error: PCI express card operating in x1 mode

Hi.

I need some help... I've got a Dell 8400, Win XP Home SP3, P-IV 3.2GHz BUS 800MHz 1MB L2 cache, 1GB RAM (2x512) with 4 cards in it: NIC, modem, sound & video.

Visually: Graphics = PCI slot, NIC = PCIe slot, modem = PCIe slot & sound = PCI slot. I have downloaded all Windows and DELL updates, including BIOS (which is now vA09, was A08). When the computer starts to boot, the fan winds up full blast, then the BIOS screen appears and the fan starts being "controlled" and slows down to normal, then this error shows up and tells me to press F1 to continue, or F2 to enter setup. (hmmm...once and a while the fan is blasting and the BIOS screen never appears, and I have to shutdown and startup again.)

Everything I've found on this error is "open up the case, re-seat the cards and clean out all dust", of which I have done, to no avail. I've checked the BIOS settings, they all appear to be correct; I've disabled all applicable on-board devices, still no change. The graphics card is:
Chip: Radeon X300/X550 Series (0x5B60)
DAC: Internal DAC (400MHz)
128MB
Radeon X300
BIOS 113-A33406-100

Pulling info from Everest Home:
MB: Dell Dimension 8400
ID: <DMI>
MB Chipset: Intel Alderwood i925x
Multi CPU: CPU 0 = Intel Pentium 4 3.20 GHz, CPU 1 = same
Video Adapter = ATI Radeon x300 (RV370)
GPU Code Name: RV370 (PCIe x16 1002/5B60, Rev 00)

Then it says Chipset: PCI-E x1 Port #2: In Use at x1 (ATI Radeon x300(RV370) Video Adapter)

As an aside: I have recently cleaned this computer of several viruses, including the never-ending rogue security virus, as well as a *.TDSS botnet. (I am wondering if this is somehow a residual effect?) Computer is completely clean and running well aside from this issue. I have run MBAM, SAS, Comodo & ESET Online, all come up clean.

This is not my computer so I don't know if this has always been a problem, but looking at the Dell web site, the original system specs show this card was originally supplied with the system, so I've got to believe it's in the correct slot(?)

As I said, I've re-seated all 4 cards and cleaned out all the dust - that's not helping (as it had helped some others). Any suggestions please? Thanks in advance for the great help I always get at MajorGeeks!!!

 

p.s. I also uninstalled the drivers and then installed the latest ATI WDM Integrated Driver v10.2 from AMDs site.

 

I got this on a computer that needed the CMOS battery changed.
Have you put in a new battery?

 

Hi Plodr.
I didn't see a battery issue in the error log in the BIOS, so it never occurred to me that this might be the problem. So I took the battery out and put it back in (I don't have any spare batteries at present) and re-seated the video card again, since it is in the way; checked the BIOS log and sure enough it had a low battery indication. So I took a battery out of another computer and put it in this one, re-set the date/time again, disabled the floppy again (no floppy in this thing) and got a BSOD as Windows tried to load: 0x~7b (0xF7B3B524, 0xC~34, 0x~0, 0x~0). Had a fiddle with the BIOS settings, but I keep getting the same BSOD and now I can't get the thing to boot at all even in safe mode or last known good configuration. :confused oh yes, and it still gives the x1 error as well..

 

UPDATE: It seems this battery is low as well(?) - got another battery error in the BIOS log. Additionally, now when I try to boot into safe mode with command prompt, right before the BSOD, all the white letters on the screen seem to quickly slide off to the left. I wonder if the video card has gone bad?

 

Update: I threw a Ubuntu disk in and ran Memtest+86 for a couple of hours with no errors. Then I had it do a HDD test. It finished reporting "Checking Integrity....no errors found". Guess I will order some new batteries and start disconnecting devices and booting up to see if one of the components are the culprit. The video display seems to be fine when I boot into Ubuntu. I checked the P2 connection on the MB and there is no indication of excessive heat (as I had read in some other posts in the Dell forums). Incidently, the fan does not sound like a jet engine when I boot from the Ubuntu disk.

 

I'm going to read through some threads with similar situations. I guess you saw this very recent one that has your problem but no solution.

I think since you have no problems removing cards that I would try to boot with just the video card installed and see if you can get it to boot back into Windows.

If successful maybe try just the video and NIC card.

 

This is an old thread but leans towards a failing PSU which is my gut instinct. (the main reason I wanted you to try with only the one card attached) Do you have another PSU to test?

 

Hi Sach2,
Yes, I've been reading all over the web - can't really find any definitive solution. I have put it aside for just a bit - have another one to work on for a friend. I will try removing everything and putting back one by one, to see if that helps. I'll also get a new CMOS battery and see if I can find someone with an extra power supply I can try out. Will report back with results. Thanks.

 

Some Dell PC's PCI-E slot is version 1.0. New video cards are usually version
2.0 (maybe 1.1 or 1.0a ?). So they not work with 1.0 slot
at x16 speed and fall back to x1 speed automatically.

As far as I know there is no BIOS update, nor workaround to solve this
annoying behavior.