Hi all, thanks in advance for any help. My sister's graphics card (EVGA 320MB 8800GTS) stopped working a while ago, when it starts up the colours are wrong and there are weird lines on the screen but it boots into windows at a low resolution with low colours. I tried it in my PC (in sig) with the same result. I bought a replacement for her (BFG 8800GTS OC) which works in my PC. When I connect it to her PC it is not recognised at all. The PC starts up using the onboard graphics and does not detect the 8800GTS OC. I'm stumped, the only idea I have is that for some reason her PSU might not be giving the GPU enough power (even though it had been enough for the other very similar card). Her PSU is an EVO labs 700W. Is there a way I can check what it's getting and what it should be getting? Any other ideas what it could be? Edit: Some extra info- When the new BFG GPU is in the pc the fan does spin, the PC just doesn't detect it. From some Google searching the old 8800GTS required 26A on +12V and this one needs 28A on +12V.
A BIOS update for the motherboard may help. Check the current requirement (amps) on the box and look at how much current the PSU is able to provide to the 12v rails. Did you test the old card in another computer? Sent from my GS2
It requires 28A, the old one required 26A and worked. The PSU says 22A on 12V. Does it sound like this is the problem? Is that what would happen if it didn't get enough? Yes the old card didn't work in mine either. Thanks.
Do other graphics cards work in her PC? Possibility a faulty PCI-E slot or dusty inside? Does the BIOS have an option to detect the PCI-E slot first? or disable onboard completely?
Yes my 6950 worked in her PC, it uses 2 6pin power adapters instead of just the 1 on the 8800GTSs. So I suppose it may be possible that the PSU is not giving enough power over one power adapter but 2 of them were enough to start with the 6950? Otherwise I don't know why this card isn't being detected on there. The BIOS is set to use the PCI-E slot first, but the onboard is not disabled, it started with the 6950 without needing anything to be changed in the BIOS.
Old card definitely dead and PCIe slot working. Looks like it could be power. Does the 6950 have two PCIe power connectors and the BFG has just one? Could you tell us the model of her power supply. Judging by the ratings you gave in post #3 and what happened in post #5 I believe it is not receiving enough current to power it.
Yes that's right. It says 'Evo Labs Pentium p4 MODEL: E-700X'. My PSU did power it when it was in my PC (Antec TruePower 650W). Thanks.
I tried with my PSU (which powered the card in my PC) in her PC now and it still isn't detecting the graphics card so it probably isn't the PSU. I also tried with the internal graphics disabled, no luck. I also updated the BIOS. The motherboard is a Gigabyte GA-MA74GMT-S2 Any more ideas? Thanks
It wouldn't be the PSU's maximum output capability, At Post the graphics card barely draws anything, it's only when your maxing it out gaming that you're going to be pulling that 28A. Sometimes components that should work together just don't, no good reason, probably something electrical. I'd suggest you think about whether you can return or resell the 8800 and buy something else. They're a pretty old card these days anyway and consumer GPU's don't have the longest lifespan as electrical equipment goes.
What motherboard is it, have you tried googling it motherboard with the specific card to see if anything shows up? When I was updating my graphic card a while back my new 6850 would not allow my PC to boot and it was as if it were not there. Upon googling I learned that there were often problems with the card I had with my mobo. There were firmware updates that helped some people but they never helped me and in the end I had to get another card (a 460), that worked straight off the bat.
Gigabyte GA-MA74GMT-S2. Yeah but I couldn't find anything about them not working together. Thanks. I think I may have to find another graphics card.
