Crosshair V Formula - Power, No Display (Possible PCI Express Issue?)

[Heatshiver]

ISSUE
I have a EVGA GTX 680 SC that has been working for the past few months without issue. I decided to reapply thermal paste and clear out any of the dust that might have accumulated. I disassembled the card without a hitch, cleaned it up, and reassembled. I then placed the card back into the motherboard but now I can't get video! Everything is receiving power, even the card (fan is spinning), but there are no POST beeps to indicate what failure could be happening...

TRIED

• Reseating the card (several times)
  
• Changing the power cables for the card
  
• Changing the card from the recommended first 16x slot to the third 16x (as stated by the manual for a single card)
  
• Changing the card to the second 16x slot
  
• Changing to a known working card (EVGA GTX 480)
  
• Changing to the EVGA GTX 480 also forced me to try a different HDMI cable (because it uses full to mini-HDMI)
  
• Pulling out the CMOS battery for 30+ minutes
  

PREVIOUSLY
The main reason I believe this is a PCI Express issue is not because none of the cards were able to show video in the different slots, but because I had a previous issue with this motherboard and the second 16x slot. I had a tri-SLI setup with 3 GTX 480s, but I found out the motherboard was seeing the third card as 1x!

HELP!
I need to fix this ASAP, whether it be a fix I can implement - which would be great - or buy a new motherboard. Any help is much appreciated!

On a side note, if I were to purchase a Crosshair V Formula-Z, I wouldn't need to reinstall Windows 7 since it has the same chipset as the Crosshair V Formula?

SETUP
ASUS Crosshair V Formula
Windows 7 x64
AMD FX-8350
G.Skill ARES 32GB RAM
EVGA GTX 680 SC
Cooler Master Silent Pro M 1000W
CD/DVD Writer (Blu-Ray Reader)
Kingston 96GB SSD
2x 500GB Seagate Momentus XT (RAID)
2x 1TB Seagate (RAID)

[Myk_SilentShado]

If you're having problems with one of the PCIe slots, I would recommend sending the board in for RMA. If you were to get an CHVF-Z, a clean install is highly recommended to ensure everything works smoothly 🙂

[Heatshiver]

Myk SilentShadow wrote:
If you're having problems with one of the PCIe slots, I would recommend sending the board in for RMA. If you were to get an CHVF-Z, a clean install is highly recommended to ensure everything works smoothly 🙂

I appreciate the reply! I thought that would be the case, but wanted to hear from someone else to be sure...

I would love to do a clean install, but I have a few things I would like to salvage. I don't mind reformatting the Windows drive (SSD), but would I be forced to redo the RAIDs as well? They were all software RAIDs...

*Also, can anyone confirm that if I had to buy a new motherboard immediately (as I need to but do plan to buy an ASUS motherboard) would ASUS give me any type of credit or something once they deemed my current mobo inoperable?

[chrsplmr]

* The last one is probably a no. If it is still under warranty and 'deemed inoperable' 'they' would probably do as the warranty
agreement calls for, replace the board or fix that one.

Heatshiver - Welcome to ROG.

First. There are procedures in the manual for clearing the cmos. With the computer powered down, but the psu on,
push the 'green lite refresh button' in the inputs. 2nd .. the jumper method, mb powered down, psu off, push and hold
power button to drain the mb and then move the jumper .. and then move it back. [just for future knowledge]

A few questions.
No post ? Not going through the led sequence at all ? or if yes, hanging on gpu ?
Zero video ? as in, can not get into bios ?
Have re-examined the gpu ? any blown 'caps' ? Any on the mb ?
When you say 're-paste', do you mean the gpu .. or did you repaste the cpu as well ??
If yes, have you tried reseating the cpu again ? check for bent pins ? (no offense-just blind troubleShoot'n bro)
And how sure are you of the psu ? is the aux. plug in ? [i doubt this is the problem, but one never knows.]

By your post, if I understand you correctly, there is No post-No beep-No red lights, but all the fans turn on ?
Very curious. Please keep us 'posted'. .c.

[Heatshiver]

chrsplmr wrote:
* The last one is probably a no. If it is still under warranty and 'deemed inoperable' 'they' would probably do as the warranty
agreement calls for, replace the board or fix that one.

Heatshiver - Welcome to ROG.

First. There are procedures in the manual for clearing the cmos. With the computer powered down, but the psu on,
push the 'green lite refresh button' in the inputs. 2nd .. the jumper method, mb powered down, psu off, push and hold
power button to drain the mb and then move the jumper .. and then move it back. [just for future knowledge]

A few questions.
No post ? Not going through the led sequence at all ? or if yes, hanging on gpu ?
Zero video ? as in, can not get into bios ?
Have re-examined the gpu ? any blown 'caps' ? Any on the mb ?
When you say 're-paste', do you mean the gpu .. or did you repaste the cpu as well ??
If yes, have you tried reseating the cpu again ? check for bent pins ? (no offense-just blind troubleShoot'n bro)
And how sure are you of the psu ? is the aux. plug in ? [i doubt this is the problem, but one never knows.]

By your post, if I understand you correctly, there is No post-No beep-No red lights, but all the fans turn on ?
Very curious. Please keep us 'posted'. .c.

Thanks for the reply!

• Tried the green refresh button method, but not the jumper method (kept looking for it and just didn't see it, will check again tomorrow).
  
• No post as in not going through any LED sequences.
  
• No signal, can't even get into the UEFI.
  
• I examined the GPU when I first was piecing it back together and everything checked out okay. I don't think it would be the GPU considering the GTX 480 was a no-show as well. Looked over the MB and it looked fine. Will check again tomorrow to be sure.
  
• Only the GPU, I don't mess with the CPU unless I am replacing (upgrading) it.
  
• As stated in the OP, resat the graphics card to no avail. I checked for bent pins or interface scuffs, but they were non-existent. Running through the basics is always a good idea. I try to never post to a support forum unless I have exhausted those possibilities.
  
• The PSU has always been good to me, it replaced a 700W I had a couple years back. I took it out earlier this year but needed to put it back again as its replacement was faulty. Everything is firmly connected.
  

It is a curious predicament. All the fans power up and run, and the lights from the mobo (and the red LEDs that are part of the case fans) all power on. If it helps, I don't hear the Windows boot sound if I put on headphones... I will take out all the RAM tomorrow and try to boot. If I don't hear anything from the mobo I'll have to assume it is the cause.

In either case, I'll post my results. The only solace I get is that ASUS should replace (or fix) the mobo if for nothing else other than that the second 16x slot runs at 1x when in tri-SLI.

[chrsplmr]

Post here whenever for whatever. Never a problem here.Very curious that no leds light in the group next to the power block.if that 700 is still working u might want to plug that in to be sure.If u have the funds and are keen on upgrading to the Z. When they get the RMA sorted u will have a backup ... or sell it.Something not to funny going on. mb. psu or gpu.Is there a mate with a mb you could test tha gpu in ??? btw..c.

[Heatshiver]

chrsplmr wrote:
Post here whenever for whatever. Never a problem here.Very curious that no leds light in the group next to the power block.if that 700 is still working u might want to plug that in to be sure.If u have the funds and are keen on upgrading to the Z. When they get the RMA sorted u will have a backup ... or sell it.Something not to funny going on. mb. psu or gpu.Is there a mate with a mb you could test tha gpu in ??? btw..c.

Unfortunately, that 700W is long gone. If I had a voltmeter it could help eliminate the GPU as a culprit (and the PSU I suppose), but I will have to ask around to see if anyone has one... Unfortunately, I'm overseas and don't have any friends that have desktops that I could try the card out on.

I have one other working GTX 480 I'll try tomorrow to eliminate the GPU as a possibility. I'll do the RAM to check off the mobo (or point the guilty finger at). I can't do too much for the PSU, but if I can eliminate two things then that's where the problem would logically lie.

If I RMA it will be next month. How long do you think it takes ASUS to process a mobo and send it back? I'll only be in the states for about 2 weeks so I'm not sure I'll even be around to bring it back with me. If they send a package for shipping then I can set that up beforehand so it will be ready when I arrive...

[Heatshiver]

Okay, I wanted to finish this up as to not leave anyone hanging who may have the same issue... And yes, it has taken this long to get this sorted!

I ordered a Crosshair V Formula-Z and had it sent overseas. I put everything together and the same results occurred (constant LED CPU). I did have a couple spare CPU's so I decided to try the "Z" with a Phenom ii x6 1100T. It ran flawlessly! Even Windows booted up (thank you identical chipset!). So I tried my FX-8350 one last time and I still got nothing. I threw my Crosshair V Formula back in and tried the 1100T once more. Everything booted.

So, the CPU was the culprit this entire time. I have never had a CPU die on me before, and I was surprised since it is barely a year old. Yet, I have never had a motherboard die on me before either, so I guess that was just as likely.

It is still a win-win as I would not have upgraded my motherboard if I had tested the 1100T earlier. I now have to send the 8350 back to AMD for fixing. And the Crosshair V Formula still has a problem with the the second PCI Express slot running at x1 instead of x16...

[HiVizMan]

Thank you for posting up the conclusion.

Enjoy your system.