Graphics cards cause Windows 10 to boot to black screen.

[Dr. Prop]

I have an Alienware Aurora R4 with the following specs:

 

CPU: Intel Core i7-4960X

GPU(s): 2X Nvidia GeForce GTX 780 in SLI

Motherboard: Alienware proprietary

Ram: 32 GB DDR3, Unknown make

Samsung 860 EVO SSD (1TB) Boot Drive

Running Windows 10

 

With no apparent cause, I booted up the computer and it goes to a black screen. I have tried installing the hdmi cable into both graphics cards (to see if the output changed from one to the other). No luck.

 

What I can do is get into the bios with output to the display through the bottom graphics card. In the bios (Version A11). In the bios, I have a "Main", "Advanced", "Security", "Boot", and "Exit" tab.

• In the main tab, I can see the CPU and all 32 GB of memory.
• Under "Advanced" tab and "Standard CMOS Features" sub menu, I can see my "Samsung SSD 86" in "SATA Port5".
• I do not see evidence of either GPU anywhere. This is despite the output to display going through the bottom graphics card.

 

Any ideas why my graphics cards are not visible to the computer suddenly?

 

Thanks!

[Fendrick]

Likely dead GPU.

[Dr. Prop]

5 minutes ago, Fendrick said:

Likely dead GPU.

If its a dead GPU, how is it able to display a bios?

[Fendrick]

4 minutes ago, Dr. Prop said:

If its a dead GPU, how is it able to display a bios?

Almost all dead GPU's can display the bios, it just passes through as a display adapter.

[Dr. Prop]

12 minutes ago, Fendrick said:

Almost all dead GPU's can display the bios, it just passes through as a display adapter.

Ok, some evidence to suggest you're right:

 

I tried installing only the top GPU into the top slot. I booted into the bios, restored all settings to default, and it booted into windows with no GPU detected on task manager.

 

Will try to do the same with the 2nd GPU and see what happens.

 

Edit:

 

Same symptoms when I plug the 2nd GPU into the top slot. I can boot into windows with no GPU detected, and the GPU acting as a pass through. It seems two GPUs failed at the same time in the same way...

[Fendrick]

Just now, Dr. Prop said:

Ok, some evidence to suggest you're right:

 

I tried installing only the top GPU into the top slot. I booted into the bios, restored all settings to default, and it booted into windows with no GPU detected on task manager.

 

Will try to do the same with the 2nd GPU and see what happens.

Personal experience, had it happen on my GTX 480, GTX 780 6GB edition, HD 7970, can enter the bios just fine, just when the drivers in Windows initilize the GPU, they fail.

[Dr. Prop]

1 minute ago, Fendrick said:

Personal experience, had it happen on my GTX 480, GTX 780 6GB edition, HD 7970, can enter the bios just fine, just when the drivers in Windows initilize the GPU, they fail.

Do you know if the GPU were recognized, whether it would be listed in the "Main" tab, or somewhere else?

[Fendrick]

1 minute ago, Dr. Prop said:

Do you know if the GPU were recognized, whether it would be listed in the "Main" tab, or somewhere else?

Uninstalling the drivers in safe mode showed no GPU just basic microsoft displauy adapter, once you installed the drivers they failed.

[bebejapes]

if you have a spare ssd or hdd. try installing a trial win 10 and test.