Installing a GTX 980 or 1660 in your Lenovo ThinkCentre M91p
Installing a GTX 980 or 1660 in your Lenovo ThinkCentre M91p
Hi, I see you're working on setting up a gaming PC for your nephew. He’s using a Lenovo ThinkCentre M91p with a GTX1660 GPU and a CX550M PSU. The GPU lights up but doesn’t display anything, and Nvidia isn’t detected in any software. Device Manager shows no GPU under display adapters, though it appears on other devices. When you try the GTX1660 in another PC, it works perfectly, and even with a GTX980 it boots normally but still can’t detect the GPU. I’m not sure what’s going on—any suggestions or resources would be greatly appreciated.
You might have to enable specific video settings in the BIOS. For Dell setups, the system usually favors the built-in iGPU over a PCIe GPU unless instructed otherwise. This can cause the PCIe GPU to fail to start during Windows boot, making it look like it’s missing. If no BIOS option exists, the issue likely lies elsewhere. Update the BIOS firmware and check if that resolves the problem. Beyond that, reinstalling the chipset drivers may help. It’s important to test whether the PCIe bus is actually present using a diagnostic tool. I’ve encountered a case where a laptop didn’t detect a GPU that was there, requiring a replacement of the motherboard.
Some users are testing GTX 1080 graphics on Dell T3500 models that resemble Sandy Bridge hardware. The compatibility often hinges on the GPU brand—non-OEM systems with UEFI support tend to work better. There may be differences in firmware, especially for cooling fans, but it seems unlikely a GPU would function without proper firmware even then. Make sure to update the BIOS before proceeding.
Check the BIOS settings for update options. Since your motherboard is new, you should follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. If needed, look for a firmware update tool or contact support for reinstalling the chipset. Be sure to back up any data before making changes.
It mainly depends on whether the card supports UEFI and Legacy Boot. If not, the motherboard must support those features. https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/for...-question/ The GTX 1660 runs only in UEFI and won’t work with Legacy BIOS. After updating your board, you should be able to switch it to UEFI—though some online searches indicate this is often a problem with Lenova machines from that time. Many users have tried swapping them with newer boards like ASUS, Alienware, or Dell models. Personally, my Dell with an i5 3470 also needed a UEFI setup to get the HD 7750 1GB GPU working.
You can update the BIOS by following the manufacturer's instructions, which often involve accessing the system settings or using a bootable USB drive to flash the new firmware. Even after updating, some systems may restrict switching between BIOS and UEFI modes. Check your specific device documentation for guidance.