# No video output from R7 260x



## bschr003 (Jan 5, 2014)

Hi all, 
I have a M3985 Aspire desktop with a p01.a2 motherboard. I want to upgrade my gpu to play some games. I bought and succesfully installed an evga 600w power supply. I also bought a gigabyte R7 260x GPU. I put the GPU into the pci-e slot and plugged the power in. The fan turns on but I have no video output to my monitor. When the new GPU is plugged in I also have no output through the integrated GPU. 

When i unplug the new GPU my computer goes back to using the integrated gpu successfully. I thought it may be the card so I exchanged it for another and have the same problem. I searched multiple forums that suggested

a) turning secured boot off - There is no option for this in the bios

b) turning legacy boot on - There is no option for this in the bios as well

I updated my bios successfully and still no option for either. Also I am out of warranty with Acer so no help there.
Any help is appreciated. Thanks


----------



## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

The Mobo "should" default to the GPU once installed but it is sometimes necessary to boot to the Bios and select the GPU as the primary graphics display.

Your EVGA PSU is not the best quality but 600W "should" be fine with the R7 260x (450W minimum).


----------



## bschr003 (Jan 5, 2014)

There is no option for that in the bios. I have definitely tried to find it. It seems it is automatically switching to the gpu since i have no output from the integrated chip when the new gpu is plugged in.


----------



## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

Since you have an OEM system the manufacturers tend to switch options off in the BIOS so you cannot access them although you should be able to upgrade to a proper graphics card.

Have you plugged the appropriate pcie connectors from the power supply to the graphics card?


----------



## bschr003 (Jan 5, 2014)

Yes. 6 pin


----------



## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Have you tried both DVI ports on the card?


----------



## bschr003 (Jan 5, 2014)

Yes i have tried both DVIs and the HDMI


----------



## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

is the card clipped into the slot properly?

have you tried another pcie slot if you have one?


----------



## bschr003 (Jan 5, 2014)

Yes card is seated properly. 

Only have 1 pcie slot


----------



## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

is there anyway you could borrow a GPU from someone?

reason I ask is if that doesn't work then the slot on the motherboard could be damaged.


----------



## bschr003 (Jan 5, 2014)

I may have a spare lying around. Ill see if I can find it.


----------



## bschr003 (Jan 5, 2014)

A spare GT430 works correctly


----------



## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

well that would indicate either you have a second defective card or that your psu isn't able to power the card.

how old is the psu?

can you tell us the voltages from the BIOS?


----------



## bschr003 (Jan 5, 2014)

brand new EVGA 600w

Not sure about the voltage. I am thinking about trying to replace this gpu with the gtx 650 ti boost 2gb


----------



## bschr003 (Jan 5, 2014)

Could it just be incompatibility from the mobo


----------



## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

pcie is backwards compatible so if your other card works this should work.

go into the BIOS and see what it says for the 12v, 3.3v and 5v if you can't see them download CPUID hardware monitor and post a screenshot.


----------



## bschr003 (Jan 5, 2014)

+12.0V +12.312
+5V +5.070
+3.3V +3.363


----------



## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

so the psu is ok.

I have been looking about for you, it seems the graphics controller is pure NVIDIA so it seems you can't use ATi cards which is really weird because systems that could only use one make dissapeard years ago.


----------



## bschr003 (Jan 5, 2014)

Thanks I am going to switch out cards.


----------



## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

Maybe Acer have had a deal with NVIDA or it's how the motherboard is designed that it can only take NVIDIA cards.


----------



## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

I'm certainly not doubting greenbrucelee's findings but I find the M3985 Aspire desktop available with a AMD GPU. I don't see any reason an AMD chipped GPU wouldn't be compatible. Your Mobo has 1xPCIE X16 3.0 slot so Nvidia or AMD chipped GPU's "should" be compatible.


----------



## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

Tyree said:


> I'm certainly not doubting greenbrucelee's findings but I find the M3985 Aspire desktop available with a AMD GPU. I don't see any reason an AMD chipped GPU wouldn't be compatible. Your Mobo has 1xPCIE X16 3.0 slot so Nvidia or AMD chipped GPU's "should" be compatible.


thats what I thought but it seems theres an nvidia controller on the board for graphics and from other threads I have seen on the net no one can get an ATi card to work on it.


----------



## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

I found two different sites that show the M3985 Aspire desktop coming with a AMD GPU as part of the OEM configuration. 

One site shows a AMD 7350 and another a 7470. But, those sites are not in the US so "possibly" a different Mobo is used?
I suppose the simplest solution would be to get a Nvidia GPU. :smile:


----------



## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

It's a Intel i5 the only chipset available for it is Intel.
Nvidia has not made a Intel chipset motherboard since the 775 socket.
> Chipset drivers for the M3985


----------



## bschr003 (Jan 5, 2014)

Just to let you know. I went out and returned the R7 260x and bought a GTX 660. Plugged it in and it worked right away


----------



## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

I think it either has to do with the ATI r series implementation of the PCI 3.0 spec or the motherboard manufacturers implementation of the 2.0 spec one of them is slightly off spec.


----------



## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

The above is more probable than the Mobo chipset being incompatible with AMD chipped GPU's and it's far from unusual for new models to have issues.
Anyway, glad you got a GPU, and a better performer, in and working. :smile:


----------



## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

Strange its probably the oem config of the motherboard, since it ships with an nvidia card it must be made nvidia only.


----------



## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Tyree said:


> I found two different sites that show the M3985 Aspire desktop coming with a AMD GPU as part of the OEM configuration.


----------

