Video Card and Motherboard compatibility.

Well I checked the old threads and since they are old... My son got in trouble because he bought a PNY, XLR8, x16, PCI Express, GEForce 9800 GT, 1024MB version, GDDR3; he installed it and the computer does not give an image, he said removed the old graphics card; he is using an ECS - P4M900T-M motherboard, he replaced, to begin with, the power supply for a new 650W that comes with all the connectors (I think), but no luck. My question, (I fund and lost a list of compatible motherboards) since he is thinking in buying a new one, could any one of you redirect me to or recommend a compatible motherboard for that??? I really will appreciate that. As an additional comment, I believe he is thinking in convert his computer in a gaming machine.:confused

 

They should work fine together. Have you disabled on-board video in BIOS? I hope that's all it is. Oh and you didn't forget to attach the 6-pin power connector to the video card, right?

 

Thanks for the fast answer! Well my son said that he disabled it? And this card does not have a 6 pin connector; in the top part at the end of the card has 13 contacts each side for something that could be a slide in connector in addition comes with a small 2 pins cable that says is a SPDIF Ground, that I suppose goes somewhere between the card and somewhere in the motherboard.:confused

 

Well, this from PNY says that you do have a 6-pin, is it the same card? As to the slide in connector, that's for SLI to connect two cards together. It should be right at the end edge of the card, a 3x2 connector. I don't know what else to suggest.

 

Some of the Geforce 9800 cards didn't require a direct connection to the power supply, but as augie said it looks like the one you described does. It should be pretty easy to spot the connection, though - they are usually at the very back of the card.

Try removing the card and sweeping out the PCIE slot with a vacuum . . . then re-seat the card.

Try both video-out ports on the card (it looks like your card has two HDMI ports). Make sure the adapter, if used, is seated properly and is tightened down.

Was this a brand new card? It's rare, but it does happen that you get a "dead" card right from the factory . . . if he is able to put the old card back in and get it to work, then I'd suspect the card is defective.

 

Yes, it is a brand new card that he bought it from Best Buy, and no, this card does not have a connector!!! Yes, has two HDMI ports, yes, he tried both with the same result. I alredy put my hands to work and I cleaned it. We are going back to Best Buy and see what they can do.:confused

 

As Spad mentioned, PNY have low power cards w/o the 6-pin power socket but which only have 256MB. Maybe therein lies the discrepancy. Either way, if it's a low power card then it should still work.:confused You got it brand new and shrink wrapped in a box?

 

Yes wrapped and everything, but as sugested, could be a bad one. We went back to Best Buy and the comment was "do not tell me, that card does not work too...???" So, I guess they are having problems with that model; any way they got it back. So I Am recommending my son to start building a decent gaming machine and for that I Am accepting any sugestions on MB, Chip and memory and of course a compatible video card. For all, thanks again!!!

 

No, please do not do this, vacuum cleaners create huge amounts of static electricity and could instantly kill your MB, please buy a compressed air canister and use that instead.

 

I've never, ever had a problem with static electricity from a vacuum causing a problem with a motherboard PCI, AGP or other slots, or any other electronic equipment. I've been doing the same cleaning routine for a decade. I in fact have a nifty attacment kit designed for this express purpose. I think the danger of static electricity from a modern vacuum cleaner using rubber hoses and plastic attachments is overstated.

I should have, though, warned not to use metal attachments (which are very rare these days), and to make sure the computer in question is turned off and unplugged from the power socket. I also do not suggest you use a vacuum to clean PC fans, as this can damage them, nor banging the hose about on the motherboard.

 

I feel I should explain my position further - after all, burrell is correct - a vacuum can create static electricity.

Friction between bad conductors can cause a static charge to transfer and build up, and dust moving at speed through the confines of a sweeper hose does qualifiy as two conductors.

However, any charge possibly created does not spring into being instantly, but grows over time. The act of sucking out a PCI-E slot is instantaneous and does not allow much hose-to-dust friction time.

While it is my opinion that the dangers of static electricity from this source is overrated and can be canceled out with a little caution, that is just my opinion . . . and I was remiss in not stressing taking static precautions from ANY source when mucking about inside your PC. It's easy to get complacent in a forum like this

 

Hmmm, I guess best buy said it all.:cry You would be better off asking the question of a new build in a new thread in hardware as less and less people look at more mature threads. As always in these new build situations, we need info as you mentioned gaming, then which games do you want to play and their recommended hardware, then we need to know your budget which is of course the main restraining factor.

You have a fairly decent mobo, can you perhaps borrow a video card from a real good friend to test with? Sometimes it's the simplest of things that goes wrong. Like a loose connector since you changed the PSU also which will be good for your next build. Good luck.

BTW, I've built some 50 PC's over the years for friends and they're still running fine. I've never come across a dirty connector in a clean or dirty case. I guess if I built a thousand I might see it. JMO.

 

I have the Biostar version of that motherboard (P4M900-M4) on one of our systems and run a BFG 9800GTX + 1Gb video card in it with no problems.

I would try a different brand of video card. I see on Newegg.com, a lot of 9800GT 1Gb cards that have no external power supply connector.

Sam

 

I love this forum!!!
Thanks Burrel and Spad, as a comment, I Am actually working in an environment that builds cellphones and they not allow, as a precaution, the use of a vac. to clean the testing stations. To tell the truth, they do not clean anything...!!! What I personally use when I need it is precisely that compressed air.

Augiedoggie, Normally I re-build computers for my elderly friends, and they do not need anything fancy, but as well I do not have any troubles later; since my son is trying to learn something related... but he did not make (to me) an smart choice in the place where he got it, thanks God they got it back and he got back his money, so I guess he learn something good!!!

So, I transfer this valuable info to him, and lets; see what happens next. Thanks to all that pay attention to this thread.

 

Me too - I haunted this forum long before I registered.

Ref the not cleaning anything, there are many proponents of the theory dust is "best left alone" when dealing with electronics, and I kind of agree when it comes to motherboards as a whole (unless it becomes an overheating issue).

I've never had a problem with dirty connectors or slots on a new build either . . . but I have when upgrading an older PC; especially when the older PC in question has never had, say, an add in video card or had RAM slots empty for years . . . granted, the issue is usually with RAM slots. Depending on where the PC in question has been used a tiny bit of dust can cause a big issue at times.

I tend to work on a lot of older equipment. Folks give me old systems, and I take them, clean them up, upgrade where I can, and set them up for folks that don't have a computer and can't really afford to buy one, or need a second compter for a kid in school - that kind of thing. I fixed up a church once with a computer lab - 8 pc's all LANed together, so they could offer data input classes - nice reuse of some old PII machines.

You would not believe the kind of "dusty" systems I have run across . . . I'd estimate I have recycled up to 75 of them in the last 14 years. Used a vacuum on them whenever adding RAM, PCI, VGA, etc. cards and the socket looked dirty . . . again, never had a problem with static electricity - but also again it is possible if you don't follow universal precautions, like always grounding yourself and your tools to the case frame before mucking about inside. I have, however, had issues with dust . . . :-D

 

Yup, absolutely on older empty sockets. I haven't personally had that issue even though I'm a heavy smoker and as you may know this makes for a sticky crud that holds dust.:eek A friend of mine sticks a gauze wrapped isopropyl soaked plastic card in the slot first to clean it. He swears by it!