (I don't own any other HDMI-compatible devices besides this monitor, and I'm not planning to buy any in the near future either.)

All in all, this is not a critical issue as it doesn't prevent me from using the monitor normally. However, it is slightly annoying to see the boot screen on a different monitor on every reboot, and it'd be great to eventually see it resolved. I wonder if anyone else has had a similar problem, especially with the same graphics card, or maybe another RTX 4090. And please don't say I should've upgraded my monitor also - even though my budget is substantial, it is not unlimited, and I'm perfectly content to run the 4090 at 1440p@144Hz, knowing that I still have a lot of headroom (most of the time) and could potentially go 4K if I wanted to.

Thank you very much.

P.S. For the record, here is my entire PC configuration. Haven't done any OC so far - except for the RAM, but only via XMP (and also tested without, see above).
  • MB: Asus ROG Maximus Z790 Extreme
  • CPU: Intel Core i9-13900K
  • RAM: G.Skill F5-5600J3036D32GX2-RS5K 2x32 GB kit
  • GPU: Asus ROG Strix RTX 4090 OC
  • SSD: Samsung 990 Pro 2 TB
  • HDD: Toshiba MQ04ABF100 1 TB
  • PSU: MSI MEG Ai1300P
  • OS: Windows 11 Pro 22H2 (build 22621.1344)
 
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It's clearly a hardware problem with the card because drivers don't load until after Windows loads so it can't be software. Also, as you said, the old card works perfectly which means that it is definitely a problem with the new card. Any other problem would have manifested itself regardless of which video card you were using.

You've done well in all of your checks and your logic is sound. I would contact ASUS about an RMA if I were you.
 
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Thank you very much for your reply.

I'm definitely not going to RMA because this is not a critical issue but rather more of an annoyance than anything, and as such probably not worth the hassle. Not to mention the whole thing may also be a bit difficult to pull off because I think these cards are not imported into my country officially, and the availability of this specific model here is extremely limited.

I mostly wanted to see if anyone else had had the same problem, and also to make sure I hadn't missed anything while troubleshooting. But since I couldn't find any similar threads here, I guess it either has something to do with my card specifically, or it could be a compatibility issue between the card and the monitor (and the monitor being 1440p doesn't help either because the 4090 is usually recommended for 4K gaming, so this particular combination is likely not well represented).
 
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Player701 said:
I mostly wanted to see if anyone else had had the same problem, and also to make sure I hadn't missed anything while troubleshooting.
Click to expand...
Hey man, you are not and you didn't. I am on the same boat. Different monitors, different card brand but same model and same issue. From what I have found so far we are not the only ones. No solution yet either. In my case what is weird about it is that it wasn't happening out of the box. It went couple of days with this card until it started happening.

Edit. I run 3 screens setup. 2 DisplayPort monitors and HDMI TV. It is always my secondary monitor that works unfortunately. Main monitor and TV both get disconnected.
 
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So it turns out I'm not the only one after all. Very interesting! May I ask you, are you experiencing the exact same symptoms as those I described, and what's the make and model of the problematic monitor? Also, if the monitor has an HDMI port, and provided you have a spare HDMI cable, could you please test if the issue also appears if you connect the monitor via HDMI?
Zippidy40 said:
In my case what is weird about it is that it wasn't happening out of the box. It went couple of days with this card until it started happening.
Click to expand...
Hmm. As far as I remember, for me it started happening right away after finishing the build. Perhaps for you it could've been a GPU firmware update of some sort, though I suppose you'd know if it were the case.
 
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Player701 said:
So it turns out I'm not the only one after all. Very interesting! May I ask you, are you experiencing the exact same symptoms as those I described, and what's the make and model of the problematic monitor? Also, if the monitor has an HDMI port, and provided you have a spare HDMI cable, could you please test if the issue also appears if you connect the monitor via HDMI?

Hmm. As far as I remember, for me it started happening right away after finishing the build. Perhaps for you it could've been a GPU firmware update of some sort, though I suppose you'd know if it were the case.
Click to expand...

Hi, not exactly same symptoms, no. My issues are more centered around Windows contrary to yours I guess. Problem is, the main monitor during boot sometimes does not match the main monitor in Windows. Only one monitor shows any picture in Windows when the issue happens. I have to enable remaining two monitors in Windows display settings or in nVidia Control Panel - from "disconnected" to "extend desktop". Whichever of my monitors are turned on or off during boot depends entirely on which one is connected to which DP port on the card. If I switch them around on DP ports again I get the wrong monitor during boot but it is then somehow correct on Windows. I hope I do not make it too confusing now. I figured we are on the same boat in a sense that our cards has issues recognizing a screen one way or another.
Btw, have you tried this? https://nvidia.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5411/?=&linkId=100000163736896
 
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Zippidy40 said:
Only one monitor shows any picture in Windows when the issue happens. I have to enable remaining two monitors in Windows display settings or in nVidia Control Panel - from "disconnected" to "extend desktop". Whichever of my monitors are turned on or off during boot depends entirely on which one is connected to which DP port on the card. If I switch them around on DP ports again I get the wrong monitor during boot but it is then somehow correct on Windows.
Click to expand...
I see. Then it's probably something else entirely, as I've never seen any issues with my monitor in Windows - it is always recognized properly and doesn't need to be enabled manually in display settings/control panel to work.

Zippidy40 said:
Btw, have you tried this? https://nvidia.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5411/?=&linkId=100000163736896
Click to expand...
Yes, this is mentioned in my first post in this thread.
 
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Are you using an HDMI cable on secondary monitor and display port cable on main? I had this problem and only way round it was to use 2 display port cables on both, nothing wrong with card.
 
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My secondary monitor does not have DisplayPort. Furthermore, the issue manifests even when the secondary monitor is not connected (this is also mentioned in the first post).
 
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In this case I'd actually need a DVI to DisplayPort converter, as I'm using a DVI to HDMI cable right now (the secondary monitor does not have a native HDMI port either, only VGA and DVI - it's a rather old model). But like I said originally, I don't really think this is related to the secondary monitor at all - the issue is present even when it is disconnected from the graphics card.
 
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Player701 said:
In this case I'd actually need a DVI to DisplayPort converter, as I'm using a DVI to HDMI cable right now (the secondary monitor does not have a native HDMI port either, only VGA and DVI - it's a rather old model). But like I said originally, I don't really think this is related to the secondary monitor at all - the issue is present even when it is disconnected from the graphics card.
Click to expand...

Hmmm, that's a bummer.
 
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boju said:
Is the pcie power connector resting against side panel by any chance?
Click to expand...
No, the card is vertically mounted so there is almost no bending as the power cable comes into the connector. The voltage looks reasonable under load, and I also inspected the connector and the port visually after the first few weeks of use and didn't notice anything unusual.

And before you ask, I have already checked the card without the vertical holder (the monitor issue is still present). The riser cable is rated Gen 4, and looks very sturdy. I haven't experienced any issues with it so far.
 
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boju said:
What does almost no bending mean? Where's the cables touching whilst vertical?
Click to expand...
For fear of not being able to explain it properly, here is a picture:



The upper part of the cable angles slightly to the right, but the wires themselves are mostly straight at the point where they enter the connector. Note that the picture itself is taken at an angle because the CPU cooler's tubes are in the way.

The rest of cable then bends downwards as it goes towards the grommet in the case wall, but this happens at a safe enough distance from the connector, and the curve has a large radius (I'd say about 5 cm / 2 in for those in the US).
 
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Yeah there's no issue, not the tightness bend people have had to do causing poor pin contact. It was a stab and wasn't the case for you.

You've done a lot to troubleshoot, and it's been awhile as well since your op. Think it's time to consider exchanging the card.
 
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Player701 said:
Thank you.
Click to expand...
Hi. I read the whole thread with great interest. I have a possibly similar issue. My Asus tuf 4090 appears to run fine by the temp and load stats from gpuz but only the HDMI port works. The computer posts fine but I have two GPUs in the system. The 4090 and a Quad P1000. In my older system I have a similar set up with a 3090. The Quad handles info monitors and the 3090 does my primary monitor and VR. I haven’t tried booting with just the 4090 yet but I’ll try that tomorrow.

I find it odd that the hdmi ports would work but no signal from any DP port. I’ve tried different cables, different monitors, and I’ve cycled the monitors while plugged in.

I backed out to the last driver posted on the Asus page and tried to flash the latest Asus vbios (sys message said it didn’t need it).

Aside from pulling the Quad GPU I’m only left with enabling the mobo gpu to see if that does anything.

Did you find any more info or RMA? Thanks!
 
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ADM123 said:
I find it odd that the hdmi ports would work but no signal from any DP port. I’ve tried different cables, different monitors, and I’ve cycled the monitors while plugged in.
Click to expand...
If you don't get a signal from any DP port even while in the OS, then you likely have a different issue, and you may have to replace the card. For me it works in Windows at all times, the problem only appears while booting/rebooting (and only under specific conditions, which I've described in detail in the first post).

ADM123 said:
Did you find any more info or RMA? Thanks!
Click to expand...
No, I've decided not to bother since this issue doesn't restrict my ability to use the card by much, if at all.
 
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