GPU issues

So, I picked up an EVGA GeForce GTX 970 WF3 yesterday, but I’ve hit a bit of a snag—it just won't run.

Here’s what I'm working with:

- ASUS B75A-G43 (MS-7758)
- Intel Core i5-3450, 3100 MHz
- Intel Panther Point B75, Intel Ivy Bridge
- 240GB SSD
- XFX PRO550W Power Supply
- 8GB RAM

I'm honestly stumped on where things went wrong. I double-checked all my connections to make sure everything was seated properly, and the power supply should have plenty of headroom. I even tried using different cables from the PSU, making sure they were both firmly connected. Despite all that, the only thing showing up on my monitor is a single blinking line in the upper right corner.

To add to the mystery, my old GTX 660 ti is still working perfectly fine without any issues.

Is it possible that I just got a dud card?

mellowsurfer59 said:Picked up an EVGA GeForce GTX 970 yesterday, but it just won't run.

Here’s my current setup:

- ASUS B75A-G43 (MS-7758)
- QuadCore Intel Core i5-3450, 3100 MHz
- Intel Panther Point B75, Intel Ivy Bridge
- 240GB OCZ-ARC100 SSD
- XFX PRO550W power supply
- 8GB RAM

I'm honestly stumped—everything seems connected perfectly. The power supply should have plenty of juice, too; I even tried using their specific cables and made sure they were dual-connected to the PSU. All I see on my monitor is a single dash in the top right corner.

For what it's worth, my old GTX 660 ti is still working just fine.

Is there any chance the card itself is just a dud?

There isn't much you can really mess up here, so maybe just double-check that the card is fully seated in the PCIe slot on the motherboard and that the power cables are plugged all the way into the GPU. If you've checked it a dozen times and it's still doing this, try popping the card into another PC if you have one handy—just to see if the issue follows the hardware. If it does, your best bet is to take it back to the store where you bought it and let the technicians test it out on their end.

So, I headed down to the local computer shop today to get this checked out. The technician actually ran a diagnostic on their own rig using my card, and wouldn't you know it? It worked perfectly fine there. He suggested that the issue might be my power supply—which was honestly my first suspicion too—so I went ahead and picked up a brand-new one right then and there. Well, I just finished getting everything installed, powered up, and... nothing. Still nothing. Honestly, it makes you wonder if you can even trust your own instincts anymore.

mellowsurfer59 said:I stopped by the shop today to get it checked out. The tech tested it on their rig and the card worked perfectly fine. He suggested my power supply might be the culprit, which was actually what I was thinking, so I went ahead and grabbed a new one right then and there. Well, I just finished installing everything and... nothing. Still dead. You can't trust anyone these days.

Wait, why did you rush out and buy a new PSU immediately? 🤣 Maybe it didn't seat properly. Pop it back in, make sure it's pushed all the way into the slot, and double-check that every single power cable is snapped tight. Also, check your monitor connection—make sure the DVI/HDMI/whatever you're using is secure. Try using different 6-pin connectors if they have them. Honestly, just take it to a neighbor's house and test it there. Did you actually see with your own eyes that it worked at the shop? Where did you take it?

The fix turned out to be a BIOS update (found on another forum)

Timothy Kim60 said:He fixed it with a BIOS update (found on another forum)

First time I'm hearing about something like that... what does a BIOS update have to do with the graphics card? 🤔

Adam Moore3 said:I’ve honestly never heard of that before. What could a BIOS update possibly have to do with a graphics card? 🤔

It does. It comes down to a specific set of instructions being handled differently. I dealt with a nearly identical situation a few years back, and after taking it to a repair shop, they confirmed my suspicions within twenty-four hours.
The GPU is simply too advanced for such an aging motherboard.

Not a chance... All the operating parameters and specs—for the CPU, the GPU, the RAM, even the hard drives—are baked right into the BIOS. So, if the upper address limit for a drive hits 1TB and can't go any higher (which is probably the most classic hardware headache out there), everything just hits a wall because the BIOS literally doesn't know how to process anything beyond that. Same thing goes for the graphics card; maybe the clock speed, the PCIe lane count, or the VRAM capacity spiked past some hardcoded maximum, and boom—you're screwed.