Nothing works after putting in a graphics card

aesondae

So I have a DX4870 which at stock was Windows 7 with integrated graphics, never used the PCIE slot, until recently when I updated it to Windows 10, bought a new PSU so that I can use my newly bought graphics card as well(Gigabyte Rx460), and replaced the ram sticks. I also transfered everything into a new bigger case that just has LED's to make it different. After moving everything into the new case, apart from insterting the graphics card, everything worked fine, although there was a little bit of a problem because the front panel wirings were a little different than the old case so it wouldn't turn on due to it having to be plugged in the mobo a certain way and was solved. I turn it on, (without the graphics card in yet) everything works fine. I switch it off, put in the new graphics card, turn it on and everything apart from the LED's, Optics drive, and the graphics card because clearly power is going to it since the fans are spinning, nothing works. All the ports don't work because prior to inserting the graphics card, the lights on my mouse would turn on, as well as my keyboard, on my wireless adapter, and the computer screen would show something. I switch it off and take the graphics card out and turn it back on, everything works again, it's just that my computer will not work with the graphics card in. What could be the problem? It's certainly not the graphics card itself because I tried using it on my friend's computer and everything works with his, unlike mine. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

JordanB

If you have Acer/Intel B75 chipset mainboard, then you're probably going to have to completely wipe your HDD and then re-install Windows 10 in EFI mode .....and then after you re-install Windows 10 in EFI mode, go in to BIOS and disable Quiet Boot. Proceed at your own risk.

 

https://community.acer.com/t5/Predator-Desktops/g3620-upgrade-to-nvidia-gtx-970-fails-to-boot/m-p/453604#M1031

 

Also, read post by Noxx

 

http://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/11/558749824211499896/?ctp=2

 

Noxx probably had Windows 8 so his install was probably already EFI., since you have Windows 7/10 installed in legacy mode you probably do need to completely wipe your hard drive with "diskpart clean" so that your HDD is in a "like new", uninitialized state........ so that your BIOS,HDD and Windows installation media can cooperate to get your Windows 10 clean installed as EFI/GPT.  It's not as hard as it sounds.  Also, make sure you use rufus to create UEFI/GPT Windows 10 installation media so you don't accidentally reinstall Windows 10 in legacy mode again.

 

Make sure you back up your important personal files as "diskpart clean" will wipe your HDD.

 

If you have B75 chipset mainboard, it will probably work.  If you have H67 chipset mainboard, the Quiet Boot trick won't work.

 

Again, proceed at your own risk and peril.  I can't guarantee your card will work even if you follow my suggestion.  And I can't guarantee that Windows 10 will work properly on your computer in EFI mode.

 

 Edit: It's also possible that Noxx had a Windows 8 dx4870 with a newer BIOS/UEFI and is why he was able to get it to work......and it may not work for you.  Unfortunately we don't know which computer Noxx had.

 

 

JordanB

Edited previous post.

JordanB

Another option is to see what spotlight recommends for legacy cards.  Because I think he's in the same boat as you.

 

https://community.acer.com/t5/Predator-Desktops/Is-Acer-Predator-G3620-compatible-with-Radeon-R9-models-2xx-3xx/m-p/453683#M1038

aesondae

Thank you so much for all the information, it' all been really helpful. I think it actually is due to that. This might be a dumb question though but would installing windows in UEFI mode be fine on my pc? I've been researching about how to install UEFI mode on my computer and I've seen this question a lot where it asks 'can your system support uefi boot?' and I'm not really sure so I'm hesitant to install it that way.

JordanB

I'll give you my opinion based on my observations of various posts.  Please don't confuse my opinioin with facts.

 

1. You have a UEFI that is currently in legacy mode.

 

2. You have a pre-Windows 8 UEFI (thats's not good if you want to install a UEFI graphics card).  Even though Windows 8 was released on Intel B75 chipset boards, I don't think your UEFI supports sercure boot, which means it's not a modern "Windows 8 type UEFI"

 

3.  It's possible for you to do an EFI (UEFI) installation of Windows 10.  But it won't help you to get a newer UEFI graphics card to work. 

 

4.  I gave step-by-step instructions in one of those links that I posted above for someone with a Intel H67 board.  He was  able to get Windows 10 installed in EFI mode, but it didn't help him to get is UEFI graphics card to work.

 

5. I think your computer model that came pre-installed with Windows 8 can get UEFI graphics cards to work by disabling Quiet Boot.  Unfortunately, yours came pre-installed with Windows 7 and has a different UEFI.

 

6.  If you want to try installing Windows 10 in EFI mode and then disabling Quiet Boot to see if the card will work, I'd say go for it, but I think you'll be wasting your time and it won't work.  Personally, i would try it if I had your computer because it would only take me about 30 minutes.  But it's going to take you a heck of a lot longer to do it if you've never done somehing like that.  You're going to have to completely wipe your hard drive.

 

7.  I think you should ask them over there in the Nvidia forum or AMD forum for advice on getting a graphics card that supports legacy BIOS.

 

8. Call gigabyte and ask them how to get your card to work on your computer.

JordanB

I found a post over in the MSI forum that explains why sometimes newer UEFI graphics cards won't work when you have an older UEFI (pre-Windows 8 UEFI). He/she explains it much more intelligently/accurately than what I did.  Read the post by the global forum moderator "flobelix".  They're saying that there's two possible reasons: Either your computer's UEFI GOP (Graphics Output Protocol) is non-compliant or you lack UEFI ME (Intel Management Engine) 8 (or newer) firmware for your computer.

 

Quote:

 

There is no legacy vbios for a GTX970 but just hybrid vbios versions supporting legacy and UEFI booting. These vbios versions will not work on older boards with a UEFI vbios not being GOP compliant. However UEFI or legacy vbios is NOT your problem as the system would else not post at all and you would not even see the bios screen. What you experience is a compatibility issue seen on many oem machines that are not updated properly. For socket 1155 board a ME8 bios is required to run vgas of the current generation.

 

https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?topic=184821.0

 

Anyway, I tried to give a better answer than just saying "your computer's too old"......even though that's the gist of it.  Your computer's too old and generally speaking, old computers almost never see BIOS/UEFI updates after they're a couple years old.  That applies to all OEMs...Acer, Dell, HP, etc.....