Gpu running at x8 instead of x16 on MSI Z170 A PRO

[morningpokes]

Hello, I'm not sure if this is the right place for this issue, but here it goes, I've recently noticed that GPUZ in the Bus Interface section says that my gpu supports PCIe x16 but its currently running at x8.1 I googled it, found some people say that it's not running at its full potential if I use multiple gpus, in my case I'm only using 1 gpu, searched the entire bios and there were no options on this. Can someone explain me how do I make it run at x16 instead of x8? Thank you

Also bios is updated.

here's a list of my setup

mobo - MSI z170 A Pro 

gpu - zotac gtx 960 2gb mini 1fan (pcie 3)

cpu - i5 6600k at 4.4 ghz

ram - avexir 16gb at 3000mhz xmp enabled.

[Mira Yurizaki]

If your GPU isn't doing much, it uses a lower PCIe speed to save power. It'll go back to PCIe 3.0 x16 when you put a load on it.

[jj9987]

It is in power saving mode. Press the question mark behind it to see more information.

[arch_linuxos]

Which slot is it plugged into on your motherboard (top, second from top, bottom)?

[morningpokes]

7 minutes ago, arch_linuxos said:

Which slot is it plugged into on your motherboard (top, second from top, bottom)?

Top which is supposed to be x16

[komar]

2 minutes ago, morningpokes said:

Top which is supposed to be x16

https://www.google.bg/search?q=pcie+x8+x16&client=firefox-b&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiCp5K64ZLSAhVkMJoKHSqCDwkQ_AUICCgB&biw=1280&bih=557&dpr=1.5#imgrc=z1yoe604OWbyeM:

[morningpokes]

10 minutes ago, M.Yurizaki said:

If your GPU isn't doing much, it uses a lower PCIe speed to save power. It'll go back to PCIe 3.0 x16 when you put a load on it.

That's what I first thought, but even in-game... it jumps up to x8.3 and thats it. Is this right

[NumLock21]

run the built in gpu stress test and see if it jumps up to x16.

[Mira Yurizaki]

4 minutes ago, morningpokes said:

That's what I first thought, but even in-game... it jumps up to x8.3 and thats it. Is this right

It's probably negotiating only what it think it needs.

[morningpokes]

1 minute ago, NumLock21 said:

run the built in gpu stress test and see if it jumps up to x16.

it does not, only 8.3

[NumLock21]

4 minutes ago, morningpokes said:

it does not, only 8.3

What the heck is 8.3?

It's x8 @3.0

Remove card, boot up with onboard. Then put card back in and try again.

Also test your card on the 2nd slot and see what is says.

[komar]

dude cpu-z tells my ddr3 1600 ram runs at 800 mhz.....

speccy tells me my athlon runs at 90+ C while its on 40-50...

those programs are buggy from time to time so dont worry about it jeej

[NumLock21]

2 minutes ago, komar said:

dude cpu-z tells my ddr3 1600 ram runs at 800 mhz.....

speccy tells me my athlon runs at 90+ C while its on 40-50...

those programs are buggy from time to time so dont worry about it jeej

1600MHz is 800MHz, so cpu-z is correct

[done12many2]

2 minutes ago, komar said:

dude cpu-z tells my ddr3 1600 ram runs at 800 mhz.....

speccy tells me my athlon runs at 90+ C while its on 40-50...

those programs are buggy from time to time so dont worry about it jeej

 

That's because it is running at 800MHz.  DDR = Double Data Rate.  So take 800 and multiply by 2.

[komar]

@done12many2 @NumLock21 i know

[done12many2]

5 minutes ago, komar said:

dude cpu-z tells my ddr3 1600 ram runs at 800 mhz.....

speccy tells me my athlon runs at 90+ C while its on 40-50...

those programs are buggy from time to time so dont worry about it jeej

1 minute ago, komar said:

@done12many2 @NumLock21 i know

 

Sure you did.  That's why you said those programs are "buggy" for reporting 800 MHz, right?

 

You're welcome anyways.

[Unimportant]

18 minutes ago, morningpokes said:

Top which is supposed to be x16

There isn't some other card like a pcie SSD in that bottom slot by any chance ?

[morningpokes]

4 minutes ago, done12many2 said:

 

Sure you did.  That's why you said those programs are "buggy" for reporting 800 MHz, right?

 

You're welcome anyways.

Program is not buggy,went to BIOS to the Board Explorer tab and saw first pcie slot saying "card currently running at x8.0"

Edited February 15, 2017 by morningpokes

[morningpokes]

10 minutes ago, NumLock21 said:

What the heck is 8.3?

It's x8 @3.0

Remove card, boot up with onboard. Then put card back in and try again.

Also test your card on the 2nd slot and see what is says.

I will try this and come back with a feedback 

[morningpokes]

26 minutes ago, NumLock21 said:

What the heck is 8.3?

It's x8 @3.0

Remove card, boot up with onboard. Then put card back in and try again.

Also test your card on the 2nd slot and see what is says.

Okay so I tried to remove the card putting it back again and boot, went into bios and got this, I tried the second slot it doesnt even want to boot...

[NumLock21]

5 minutes ago, morningpokes said:

Okay so I tried to remove the card putting it back again and boot, went into bios and got this, I tried the second slot it doesnt even want to boot...

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

According to MSI's website about the motherboard that you have. The first PCIe x16 slot uses all of the lanes from your CPU. Second PCIe x16 slot uses lanes only from the chipset and not the CPU. So for your gpu to run only at x8 instead of x16, could be two things

Your processor is faulty and only half of the total lanes are usuable

Your board is faulty, where it just sees 8 lanes from the cpu instead of all 16

Both your cpu and board are faulty

 

There is a bios update for your board, update to the latest and try again.

Latest update for your board

Quote

- Enhanced M.2 Genie function.
- Improved Board Explorer function.
- Improved NVME device compatibility.
- Updated VBIOS and GOP.
- Support multi graphic cards.