Can I Upgrade this Desktop's Graphics Card to a GTX 960?

[FattysGoneWild]

If its seated properly, running latest bios and plugged in right. Nothing more you can do. Possibly you got a bad card or its simply not compatible. Using cpuz. Can you please verify the following and post what you have? Picture for example. Things that are highlighed.

[Infernal]

Is there anything that I can possibly do to help the situation. Even the most minor of fixes

[Infernal]

NEW FORUM DISCUTION

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[Jay_101]

Hi,

Sorry, I should have added this originally.

You will have to install the old card.

Then go into the BIOS and disable Secure boot and enable Legacy boot.

I was running Win 7 when I upgraded and also had to disable Fast boot.

Uninstall all of the Nvidia 645 drivers and software. Check Control Panel, Programs and Features a few times to verify this.

It took me about five uninstalls and reboots to get to the Windows generic graphics drivers.

Since you are running Windows 10, you might want to disconnect from your network as Win 10 likes to install drivers.

Here iis a Microsoft program you can use to stop Win 10 from blowing away your Nvidia 960 drivers.

Jay

[Infernal]

1. Okay i did disable Secure boot and enable Legacy boot(Btw do I have to disable fast boot too?),

2. HOWEVER I went on system information and it still says "BIOS MODE : UEFI "(instead of legacy  ... is that a problem?)

     Picture of current BIOS settings

3. Should I use DDU or  Control Panel, Programs and Features, uninstall ? (like you mentioned)

4. Should I use VGA port or HDMI?

[Jay_101]

Hi,

UEFI in System Information is okay. Secure boot enforces HP hardware keys for the GTX 645. Legacy enabled will bypass the HP security Keys installed by HP in UEFI BIOS.

The key is to disable Secure Boot. Enable Legacy Boot.

I don't think you will have to disable Fast boot on Win !0.

Uninstall all 645 Nvidia drivers and software in Programs and Features.

Use HDMI or DVI.

Jay

[Jay_101]

Hi,

Any good news?

There is no reason for the 960 to fail to initialize on your PC except if the power supply is not performing at it's rated output.

Jay

[FattysGoneWild]

Its not going to work with secure boot off. That newer card is not a legacy card and could be looking for full UEFI support. Unless the bios are older on that card. I know when I had a EVGA GTX 960. It had legacy bios on it. EVGA had a bios update for it that would work with secure boot. But, you could not go back to using it again with a pc that has legacy bios. 

[Jay_101]

Hi,

Secure boot has nothing to do with Legacy vs UEFI. It controls the keys HP has installed to enforce boot security using the devices HP installed at the factory. Legacy booting does not impair full UEFI support other than bypassing device security enforcement.

I set up a 970. Secure boot only muddies the water. 

You'll have to clear all of the HP keys if you want to boot the new card in secure mode.

HP security keys control the devices HP installed on the motherboard. Windows will not boot or the new device will not initialize if you change a device without either clearing all security keys or disable secure boot and enable legacy boot.

That's the whole point of enhanced UEFI BIOS and boot integrity (security).

Trust me.

Jay

[Jay_101]

Hi,

It is impossible to initialize a legacy graphics card without a GPU BIOS update to UEFI on a UEFI system.  Infernal has a UEFI PC and a UEFI graphics card. Again, there is no reason for the 960 to systemically fail on Infernal's PC except for an inadequate power supply, or incorrect settings in BIOS, or failure to remove the previous graphic drivers completely before installing the new card.

Mainstream motherboards such as Asrock, Asus, or Gigabyte provide greater control over device security.

You can clear the existing device security keys, install a new UEFI device, and then create a new set of security keys which will allow you to use secure boot with the new device installed on the board.

I don't know if this is an available option on Infernal's HP motherboard. That is why it is recommended to just disable secure boot/enable legacy boot.

The 960 will not initialize if this is not an option.

One final point for Infernal: you must reboot the PC after disabling Secure boot and enabling Legacy boot with the old graphics card installed on the board.

You will receive a a confirmation code that must be entered to complete the operation. You will then have to remove all current Nvidia software, shut down, and now install the 960 in the PCIe x16 slot on the motherboard. 

Then install the 900 series Nvidia graphics software.

Jay