MSI GTX980 Gaming sometimes not recognized by MSI Z97 Gaming 9 AC

[Moondust]

I have been experiencing a very odd problem with my new hardware.

Hardware
Motherboard: MSI Z97 Gaming 9 AC
CPU: Intel Core i7-4790
CPU-cooler: Scythe Mugen 4
RAM: G.Skill RipjawsZ F3-17000CL9Q-16GBZH
Videocard: MSI GeForce GTX 980 4GB GAMING 4G
PSU: Seasonic X-660 80+ Gold
SSD: Crucial M550 2,5" 1TB
Monitor#1: LG 34UM95-P
Monitor #2: Eizo Foris FG2421
OS: Windows 7 Professional

Issue description
The thing is that with 2 monitors connected the videocard is not recognized on a cold boot, but boots perfectly most of the time after a restart. In some cases a restart doesn't do the trick. I have even seen a couple of times that the monitor shows that windows starts and then the monitor loses the signal from the videocard before I can see the desktop (rare). With just 1 monitor attached the videocard is recognized. Als the IGP works fine, it's just the videocard that doesn't seem to be recognized when 2 monitors are connected (all combinations of DP, HDMI and DVI). When the computer has booted after one or more restarts and the videocard is recognized the computer works flawlessly, no problems whatever I do with it (desktop work, stressing hardware, playing games, etc.). Not a single sign of instability.

It's just the cold boot and sometimes the soft boot or restart that causes the videocard to not being recognized with 2 monitors connected.

What makes it really weird to me is that when the computer goes into sleep mode I can wake it up normally within say 10 minutes. But if I wait for let's say an hour the videocard is not transmitting a signal through the videocard.

When IGP is enabled the computer boots and windows loads normally (I hear the sound of the Windows login), although the monitors stay black when connected to the videocard. Then switching the connectors from the videocard to the motherboard shows me a normal Windows login screen, but the videocard is not visible in the device list. When the IGP is disabled to bootup sequence just hangs until a restart works and the computer boots normally with the videocard getting recognized and working properly.

Click sounds
I noticed the motherboard makes 4 click sounds when booting, like relays flipping. I think it has to to with distributing power to al the components, since it looks like components respond to the click by turning led lights on. But I have to say I've never come across a motherboard before that makes click sounds. Is this normal?

Tried fixes
- Replaced the RAM with 100% working RAM from my other computer (Corsair Vengeance LP CML8GX3M2A1600C9) -> problem persists
- Disabed XMP -> problem persists
- Replaced the PSU with another one (Cooler Master V550 Semi-Modular) -> problem persists
- Reinstalled the videocard physically -> problem persists
- Tried several combinations of connecting the 2 monitors to the videocard (all DP ports, HDMI and DVI) -> problem persists
- Replaced the videocard with a MSI GTX970 Gaming (connected with 1xDP and 1xHDMI) -> problem persists

Conclusions so far
The cause can be found in the videocard or motherboard (probably BIOS issue).

Who can shed some light on this issue?

 

[chris.clarke.512]

I can offer you a solution but I'm having the same issue. I have 2 GTX 970 cards. They're not being recognised by my Z97 Gaming 9 AC. I'm also getting the relay clicking...

I'll be interested to hear if you make any progress. Feel free to email me directly if you get anywhere...

 

[Moondust]

Chris, are your videocards never recognized by the motherboard or is it the same as in my situation where one or more restarts are necessary to boot without problems?

Also, do you 2 monitors connected or just one? My bootproblem only seems to surface when there are 2 monitors connected.

My workaround now is to connect only one monitor when I boot and connect the other one when windows is running. That at least that saves me the restarts, but it's annoying. Also, I like to put my computer to sleep when I don't use it for a while and ik looks like I can't use that rightnow.

I googled about the clicking sounds, but found nothing useful. Still wondering of something is wrong with my motherboard or that it is the videocard.

I hope we can both find a solution to our problem. This hardware is too expensive to accept this.

BTW, I forgot to mention in my startpost that I have tried both BIOS A and B, both flashed to version 1.7. I haven't touched the VBIOS of the videocard since I cannot find a VBIOS for the MSI GTX980 Gaming anywhere.

 

[chris.clarke.512]

My Bios isn't seeing my card at all. If you go into your Bios and click on the bottom right box that gives you a picture of the motherboard it pops up with various bits of info as you hover the mouse over it...

As I hover over the part with the PCIe's it just pops up saying empty.

It doesn't matter what happens with monitors, it just won't see the cards.

Think I'm going to return the board. It was very expensive. This is the first time I've tried anything other than Gigabyte. Never again...

 

[Moondust]

In a way you're lucky it doesn't work at all. That makes it easier to pinpoint the problem. In my case it could still be the videocard that messes things up, although I suspect it's the motherboard.

Anyone else able to shed some light on the problem?

 

[JLio01]

Did you try with the latest driver 344.65? My z97 gaming 7 with GTX 970 no issue with surrounding.
Do you mean IGD or IGP?? So you plug HDMI/DP on onboard ports?

 

[Moondust]

Did you try with the latest driver 344.65?

I haven't tried the latest driver, because AFAIK the changes are only support for some new games. Also, the driver cannot be the cause of my boot problem since the driver kicks in when windows starts.

Do you mean IGD or IGP?

I mean IGP (integrated graphics in Intel cpu's).

So you plug HDMI/DP on onboard ports?

Yes, when I connect HDMI + DP on onboard ports the computer works fine, but when I connect HDMI + DP on the videocard the computer has a problem with very cold boots.

BTW....
I moved the GTX980 to the second PCIe slot (x8 3.0), but the boot problem persists.

This afternoon/evening I have planned to test the GTX980 in another computer en put another videocard in the MSI Z97 gaming 9 AC. I hope that will give me some useful clues as to whether the videocard or motherboard has an issue.

 

[Moondust]

I don't know why I haven't noticed it before, but with just one monitor connected through DP on the videocard . So the number of connected monitors doesn't seem to make a difference. It looks almost like a thermal problem. When the computer is literally cold the screen stays black. A restart sometimes results in the sqame situation, but eventually the computer boots like it has warmed up enough to go through the whole boot cycle.

 

[Moondust]

I put my MSI GTX980 Gaming videocard in another computer. Works flawlessly. I also inserted the videocard of the other computer (GTX680) in the MSI Z97 Gaming 9 AC. That caused problems. With only the DP connected to the videocard the computer starts up just fine. With 2 monitors connected (DP+HDMI) the DP stays black, the HDMI works but with black border all around despite the native resolution. It looks like the motherboard is most likely the cause of the boot problem. So I applied for an RMA of the motherboard.

Will report back later.

 

[JLio01]

How do you enable IGP? Under BIOS I only see IGD in advanced--integrated graphics configuration, in there I can only select IGD/PEG, and there's a IGD multi-monitor enable/disable(Do you mean this?)

 

[Moondust]

I am sorry to have been unclear about this. You're right, it's IGD. I've set it to the multimonitor support setting , because when my videocard gives me a black screen, I can always plugin the DP cable in the motherboard so I can shutdown properly and try again.

 

[JLio01]

Try all PCIE slots no luck? Does the black screen always happen on one certain monitor or both?

 

[jotan.va]

It seems I have the same problem.

I have 2x z97 Gaming 9 AC Mobos with 4x MSI GTX970 Cards.

Tried switching the cards around and tried different cards (GTX580, even 7770)

Tried removing my M.2 SSD, removed SATA, Moved things around in all possible combinations.

The problem still remains - both mobos do not see any GPU, doesn't matter what I put in there.

Power supplies tried: 2x Corsair RM850, Thermaltake Toughpower 750, Antec 620.
Ram tried: Corsair Vengeance Pro 2400 (1x 4GB & 2x 4GB) - tried 2x different sets, Adata Xtreme 1600 (1x 4GB & 2x 4GB), Other random sticks lying around.
CPU's: i7 4790K - 2x of these.

Even after connecting the onboard HDMI to my monitor (Samsung Syncmaster S27B550) - onboard works - and installing windows, there is nothing in device manager - no GPU detected.

Tried installing the latest Nvidia drivers - can't see the GPU.

Installed the GTX970's in different mobos and they all work fine.

Attached a pic to show the Nvidia drivers giving me an error.

I'm returning the motherboards - getting ASRock Fatal1ty Z97 Professionals as replacement.

 

[jotan.va]

BTW - Did anybody try to remove the wifi module from the board and then test?

 

[Moondust]

Try all PCIE slots no luck? Does the black screen always happen on one certain monitor or both?

I tried both the first and the second PCIe slot. No difference except for the fact that in the second slot the card only works at x8 bandwidth.

BTW - Did anybody try to remove the wifi module from the board and then test?

I didn't install the wifi module in the first place.

UPDATE
I returned the motherboard to the webshop I bought it from and sent my cpu, ram, psu and videocard (GTX980) with it so they could test it. They found out that the videocard is the problem. So now I have to send the videocard to the webshop it bought that from. However, I am suspecting that it's just a VBIOS problem and not some fault in the hardware itself. On the other hand, it would be very strange that MSI would release a videocard that cannot work with one of their own top motherboards, wouldn't it?

 

[Nichrome]

Sometimes it could be badly soldered chip or other part within the graphics card causing hell lots of issues. Good they could find what is the issue, so now hopefull you will get working one 

 

[Moondust]

Sometimes it could be badly soldered chip or other part within the graphics card causing hell lots of issues. Good they could find what is the issue, so now hopefull you will get working one 

But isn't it weird that not only my MSI GTX980 Gaming gives this blank screen problem, but also my MSI GTX970 Gaming? Alhtough I have to say I tested the GTX970 only once. When it gave me a blank screen I thought I knew enough and switched the cards again. And since the motherboard is declared to be just fine, I can only think of a VBIOS issue. What else can be wrong with two videocards of the same brand?

 

[Nichrome]

The motherboard itself might be bad in some way.. there are many factors that may cause each part to not work well with the other.

 

[Moondust]

The motherboard itself might be bad in some way.. there are many factors that may cause each part to not work well with the other.

That's what I thought but the webshop I bought it from says - after testing - the motherboard is fine. But I don't really have a choice but rma'ing the videocard to the webshop where I bought the videocard.

 

[francos]

My Bios isn't seeing my card at all. If you go into your Bios and click on the bottom right box that gives you a picture of the motherboard it pops up with various bits of info as you hover the mouse over it...

As I hover over the part with the PCIe's it just pops up saying empty.

Is the same for me: I have a 980 GTX and the Z97 Gaming9 don't see the VideoCard. Empty slot!
I'll try thuerday with a GTX770 to see if a slot problem!