Difficulty upgrading my graphics card

[Meatwad]

I had an issue like that on this computer when it was time to upgrade the video card. I have a gigabyte motherboard

What it would do is show the windows logo during bootup then go to a black screen, screen would flash the led light on it like there was no video signal.

First was It would consider the new video card as a second display device. When you turn on the computer, it would default to the onboard video, and the new card was showing up as monitor number 2 which would get a black screen due to there not actually being a second monitor so it would actually be disabled. I ended up using a VGA switch and having the output from both the onboard and new card to go to the monitor, and switch them back and forth until I got the settings right so it would work correctly on the new card.

It was a major PITA but it works fine now

So if you have onboard video plug a monitor into that and see if the video is coming up on that instead of the new card

[jimbo71]

That sounds similar to my issue.  Except I do get a HP post screen.   The post screen says to press esc to enter setup menu.  If you press esc the screen goes black.
I did remove the amd drivers to the old 7450.  I never disabled the On board graphics (I saw where some people had success doing that while researching last night)

The pc shop just called.   Said he couldn't get it to work.  I asked about a new motherboard as an option.   he said a new mb would not be compatable with my processor etc. 

FML

I guess I'll have to return the GPU and try to find a gtx 6xxx series or something.

[Bizman]

Jimbo, your problems start to sound familiar. Some time ago someone had an issue with a new video card intended to be installed into a HP. After a lot of comments it appeared that HP allowed only for a couple of video cards as upgrade, both being outdated for the need.

As for the motherboard, you might have set your question wrong. Instead of a "new" motherboard you should ask for a "suitable" one. One that takes all your components and the new video card. And definitely a generic one instead something tailored for a certain brand and model.

[aaronr]

That sounds similar to my issue.  Except I do get a HP post screen.   The post screen says to press esc to enter setup menu.  If you press esc the screen goes black.
I did remove the amd drivers to the old 7450.  I never disabled the On board graphics (I saw where some people had success doing that while researching last night)

The pc shop just called.   Said he couldn't get it to work.  I asked about a new motherboard as an option.   he said a new mb would not be compatable with my processor etc. 

FML

I guess I'll have to return the GPU and try to find a gtx 6xxx series or something.

When it goes black have you tried unplugging your video and plugging into the other onboard or card port?

[jimbo71]

When it goes black have you tried unplugging your video and plugging into the other onboard or card port?

No, I haven't tried that.  Under device manager it doesn't show anything under display other than the Radeon 7450.   This motherboard (M3970AM-HP) may not have onboard / integrated graphics?

I'm seeing some conflicting info on the HP support boards.   Some experts say anything in the gtx 6xx series will work with this motherboard.  Other's say it has to be gtx 650 or below.   Some guy had luck with the gtx 750 TI gaming to work because it had a dual bios UEFI / Legacy switch on the card.  He switched it to Legacy mode and it worked on his H8-1214

I really wanted to try a 4gb card as opposed to 2gb.  But I may just be limited....

[Meatwad]

That sounds similar to my issue.  Except I do get a HP post screen.   The post screen says to press esc to enter setup menu.  If you press esc the screen goes black.
I did remove the amd drivers to the old 7450.  I never disabled the On board graphics (I saw where some people had success doing that while researching last night)

The pc shop just called.   Said he couldn't get it to work.  I asked about a new motherboard as an option.   he said a new mb would not be compatable with my processor etc. 

FML

I guess I'll have to return the GPU and try to find a gtx 6xxx series or something.

After it goes black try the onboard video. When my video card went to a black screen it switched to the onboard video instead. I bet the onboard will show a desktop after your new card goes black

EDIT----

Looking at the back of one it may not have an onboard VGA port, so that may not work

[aaronr]

No, I haven't tried that.  Under device manager it doesn't show anything under display other than the Radeon 7450.   This motherboard (M3970AM-HP) may not have onboard / integrated graphics?

I'm seeing some conflicting info on the HP support boards.   Some experts say anything in the gtx 6xx series will work with this motherboard.  Other's say it has to be gtx 650 or below.   Some guy had luck with the gtx 750 TI gaming to work because it had a dual bios UEFI / Legacy switch on the card.  He switched it to Legacy mode and it worked on his H8-1214

I really wanted to try a 4gb card as opposed to 2gb.  But I may just be limited....

When you installed the card did you have exact proper power connector 6 or 8 pin?

[jimbo71]

When you installed the card did you have exact proper powpoweredector 6 or 8 pin?

The psu has two 6 pin + 2 pin connectors.  Plug one in as the 6 pin and use the + 2 connector on the other to make the 8 pin.  The 960 powered up fine.  Lit up / fans turned. 

The bottom line is the 960 and my motherboard will not do a "digital handshake".  And and after a lot of research nothing higher than gtx 6xx series will make that digital handshake and possibly only as high as a gtx 650.... with one exception,  the gtx 750 ti.  MSI makes one that has a UEFI / legacy mode switch on it that when put into legacy mode has been confirmed to work in my model.  Its a 2 gb card.  I was wanting to use a 4 gb.   But it is what it is.

Im ordering that one.  Down the road my next one will probably be a custom build.

[aaronr]

That's interesting I have in the past put some cutting edge PCI-ex 16 cards in some pos mobo's and I never had that issue but it's been awhile for me although I never tried anything like Maxwell or newer, I'm running a EVGA GTX 960 SSC, the only reason it's a SSC is because I got a killer deal on it used I found I had to clock it down a small amount to get 100% stability for all games. These cards are super thrifty on power usage and the PS shouldn't be any issue it seems that the mobo may have out lived it's usefulness.

[Bizman]

There's POS mobo's and there's tailored POS mobo's. Some brand manufacturers want people to upgrade their POS computers by using a very limited variety of components sold under the same brand. The limitations may even be hard coded as a whitelist in the BIOS. No need to say that the upgrade options they offer are quite modest and for the current generation only. A marketing gimmick to fool those who believe that the brand they use at their office would be equally well aimed for gaming. I've seen HP do this with other components, too.

[aaronr]

So true, Dell is also notorious for weird crap like a power supply with NON standard dimensions to try to force a DELL branded replacement.
I thought your government was better at protecting consumers then our state side folks.

[Bizman]

I thought your government was better at protecting consumers then our state side folks.

To a certain extent, yes. However, most of them can afford a new computer whenever the old one proves insufficient. I also suspect they don't play PC simulator online games.