Hardware PC Hardware, Building, and Advice

[Jammin]

thats a tough one...you happen to have the error log? did this happen on 8 also or just 8.1?

to prioritize onboard over discrete, the option is usually in bios. usually gives the option of onboard vs pci-e, but that depends on the bios...

Sadly, no error log, since my computer doesn't even seem to realize there's a problem, and no option in the Bios aside from disabling PCIe slot which doesn't help me because I need my computer to detect the card to be able to work on the drivers.

What Sai Said - you probably or most likely have to check the bios stetting.

Hmmm... take out the pcie card that you added and your pc should load normally? Check if you can access the bios - choose the pci-e option if available. Shutdown then add the pci-e card back and see if that resolves the issue.

I switched back to windows 7 - I heard that windows 8.1 was supposedly a smoother transition and some issues or flaws were fixed.

That's what I did. Right now my graphics card is out and, after fixing another driver issue with my integrated graphics drivers which I was able to fix through safe mode, everything is working fine. But the lack of a Bios option, has me pretty much stumped.

Right now, I'm just leaning toward saying "screw it" and buying a new card.

I wonder what other differences does Windows 8.1 have compared to the regular Windows 8 (aside from the Start button returning?). Whenever I visit the Store on my PC I always see that big offer to upgrade to Windows 8.1 for free. Should I really do it?

Don't do it Phio!

Seriously though, I don't see much difference other than a lot of things ceasing to work. The Start button doesn't even really return, it's just a button on the taskbar that takes you to the tablet menu. Some things to know that I wish I had before I upgraded.

1) You cannnot downgrade back into windows 8. You need to format and do a complete reinstall of windows 8 and have a backup image of your computer beforehand. If you make a backup in windows 8.1 it will not be compatible with 8. So make a backup before you do it.

2) The upgrade takes absolutely forever. Like 2-3 hours. And on my computer a format and fresh install would take a 1/3 of that. So expect it to take a while.

3) Lot's of hardware drivers are incompatible with it. Even some that windows auto installs. Most can be fixed by going into safe mode via the boot menu with rapid spamming of SHIFT+F8 and uninstalling the drivers you need to and then disconnecting your computer from the internet at startup and installing the right ones manually.

 

[Charlie]

This might be a redundant question but have you searched for a windows 8 driver for that specific model of the graphics card?

 

[Jammin]

This might be a redundant question but have you searched for a windows 8 driver for that specific model of the graphics card?

Yeah, and it's sitting on my desktop (mocking me) but I can't install it without my computer detecting my graphics card first and the second it does that everything goes dark because the PCIe automatically shuts down all other display adapters. And I can't get into the boot screen or BIOS or anything with it in.

If I could only have that card in but dormant behind my integrated graphics, this would be an easy fix but I don't think my BIOS has any options for that. Serves me right for having a Sapphire mobo.

So I think I'm screwed.

 

[Charlie]

Yeah that sounds tricky to deal with... if only there was away to disable the pcie from device manager or something in bios.
Good luck - let us know if you find some solution to this mess.

 

[Pat]

So your PCI-e card is installed, PCI-e is enabled in your BIOS and your monitor is connected to your PCI-e card and you have blank screen?

 

[Jammin]

So your PCI-e card is installed, PCI-e is enabled in your BIOS and your monitor is connected to your PCI-e card and you have blank screen?

Right now. I have my PCIe slot enabled but the card physically removed and , my Warframe addiction aside, everything is hunky dory.(running on integrated)

But when I put the PCIe card in I get a blank screen upon startup while connected to any monitor port. Actually it's not even a blank screen. My monitor doesn't even show any signs of getting a signal from my computer at all.

------------------------------------------

The way I figure it, this means either something killed my card when I updated to 8.1 or..

The card is assigning default monitor status to a monitor that doesn't exist. There was actually a Nvidia glitch like that for Windows 8. But it was easy to work around since if you unplugged and plugged in the monitor again it would register and function. But that is not working now. So either something about the driver issue is messed up that workaround or that's not the problem.

 

[Pat]

You don't even see the BIOS screen or the screen goes blank when Windows starts? In Screen Resolution window, is your display identified correctly or does it show as 'Generic Non-PnP Monitor'?

 

[Jammin]

You don't even see the BIOS screen or the screen goes blank when Windows starts? In Screen Resolution window, is your display identified correctly or does it show as 'Generic Non-PnP Monitor'?

It's blank. Doesn't even register as being hooked up to anything. The monitor shows as Generic Non-PnP Monitor.

Edit Scratch that it shows as being what it is, ASUS VW224 but I'm pretty sure the driver is Generic Non-PnP.

 

[Charlie]

It might not be compatible with your device?

 

[Pat]

I guess when you updated to Windows 8.1, the computer actually booted with the PCI-e card installed but the screen went black after Windows logo showed up during boot, correct? If you lost the signal completely after you removed and reinstalled the PCI-e card, perhaps the card isn't properly installed?

 

[Jammin]

It might not be compatible with your device?

The card and the monitor always got along before the update but I could plug in another display and see if that helps.

I guess when you updated to Windows 8.1, the computer actually booted with the PCI-e card installed but the screen went black after Windows logo showed up during boot, correct? If you lost the signal completely after you removed and reinstalled the PCI-e card, perhaps the card isn't properly installed?

Not quite, my monitor never showed the windows logo during boot, since i installed windows 8.1 it has never shown anything while attached to that graphics card.

I tried removing the card, uninstalling all related drivers and reinstalling; but i get stuck and the reinstalling stage because when the card is in the PCIe slot the monitor stays dark. No windows logo. No boot screen. Nothing.

 

[Charlie]

The card and the monitor always got along before the update but I could plug in another display and see if that helps.

Well - if all else fails, do a backup of your hdd, clean wipe / format and reinstall 8.

 

[Jammin]

Well - if all else fails, do a backup of your hdd, clean wipe / format and reinstall 8.

I have a different solution in mind.

Though my PS4 fund is gonna take a small hit for it.

 

[Charlie]

Just make sure they have a return policy intact - just in-case you run into another incompatibly or diver issue.

 

[Pat]

Not quite, my monitor never showed the windows logo during boot, since i installed windows 8.1 it has never shown anything while attached to that graphics card.

Weird, so Windows 8.1 basically killed your graphics card. I don't have any other suggestions at this point, hopefully the new card will solve the problem.

 

[Jammin]

Just make sure they have a return policy intact - just in-case you run into another incompatibly or diver issue.

You bet. Though honestly if it doesn't work with a new card. I'll just format. At that point my approach to Win 8.1 becomes "Kill it with fire!"

Weird, so Windows 8.1 basically killed your graphics card. I don't have any other suggestions at this point, hopefully the new card will solve the problem.

I guess, unless my card just randomly died at the exact same time I was upgrading; which just seems highly unlikely.

Either way, I'm out of ideas.

 

[Charlie]

Update us here on how things go. I'm curious to see if you have success with another monitor /pc that you were going to try.

 

[Jammin]

Update us here on how things go. I'm curious to see if you have success with another monitor /pc that you were going to try.

Will do. And thanks for everyone's thoughts and advice.

I tried the monitor switch, by the way, no dice. The result was the same. No signal to the monitor. Whatever is going on must be my vid card. The next logical step would be to try my card in another PC but the rest of the PC's in my house run on PSUs that aren't up to the task of supporting and 2x6 pin power hog like the GTX 560. And I'm NOT swapping out entire PSUs over this.

Moral of this story. Don't update to Windows 8.1

 

[Charlie]

Sorry to be not much of a help but you still have the clean install option.
Good luck <3!! Happy thanksgiving!!

 

[Sai]

Honestly, with a desktop, I think a clean install back to Windows 7 would probably be ideal. You're not really getting any advantages to using Windows 8 on a desktop since the interface is more tuned to a touch interface. You wouldn't really lose anything by keeping on Windows 7.