PC shows no screen after switching the GPU (iGPU functions properly)
PC shows no screen after switching the GPU (iGPU functions properly)
Hello everyone! I want to start by saying I might be in the wrong category from the beginning. Here’s a brief overview: I own a 1060 3G Zotac card, while my friend had a 1050Ti. After upgrading to a 1080, I decided to give him the 1060. His system specs include an i5-2500 processor with MSI H61M-P21 (B3), 12GB RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a 4GB 530W PSU. He attempted to install the new GPU but noticed no output from the card—no signal at all, not even BIOS recognition. When he tried using the integrated graphics, it worked fine. However, once switched to the iGPU output, the card was still unrecognized in both GPU-Z and Device Manager. I followed standard troubleshooting: checked cables, re-seated components, cleared BIOS, removed CMOS battery, updated firmware, and even swapped RAM sticks. Even using a different PCI-E cable and port on the PSU didn’t help. Power supply was fine. Eventually, when he switched to his 1050Ti, everything functioned properly. I visited him recently, tried all the same steps again—booting the motherboard without RAM or GPU, shutting it down, reinserting. The problem persisted: neither card showed up in Device Manager or BIOS, and integrated graphics worked. His BIOS offered limited graphics options; we chose PEG instead of IGD, and the multi-monitor feature was disabled. We adjusted settings extensively but got nothing. My conclusion is that there might be a hardware issue somewhere—possibly static damage or a failing PCIe slot. The tricky part is that the 1050Ti worked briefly before failing after some fixes. If you have any suggestions, please share them. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
We both tested it; the display cable connected to the GPU. When powered on, it shows no signal, but when moved to the motherboard output, the signal appears and the GPU fails to appear at all, as though unplugged. After checking online, I found several reports of similar problems with the same motherboard.
The chipset version is confirmed at 2.0. There’s no way to adjust the graphics settings directly. The main choices involve PCIE or general graphics settings, which can be toggled between PEG and IGD. The most recent BIOS was released on January 9, 2013. There’s an option for configuring the PCIe Latency Timer—believed not to impact the GPU—which can be set from 32-bit up to a maximum of 248 bits. We tested 32-bit, 192-bit, and 248-bit settings but had no success.
Yeah, ran out of ideas too, I tried digging through the BIOS through every possible option, there is nothing at all regarding the PCIE gen. The pins on the slot itself look perfectly fine. I advised him to remove the mobo from the case, then connect everything again, to see if that solves it. As I still kinda believe there is a short somewhere. There is just too much static in the system, you can get shocked by touching the CPU cooler at times. We were short on time this morning, but tonight he can try it. Also he will then be able to inspect the PCIE slot from the other side, where the solders are. Perhaps there is an issue there.
lol, kinda in between, there is no arch of electricity, but you can definitively feel it, as you would a zap. Tingly would be an understatement.