Lost my monitors

[NeoMorph]

OK mate... I'm praying that the power supply is duff... that would be a common link that would affect 2 cards you see. I think that your graphics cards might actually be OK.

I know I am swapping my ideas around but the more info I get to rule out possible faults... I feel like House diagnosing a patient from his office. 

"Differential diagnosis... Patient with three eyes has flashing images in two of them... GO!"

[bussgarfield]

Installed the new mobo driver with no effect.

In the interim period of me buying some Molex cables, I fired up the computer with the new PSU outside the box connected in turn to each GPU power socket so they were getting the power from a different scource. Still no difference.

I still have the centre monitor and PDF monitor working fine connected to the top GPU. The other two monitors and GPU's are recognised by Device Manager and the Nvidia control panel but I can't get them activated.
I have connected the other two monitors through the top card and they work fine so it is not the monitors.

Are there any ways, or is there software that I can install, to check whether I have a problem with the hardware?

Gary

[Emesis]

Gary,

Just curious if you ever tried an older video driver?

Rand

[bussgarfield]

Rand,

I was using the original driver that came with the computer when I bought new it in April 2009.
When I started having problems, I then downloaded the latest driver which was at the time - Oct 2010.

When the computer repair man reformated, he loaded the original driver back on from the disc.

I have subsequently downloaded the very latest driver - Jan 2011 and installed that with no effect.

Gary

[Garys]

Unless your pc guy cut some corners on the reinstall of windows (repair instead of full reformat and install) as its still happening with original driver disk and setup config, it does look like a hardware problem.  What I would do is run each of the gpu's in the first PCIE slot and run a gpu stress test for each one. That will rule out a bad card. If all pass then pick a card and run the same tests in the 2nd and third PCIE slots. If all pass in each individual slots  and as you have tested with another PSU the only other thing would be on the hardware front is that your southbridge controller has died which means a new motherboard unfortunately.
It is possible seeing that your guy couldnt find W7 drivers that he didnt do a complete format and reinstall so that lingering problem is still hiding in their somewhere. You could run a program called ccleaner and run the registry cleaner. At this point it wouldnt hurt to give a try as well. After running the hardware tests and if everything worked then you should wipe the drive and do a fresh install yourself. It has worked before so you know its not a problem with vista itself. If after that it still fails to setup and work correctly then its time for a new motherboard.

For the stress test, google gpu stress test . Furmark is a good one http://www.ozone3d.net/benchmarks/fur/    but there are others well.

[NeoMorph]

Gary, I meant totally swap out the existing PSU and use the molex leads for the other GPU's. It sounds like you were still using the existing PSU for the main system.

[bussgarfield]

Right, might be getting somewhere now.

This morning I removed all GPU's and replaced them one by one into slot 1 and fired up FSX each time and had a quick fly. Faultless - each card worked fine. I couldn't try slots 2 & 3 as the computer wont let me unless there is a card in slot 1.

When all GPU's replaced into slots 1, 2 & 3, same problem came back.

I then did my own reformat using 'killdisk' and loaded windows back on. I put the new Nvidia drivers on and installed FSX. Tried a flight but could not get the left monitor working (GPU in slot 3).

I then took out the cable from the GPU in slot 3 and placed it in the second output on slot 2 and hey presto, all four monitors worked - left, centre, right and the MIP. Started up FSX and loaded a flight plan for the 737 and had a faultless flight from Manchester to Bristol.

It is not the 3rd GPU, that works. I will try replacing the PSU tomorrow as I have some Molex cables now and see if that makes a difference.

It is getting narrowed down now even though it has taken a while.
It is not the software.
It is not the GPU's.
May be the PSU or worse, the mobo.

Cheers again for your continued interest guys. I'll get back once I have tried out the new PSU.

Gary

[NeoMorph]

Each card worked fine running a 3D program while in slot 1 (just checking that you tested 3D and not just 2D)?

Hopefully you are on the final lap now... At least you have a workaround for now.

[NeoMorph]

How goes the testing Gary?

[bussgarfield]

I have been away from the forum for a few days - olive trees needed pruning and land cultivating !!!!

Anyway, back to the issue in hand. I tried to install the new PSU but there are so many different connections required, I can't get it to hook up despite having the 3 Molex leads required for the GPU's.

I have still had trouble free flying on the set up as is - everything connected to the top two GPU's leaving the 3rd redundant. The 3rd card by the way was tested on it's own and 2D and 3D work fine.

It would seem that the PSU was tailor made for this computer with the connections that it does have. The main connection that I need with the new PSU but can't make is an 8 pin Molex connection to the motherboard and there is no work around that I can see.

I am going to have a look on ebay to see if I can pick one up and whilst there, have another search for a suitable mobo - if I can find one.

Cheers for the continued interest.

Gary

[NeoMorph]

Hold on... I am guessing you have what looks to be a 12 pin connector on your new PSU iirc. Check the connector and see if you can remove a 4 way plug from one end (it's actually the same as a plug for the video card). It's usually just held in place by a clip at one end. I seem to remember this from my older PC as the mobo connector didn't match the PSU...

[jackpilot]

I have been away from the forum for a few days - olive trees needed pruning and land cultivating !!!!

Gary

As a Canadian burried in snow with temp average of minus 15 I find this offensive !!    

[jskibo]

I have been away from the forum for a few days - olive trees needed pruning and land cultivating !!!!

Gary

As a Canadian burried in snow with temp average of minus 15 I find this offensive !!    

Keeps your igloo from melting and shorting out you LAN

[NeoMorph]

Hold on... I am guessing you have what looks to be a 12 pin connector on your new PSU iirc. Check the connector and see if you can remove a 4 way plug from one end (it's actually the same as a plug for the video card). It's usually just held in place by a clip at one end. I seem to remember this from my older PC as the mobo connector didn't match the PSU...

I'll be dragging my old bits out of my cupboard tomorrow (with a little help from friends) so I will let you know if I recalled correctly... I do remember that little 4 way plug being removable but I think there were more pins on that plug that 8+4.... My memory sucks.

I don't suppose you could take a photo of your mobo power socket and PSU power lead plug, could you, and post it here? Would make it easier to figure out then.