Guide for Selecting a Discrete Video Card

[Fisherguy01]

Hi Dave,

I tried plugging the HD into one of the other ports, can't remember which one (the sata cord for the DVD  wasn't long enough to go over top the video card).  When it booted we got the HP startup screen for a second  (so I guess it was seeing the HD?)  but then I got some error, something about the an error and the computer is shutting down to avoid damage or something similar. 

So you're saying it will find the HD by itself without having to change the bios settings etc?

When I pulled the old viseo card out it was filthy, my son's been running it with the cover off to help it cool but I think that's just letting more dust in?

I blew the old 8800 off and put it back in and it seems to be working fine now?  I might leave it as is and just return the $200 card, or get a 1gig vid card, they're 2 slots wide but a lot shorter.

Thanks for your help, not sure what to do.

Will 

[Fisherguy01]

Dave, I went to bring back the big video card Sunday, they were closed and in the meantime the old card quit again, took your advice with the SATA cords with the old vid card and it worked fine so then I put the big card back in and it seems to be good (so far).  Thanks for the help.   

[ajwhiting]

Hi

I have a HP Pavilion p6-2185ea  and wish to install a Gigabyte Radeon HD7950.

The HD7950 states the system must have a least a 500W PSU so I have installed a Corsair 600W PSU to make sure I have enough power. To install the HD7950 I have taken out the existing HD7450, plugged the HD7950 in, ensured it is seated correctly, and that the additional 8+6 pin power supply is also connected.

Yet when I power up the machine I don't get any output to the monitor. The fans on the card spin up, but the PC does not sound like it is booting (no hard disk noise etc). I have tried the DVI and the HDMI output but nothing.

Has anyone got any ideas what i might be doing wrong?

Thanks in advance

Alex

[Big_Dave]

Hi Alex,

Depending the 7950 card, you need either two 8 pin PCI-E power connectors or two PCI-E 6 pin power connectors. What card are you using?  Make and model?

Does the PC boot up without a video card installed?

While the PC is open, use a can of compressed air to blow out the dust from the CPU heat sink and the fans.

[ajwhiting]

Hi Dave

I have a Gigabyte ATI Radeon HD7950 Windforce edition (GV-R795WF3-3GD REV:2.0 is printed on the card), it has an 8 pin and a 6 pin PCI-E connector.

I have taken the card back to the shop and they tested it infront of me, so I definitely know the card itself works.

If i take out both the HD7950 and the original HD7450 the computer boots fine using the intergrated graphics.

Thanks for your help, i'm stuck so it really is appreciated.

Alex

[Big_Dave]

Hi Ajwhiting,

If you are trying to boot with two video cards then use only one card.

Perhaps the following articles also apply to your situation.

HP Secure Boot Windows 8 Topics    Computer Does not Start After Installing a Video Card (Windows 😎

[ajwhiting]

Hi Dave

Sorry, I meant if I boot the PC without either of the two cards installed, the PC boots fine (automatically using the integrated graphics). If I boot the PC with the HD7450 installed the PC boots fine (automatically disabling the integrated graphics). However if I boot the PC with the HD7950 installed the PC displays no picture and doesn't 'sound' like it is booting, also it has automatically disabled the integrated graphics so I guess it is detecting the presence of the HD7950.

This PC came with Windows 7 pre-installed so I don't think it is a UEFI issue, but I've also checked the BIOS settings and it doesn't have a secure boot configuration option.

I'm stumped, I don't suppose you have any other ideas?

Thanks again for the help.

Alex

[Big_Dave]

Hi Alex,

Try clearing the CMOS.

There are other possibilities:

1. The video card is UEFI enabled and therefore might not work in your PC. This is why some manufacturers don't ship UEFI enabled cards but then later offer an video bios update so that the card does work in UEFI mode.
2. The PCI-E power connectors are not supplying voltage to all of the pins.  You could boot up your PC without a video card installed and then use a volt-ohm-meter (VOM) or power supply tester to check the power on PCI-E six and eight pin power connectors.
3. Since the motherboard only has a four pin ATX power connector, then there might not be enough power to run the 7950.

[ajwhiting]

Hi Dave

Hmm, i've tried clearing the CMOS (both battery method and jumper method), no joy.

So i took the power supply and the card back to the shop, both tested in their machine and both work fine. I noticed that their test rig also only had a four pin ATX power connector, but that shuoldn't matter as it only supplies power to the CPU.

Also contacted Gigabyte and the card is not UEFI enabled.

I guess I need to accept that the motherboard does not support the HD7950. I wonder if i can replace the motherboard?? 😉

[Big_Dave]

Hi Alex,

Go back to Gigabyte and carefully look at the bios level for your 7950.  GPU-Z should be able to identify the bios level.  The Gigabyte 7950 does support UEFI with the correct bios and your recent 7950 purchase may have UEFI bios.  The other question to ask is if the 7950 will work in a PCI-E version 2 slot.

Frankly, I don't know how you are getting a 11.25" card into the HP smallish cabinet using a mobo that is only 9.6 by 8.7. Do you care to explain just how you are doing that?  Perhaps I have found yet another "red herring" on this forum.