Won't Detect Sapphire Radeon HD 6850

[mattshine]

Hey all! Question for you guys..

I recently built a new rig (as in, yesterday), and I'm having problems getting the graphics card to work correctly, output video signal, etc.

Case: Cooler Master Elite Mid Tower RC-310
Power Supply: Antec High Current Gamer 700w
Motherboard: MSI H-61 E-23
RAM: Corsair XMS3, 8Gb 1333 Mhz PC3-10666 240-Pin
CPU: Intel i5-2500k 3.3 Ghz
GPU: Sapphire Radeon HD 6850
HDD: WD Caviar Blue 320Gb 7200 RPM 8Mb Cache
OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-Bit

All components are operating as normal, except for the GPU. I installed Windows, and the machine boots as normal. My GPU fans begin spinning, and power is connected via the 6-pin. However, if I try to connect my 1080p display to the GPU via a DVI-D cable, the display would enter power saving mode and not register output. It's getting signal, as it'll show a "No cable connected" signal if it can't register a connection from the monitor input to the output.

My first thought was the cabling. I then tried outputting via HDMI, and the same thing occurred. I then took the GPU out, and connected my display via the DVI-D connection on my mobo. My computer worked fine! I then decided to install the software that came with the GPU, and download the drivers from the AMD website. The GPU still wouldn't work..

I'm not sure if the problem is the card itself, or just the video outputs on the card, or what to think. If anyone could shed some light as to how to get this beautiful graphics card working, that would be killer.

Thanks so much, guys!

 

[COLGeek]

The problem is the HD6850. Have you tried it in another computer? Also, have you tried using a different PCIe (6-pin) power connection?

 

[purple stain]

Is this your motherboard?

http://www.msi.com/product/mb/H61M-E23--B3-.html

Have you tried disabling the onboard GPU in the BIOS?

 

[geekapproved]

The motherboard does NOT have an onboard gpu. Secondly, you do not need to disable it even if it did, it will automatically detect the pci-e card. The fact that you were able to use your cpu's graphics, points to a problem with the video card or power supply pci-e power cables.

Did you plug in both 6 pin power cables to the video card?

Why did you buy an unlocked K series cpu and then a motherboard that's not capable of overclocking?

 

[Novuake]

I believe the 6870 uses 2 x 6pin PCIe power connectors? If thats true, plug both in.

 

[mattshine]

It's the 6850, which requires only one 6pin PCIe power connection to my knowledge. So the problem may be the GPU itself? I'm going to test the card in a friends PC later today, and see if the problem persists.

The motherboard is on my replacement list at the moment. I was short on cash. Definitely for looking for a new one at the moment.

 

[GGTY]

What is your 1080p display? LCD? TV?

Was the card working when you installed Windows, or did you have your screen connected to the onboard DVI output during the install?

You should always install the latest drivers before expecting anything to work properly.

 

[mattshine]

It's a Dell 2409W 24 inch monitor. Looks pretty killer, by the way.

The card wasn't working when I installed Windows. I had to connect to the onboard DVI during installation. I figured this was due to the lack of installed drivers. The drivers for ATI are finicky though.. can't seem to get them to work 100%.

Could it be the motherboard failing to detect the discrete GPU?

 

[COLGeek]

Installing the discrete GPU will disable to on-board GPU in most cases. In fact, you don't have to do anything in most systems to support this. It sounds like your HD6850 is indeed defective.

 

[GGTY]

So you've never had a working display with the discrete GPU - yea it does sound like it's DOA.

The card should work in low resolution mode without drivers - enough to boot up/fiddle with BIOS/start the windows install process

To be sure, check the BIOS and see if there is an option for primary display adapter.
You could also check to see if GPU-Z can pick up details of the card while in Windows.

 

[geekapproved]

You don't need drivers for video to install windows.

Have you tried re-seatting the card, making sure it's all the way down in the slot? And make sure the 6 pin cable is securley attached.

I don't understand the point of buying a motherboard that doesn't match your system because you were short of cash. Now you have to buy another, so basically all the money you spent on the board was wasted. So now it ends up costing you much more. Where's the savings in that? This has nothing to do with your problem though, that board will run any card just fine.

 

[iam2thecrowe]

does it work with the on-board video when the card is plugged in? if it does, then the motherboard is not disabling it properly. check the BIOS settings to make sure it initialises the pcie slot video first. Could be a gpu or motherboard issue. got another vid card to test?