Graphics New GTX260 not being detected on startup most of the time, runs fine sometimes

Just bought a new XFX GTX260 XXX version and after installing it and the drivers am having an annoying issue. When windows (vista x64) starts up most of the time the graphics card is not detected, vista seems to be running off a "standard vga device" or similar, and the nvidia control panel option disappears from the desktop right-click menu, as if the card is not there. After a few restars it eventually gets it right and the card runs perfectly fine. As far as I am aware my computer (although not great) is capable of running this card. So, is someone able to tell what is the most likely cause of this? Does it seem as if the card is at fault or my system? Here are my specs
Windows Vista Business 64bit SP1 (also same behaviour on xp 32bit SP3 partition)
Hiper 580W Type-M power supply (one 18W 12v and one 20W 12v rail)
Foxconn C51XEM2AA Nvidia nForce 590SLI
Athlon X2 4800 (2.5ghz)
4*1GB Geil ddr2 800 4-4-4-12 @2.1v
1 TB samsung drive

Nvidia drivers: 178.24

Any advice would be really appreciated (before I go and buy a new psu and motherboard...which I'd rather not have to do)

 

Considering that you don't have malware installed on your machine and no deivice that cause conflict (remove sound cards, TV Tuner, etc..)
- Are you sure that both 6-pin PCI-E plugs are porperly connected on the video card?
- Can you try your video card on a different computer (friends compy)? If so, does the problem still occurs?
- Are sure that the video card is properly in place in the PCI-E socket?
- Did you perform any tweaks (Overclock, under-volt, over-volt, etc..) to your motherboard or your old video card? If so, make sure everything is at default.
- Try uninstalling the video card drivers, shutdown your computer for 5-10sec, turn it back on, and re-install the drivers. Does that help?

If the above doesn't help.
Perhaps you are low on power. It could be your PSU that can't give the right amount of power and Amps to the video card. If you can try at a friend place it would be nice. Try this before: Put only 1GB of RAM, unplug your Optical drives, remove all PCI/PCI-Express cards (except your video card of course), disable in the BIOS all components (Audio, Ethernet, etc..), and see if it works properly now.

If everything fails, contact XFX for more information / suggestions form their part, and possibly a RMA request.

 

- motherboard is bare except for gfx card, cpu, hdd, dvd and 4 sticks of ram
- definately no malware, vista was reinstalled to see if it fixed the problem
- definately seated correctly, pulled it out, looked at it funny, then put it back in again
- it came pre-overclocked from xfx (640m core, 1150m ram), as far as im aware i cant change this before the os loads
- nothing else is overclocked or changed from factory settings in any way
- video drivers have been uninstalled and reinstalled a few times on both xp and vista partitions
- friends computers are not so great, the only one that has a psu that actually has a single 6-pin power connector is watercooled, and i dont think ill be allowed to rip that apart to test my card
- An issue I can think of is that the graphics card requires 2 6-pin pci-e connectors, my psu has one, and i used the 2*molex to 6-pin pci-e adaptor for the other. Maybe this is causing the issue?

Ill have a go ripping everything else out of the mobo bar the hdd and 1 stick of ram and see how that works tomorrow.
Thanks for the help so far.

 

580w should be enough for that card though........
and one PCIe for your friend's watercooled computer? must be a really old machine.

if all else fails, try the new 180.43 Beta drivers.

does any other nVidia cards have this problem? this way, we'll know if it's the driver or the card's problem.

 

Previous card was a 7600gt, which ran fine (if you can call a 7600gt on a 24" monitor "fine"...).
I just ordered a Corsair 650W TX Series PSU, with a single 12v rail supporting 52A, and 2 8-pin pci-e connectors I am hoping it should be more than enough for my gtx260. If I still get issues I'll send the card back for a replacement.

 

what brand was the old supply? it could be that it sais 580 on the tin, but is actually much lower then that due to old age and crappyness?

Good luck though!

 

It was a Hiper type-M. As far as im aware the Type-M are the crappyest budget models that Hiper do, and combined 38A on both 12v rails are perilously close to the 36A recommended for my gfx card. It cost £30, so im not really suprised that its not up to the task.

 

Well even if it's your video card that is broken, you will love your PSU!

 

I noticed in your sig you have a gtx260 and an antec solo, how did you make it fit?... I have the same case and had to go at it with some pliers to bend part of the hdd bays back... Then I gave up and ordered an antec 900. (its looking more and more like ill end up with a whole new computer eventually)

 

New power supply and new motherboard, same problem, so its being replaced. Can't think of anything more I can do, hopefully the replacement will be alright.

 

Very simple:
http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=155312&highlight=SOLO+Geforce+260