Can't run discrete graphics card on my Biostar TA790GX

[travy25]

The board works great, but I can't figure out how to run a discrete graphics card. I've disabled the mGPU and tried my gpu in both the master and slave slots, with and without the paddle card. The manual is crap and does not explain how to run one discrete gpu. There are some settings that I am not familiar with:

Primary Video Controller:

GFX0-GPP-IGFX-PCI
GPP-GFX0-GPP-IGFX
PCI-GFX0-GPP-IGFX
IGFX-GFX0-GPP-PCI

Now I assume these are just priority orders and that PCI is PCI and IGFX is the mGPU, not sure about the others. I'm not sure how this affects the discrete GPU.

Also another menu PCI-E config in which GFX dual configuration can be set to enabel disable or auto. There are ports 2-10. I assume port 1 is the mGPU and 2 and 3 are PCI-E slots since the others are all disabled. Ports 2 and 3 have the following settings:

Gen2 High Speed Mode: auto, disabled, software initiated or advertised rx
Link ASPM: disabled, L0s, L1, L0s & L1
Link Width: 1x, 2x, 4x, 8x, 16x (assume to be PCI-E speed)
Slot Power Limit: 75w which cannot be changed as far as I can tell
Compliance Mode: disabled, Gen2, GEN1

(haven't played with this menu yet, don't fully understand the terminology)

As far as I can tell thes are all the PCI-E options. Don't mean to be wordy, but I can't seem to figure this one out.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[Orac]

system specs and what GPU are you trying it with, i am gonna download the destruction and see what i can find

Additional Comment:

oh and what OS, it only work under vista i think

Additional Comment:

OK for descrete graphics you need either a 3450 or 3470 and something called a

DCCFX-P2 Paddle Card what ever the that is

all this info is on page 22 of the manual

[Milkman]

Use the first or second video prioty in the list of 4 you made

GFX in primary/master pci-e 16x slot

Disable multi gpu in bios.

Additional Comment:

Is this board not the same as other 790G boards Orac? Your information is contrary to how I configured an ATI IGP mobo in past lol

U can take this call.

[Orac]

i is just reading from the destruction manual for the mobo, but mind you it has it labelled as hybrid crossfire and has no menttion about discrete graphics.

i dont know if the gx is different to the gx so i cant take that call no

[Milkman]

Hybrid gfx is different. I don't remember the details but I think that's for preserving the function of low power usage for decoding 1080p video using the great integrated GPU and adding a 34xx card allows Crossfire between the IGP and the discrete card.

Try one of the first two options and disable multi-gpu... Multi-gpu is assumably the Hybrid Cfire.

Additional Comment:

It'll probably one of these two:
GFX0-GPP-IGFX-PCI
GPP-GFX0-GPP-IGFX


Leave this on auto, if that doesn't work use 'disabled':
Also another menu PCI-E config in which GFX dual configuration can be set to enabel disable or auto.

[Orac]

this is the issue, on the web site it allows 2 or more discrete GPUs. and wiki states that the gx does support discrete. not had any experience with hybrid or discrete GPUs so i not sure where you would enable it

[Milkman]

You can pair 2 34xx series in conjunction with the IGP

I am pretty sure I recall reading that in a 3rd party preview of the 790 board.

Eitherway OP (original poster in case you don't know I'm talking to you) :
None of the things Orac or myself are suggesting will do any harm to your system so have no fear adjusting the variables we suggest. If your computer has trouble booting after you try these suggestions and even if you can't get back into your BIOS, either of us can tell you how to manually revert to factory defaults without even touching your keyboard!

(If you know what I'm talking about, nothing we are suggesting is irreversible by simply resetting the CMOS, and sorry for the above explanation)

[travy25]

That's my problem, the manual covers only hybrid and crossfire configurations. That's pretty stupid IMO.

Biostar TA790GX AM2+
Phenom X4 9750 2.4 GHz
2X2 gig OCZ PC6400
Windows XP Pro 64 bit
Sapphire Radeon x1900xt

I know the card is older, but it should still work right? Is a PCI-E 1.1 card not compatible with a PCI-E 2.0 slot?

To clarify, the goal is to run only the GPU and no integrated GPU.

[Milkman]

I understand what you are trying to do.
Try what I have posted.

(You can't use hybrid mode with X1900 XT anywho!)

________________________


It'll probably one of these two:
GFX0-GPP-IGFX-PCI
GPP-GFX0-GPP-IGFX


Leave this on auto, if that doesn't work use 'disabled':
Also another menu PCI-E config in which GFX dual configuration can be set to enabel disable or auto.

[Orac]

Originally Posted by eXclusive

(You can't use hybrid mode with X1900 XT anywho!)

there the problem, it does say 3450 or 3470 so the 1900 wont work

[Milkman]

He can still run the X1900 XT discretely though. The only limitation for that is the PCI-e slot compatibility.

[travy25]

Okay, I've tried the first 2 settings GFX0 and GPP all the others on auto or their default settings. I also disabled the motherboard GPU and no dice so far.

Do I need to install the appropriate ATI drivers prior to installing the card? It really shouldn't matter, I should still get video signal.

I also wish I knew which PCI-E slot was the correct one, if that matters, and if I have to insert the paddle card in the other slot to run one card discretely. It's getting annoying trying all configurations every time I change something in the bios.

[Milkman]

Do you know how to flash a BIOS? Many people in reviews are reporting having to update their BIOS before using the board. Issues relating to graphics cards and memory.

[travy25]

When I tried to flash the bios using the bios flash utility it said I have the most current bios version and would not allow me to.

[Milkman]

Do you know the date of said BIOS? I can see if people are having issues with it.

Use the bootable floppydrive method or some utility within windows?

[travy25]

I'll get it in a min. Just reinstalled windows xp pro 64 bit. Should I Install the mobo drivers including the ati drivers for the onboard video? Or should I put the most current drivers for my discrete card?

[Milkman]

Mobo driver, restart, windows updates, restart, sound, LAN, Video (x1900 XT)

Thats how i usually have success, sometimes you have to use a different order after windows updates.

Additional Comment:

Sorry Trav, getting off EOCF for a bit. I'll chime in again later... somebody else will probably come!

[travy25]

No worries, appreciate the help. Looks like the mobo vid drivers are packaged with the mobo drivers unfortunately. I'll uninstall the mobo vid drivers when I put in the card.

[wats6831]

Originally Posted by Orac

i is just reading from the destruction manual for the mobo, but mind you it has it labelled as hybrid crossfire and has no menttion about discrete graphics.

i dont know if the gx is different to the gx so i cant take that call no

Hybrid Crossfire doesn't have anything to do with what he's asking as far as I understand it.

He's asking how he can disable his onboard graphics and use a discrete card only. Hybrid Crossfire is onboard + discrete. Crossfire is discrete+discrete.

the 4 position menu that the OP posted is a setting in the BIOS that tells the board how to issue IRQs to the graphics chips.

Depending on how the order is set, it will either give or not give an IRQ to the onboard or discrete card if either requests it.

You need to have it set to give an IRQ to the discrete graphics card when it's requested (put discrete card first in the order).

Turn off or dislabe all settings related to multi-GPU, crossfire, hybrid cross fire.

GFX0 is the master PCIe x16 slot
IGFX is the integrated GPU
PCI is any card in a PCI slot other than the master x16
GPP is 'graphics point-to-point' ie Crossfire

I'm looking at a picture of the board, and the master PCIe x16 slot is clearly marked, as is the slave. The slave is closest to the CPU and the Master is further.

If your discrete GPU is in a PCIe slot, it should go in the Master slot and the Paddle Card in the Slave slot, and the menu option in the BIOS should have the GFX0 option listed first.

If you do not want to run your discrete GPU at PCIe 2.0 x16, and it is NOT in a PCIe 2.0 x16 slot then you should have it in the PCI slot closest to the CPU (I think), and the menu option in the BIOS should have PCI listed first.

If you plan on using Hybrid Crossfire, your discrete card should be in a hybrid crossfire PCIe slot if not 2.0 capable, or the Master PCIe 2.0 x16 slot (with Paddle card in slave slot), and the menu option in the BIOS set to GPP first.

Likewise, if you plan on using Crossfire with 2 discrete cards in both PCIe 2.0 slots, you would put one in master, one in the slave slot and then the BIOS menu option would be set to GPP first.

If you are only running your onboard GPU, then you would set the BIOS option to IGFX first.

I hope this helps.

BTW this has nothing to do with Vista vs XP. This should only be happening at the hardware level by telling the BIOS how and if to give a device an IRQ if it's requested.

[travy25]

I agree it's a hardware issue. I've also found that my GPU has to run in the master and the paddle in the slave slot after doing some looking around. I just finished installing the drivers for my x1900xt and I'm going to pop it in and make the recommended changes in the bios. I will let you know how it goes. Thanks.

Additional Comment:

I disabled integrated graphics which greys out that whole menu. Set IRQ to GFX0, installed the GPU in the master slot and the paddle in the slave slot. No video. There is also a GFX dual slot configuration with auto, enable and disabled options. I tried the previous setup on both disable and auto and no dice.