troubleshooting PCI-express slot

[tensegrity]

Just wondering if anyone knows of some troubleshooting resources for PCI-express slots. I'm been unable to get a 2005 Tyan motherboard working with any one of 4 PCIe video cards (fans on cards that have them run but just get "NO SIGNAL" on monitor; can't even get to the bios, and that's with bios set to boot PCI-express). So, I'm now wondering if the PCIe slot is just bad, but it would be great if there's any reasonable way to trouble shoot it. It could be that the newer cards I've tried have been incompatible with the PCIe 1.0a or 1.1 that my board must have. Thanks for any ideas!

 

[Fallengod]

No. All newer PCIe video cards are backwards compatible. That should not be the issue. I think you answered your own question though. If you tested 4 PCIe video cards you know to be good cards, it sounds like its a motherboard issue. Might be RMA time if you can.

I dont know how else you can troubleshoot a pcie slot. If it doesnt work, it doesnt work. Bad DVI/VGA cable or monitor? I dont know.

 

[IGemini]

No. All newer PCIe video cards are backwards compatible. That should not be the issue.

It shouldn't but it can be. I have two older motherboards that won't run PCIe 2.1 at all but have no trouble with 2.0 cards. PCIe backwards compatibility is often parroted but I beg to differ on the assertion.

What video cards are you trying to run in this board?

 

[tensegrity]

I've tried to run a GeForce 430, 520, 8800 and now yesterday a Radeon 6450. The only graphics card I've been able to make work is an ancient Radeon PCI card with 64MB RAM. It works fine, but it seems ridiculous to have a PCIe slot and then use a PCI graphics card.

It shouldn't but it can be. I have two older motherboards that won't run PCIe 2.1 at all but have no trouble with 2.0 cards. PCIe backwards compatibility is often parroted but I beg to differ on the assertion.

What video cards are you trying to run in this board?

 

[IGemini]

At best, sounds like you have a slot that is out-of-spec--at least 2.0 cards should be able to work. At worst, the slot is actually dead. I wouldn't be able to say which without putting in a 1.0 video card, but they're expensive enough that it wouldn't be worth it. I'm guessing you're setting this up as an HTPC and video cards released on that bus have pretty limited functionality in that department, and are also harder to find.

There are scattered anecdotal reports of some very early PCIe motherboards, boards that implemented the PCIe 1.0a spec, not playing nice with new PCIe 2.0 cards. Again, this comes down to a violation of the specification on the part of either the motherboard or card. If you are stung by such a problem, contact the companies that made your motherboard and video card.

http://www.10stripe.com/featured/quick/pci-express-2-0.php

 

[tensegrity]

Actually, I'm just trying to get the system working with some kind of reasonable video. With this motherboard, the SIS X7 XG20 on-board graphics are pretty terrible, so I wanted to find a video card that I can use instead and in the PCIe slot. But, it seems that modern cards don't work (not sure yet if old ones work or not). I just learned from Tyan customer support that the version of PCIe on this motherboard is PCIe 1.0. I know modern cards are supposed to work, but I have seen cases where they don't. I wonder if that's my problem? Now I guess I just have to figure out where I can find an old PCIe 1.0 card???? Any ideas?

 

[Fallengod]

Sounds like a pretty terrible motherboard. As far as I knew, all pcie cards work in all versions. Maybe im wrong.