One monitor worked, adding a second made both blank, and now any single monitor shows blank

[keeling2002]

Problem: 
Sorry for the very long post, but it has been a fairly long-winded issue, where I have tried a lot already.

I've been having some issues with blank screens lately.

After initial issues with repeated blue screen crashes (memory management), followed by blank screen crashes. I was initially certain this was due to a recent graphics driver update, as the start of problems coincided with this, and I did not have the issue in safe mode.
So, I formatted C and reinstalled windows 10, and then had another blank screen during reinstall. I then tried again twice and had the same issue. This convinced me the issue was hardware.

After resetting CMOS, reseating all hardware, running the bare minimum of parts (CPU, 1 ram, GPU) and having the same issue, I then tried replacing the motherboard, and the CPU (due an upgrade so I thought I'd do it while I was at it)

 

I was unable to fully check the graphics card, as I have no spare and none of my roomies were willing to let me install it in their pc.

I was able to confirm that the monitors or cables were functional as I was allowed to properly check these on other pcs. Nonetheless, I acquired replacement monitors, as mine were VGA input only, and my GPU allows for DVI and HDMI, and I did not want to continue using cable adapters as they are an additional failing point.

 

Since replacing the mobo and CPU, I have been able to use a single monitor, but upon installing the new monitor, both screens went blank. I then tried single monitors again, which also remained blank. I have tried all available single monitors and they remain blank, and reconfirmed all cables as functional.

My motherboard has debug lights instead of beeps, and none showed a problem.

Neither BIOS nor windows loading were visible.

I was able to log in blind, and was able to hear the login sound. I was also able to use Ctrl-Shift-Win-B and heard the beep, which leads me to believe that windows and the motherboard are working.

I have also tried to reach the windows recovery environment by turning the pc off and back on again three times, but have not seen anything. I also tried using a windows installation key to reach the WinRE, but this also showed nothing. I do not know if these actually worked but were simply not displayed as I do not know if they make sound. 

OS: Windows 10 Home x64

SPECS:
CPU: Ryzen 9 5900X 12 Core
RAM: 4x 4GB DDR4 Kingston Hyper X Fury (cannot recall speed but they're all the same)
GPU: MSI GTX1050Ti
MOBO: MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk
STORAGE: 3x 4TB HDDs, 1x 1TB HDD, and 2x 256MB SSDs

BIOS:
I am not certain what bios version I have, but I have not manually updated it so believe it to be stock

Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance

[An0maly_76]

It's possible that Windows is treating them all as 'extended desktop'. Whether this would attempt to jump your primary desktop to an iGPU that the 5900X does not have for on-board HDMI or not, I do not know. But it's possible the GPU might treat certain ports as primary, others as extended.

[keeling2002]

1 minute ago, An0maly_76 said:

It's possible that Windows is treating them all as 'extended desktop'. Whether this would attempt to jump your primary desktop to an iGPU that the 5900X does not have for on-board HDMI or not, I do not know.

I have tried using Win+P, the down key and enter to change projection modes, if that's what you mean. Obviously doing it blind so I can only hope that it is the right thing.

I am not able to see the cursor, however, which leads me to believe that its not a projection mode issue.

Is this what you meant or am I misunderstanding you? 

[An0maly_76]

1 minute ago, keeling2002 said:

I have tried using Win+P, the down key and enter to change projection modes, if that's what you mean. Obviously doing it blind so I can only hope that it is the right thing.

I am not able to see the cursor, however, which leads me to believe that its not a projection mode issue.

Is this what you meant or am I misunderstanding you? 

I've not heard of it referred to as projection mode, but I suppose it could be the same thing. Basically, it allows scenarios such as a laptop keeping its desktop on primary display, but outputting something else to an external monitor. I expect the same could be done with a desktop's GPU.

[keeling2002]

2 minutes ago, An0maly_76 said:

I've not heard of it referred to as projection mode, but I suppose it could be the same thing. Basically, it allows scenarios such as a laptop keeping its desktop on primary display, but outputting something else to an external monitor. I expect the same could be done with a desktop's GPU.

In that case, yeah I've tried that one and not had any luck.

[An0maly_76]

7 minutes ago, keeling2002 said:

In that case, yeah I've tried that one and not had any luck.

I wonder if this might be the same thing my 5900X did. In a nutshell, apparently it didn't like the RAM I initially used (was not on the board manufacturer's compatibility list), and started freezing in sleep mode with no-video POSTs every so many cold boots.

 

I fixed it temporarily by reseating the GPU and RAM, but it would do it again 8-10 cold boots later. Had something to do with memory training causing the GPU to misfire or something. I saw similar issues with the same DIMMs using another board and processor, RAM kits from the board manufacturer's QVL per processor series fixed both.

 

Might be worth checking your RAM's SKU against the board manufacturer's compatibility list for the 5000-series / Vermeer CPUs. Ryzens and supporting boards are pretty funny about RAM, at least of late.

Edited February 3 by An0maly_76
Revised, more info

[keeling2002]

9 minutes ago, An0maly_76 said:

I wonder if this might be the same thing my 5900X did. In a nutshell, apparently it didn't like the RAM I initially used (was not on the board manufacturer's compatibility list), and started freezing in sleep mode with no-video POSTs every so many cold boots. I fixed it temporarily by reseating the GPU and RAM, but it would do it again 8-10 cold boots later.

 

Might be worth checking your RAM's SKU against the board manufacturer's compatibility list for the 5000-series / Vermeer CPUs. Had something to do with memory training causing the GPU to misfire or something. Ryzens and supporting boards are pretty funny about RAM, at least of late.

I'm not certain of the exact RAM I had, and I can't find it checking through either my pcpartpicker or amazon history. I do now remember it being 2400MHz speed, on the basis that I wanted 2133MHz (because cheapest) but couldn't find any new modules available.

I am currently at my uni to use their computers to post, but I'll definitely try reseating everything next time I go home.

[An0maly_76]

14 minutes ago, keeling2002 said:

I'm not certain of the exact RAM I had, and I can't find it checking through either my pcpartpicker or amazon history. I do now remember it being 2400MHz speed, on the basis that I wanted 2133MHz (because cheapest) but couldn't find any new modules available.

I am currently at my uni to use their computers to post, but I'll definitely try reseating everything next time I go home.

The part # (SKU) should be on the DIMMs themselves (or heat spreaders, if applicable).

[keeling2002]

42 minutes ago, An0maly_76 said:

The part # (SKU) should be on the DIMMs themselves (or heat spreaders, if applicable).

Well I've locked myself out of my room, so I can't do anything else tonight, but I have a photo of the RAM module, if this is at all helpful. I'll pop back into uni tomorrow once I'm back in possession of my keys to get back at it properly.

 

Thanks for all the help tonight, perhaps I'll hear from you again tomorrow.

[An0maly_76]

39 minutes ago, keeling2002 said:

Well I've locked myself out of my room, so I can't do anything else tonight, but I have a photo of the RAM module, if this is at all helpful. I'll pop back into uni tomorrow once I'm back in possession of my keys to get back at it properly.

 

Thanks for all the help tonight, perhaps I'll hear from you again tomorrow.

 

The SKU HX424C15FB3/4 does indeed show up on MSI's compatibility list for the MAG B550 Tomahawk board. You might try reseating the GPU, and possibly the RAM for good measure. It's possible such a new board and CPU may have support issues with an older GPU like the GTX1050ti. Also check to be sure the board supports your total RAM capacity, as this too can be an issue. I notice these are single-rank DIMMs, and Ryzens seem to prefer dual-rank (single has chips on one side of the PCB, dual have them on both).

[keeling2002]

14 hours ago, An0maly_76 said:

 

The SKU HX424C15FB3/4 does indeed show up on MSI's compatibility list for the MAG B550 Tomahawk board. You might try reseating the GPU, and possibly the RAM for good measure. It's possible such a new board and CPU may have support issues with an older GPU like the GTX1050ti. Also check to be sure the board supports your total RAM capacity, as this too can be an issue. I notice these are single-rank DIMMs, and Ryzens seem to prefer dual-rank (single has chips on one side of the PCB, dual have them on both).

The board is rated for up to twice the ram capacity I am running (32MB vs 1 MB). I used these ram modules with my prior cpu successfully (ryzen 5 1400x) but obviously this doesn't guarantee compatibility. I am convinced that the problem is graphical though, given that windows boots properly (can log in blind, hear beep from ctrl-shift-win-b). I should be able to get back into my room within the next six hours, so I'll try reseating ram and gpu then. If that also fails, I'll look into a newer gpu.

[An0maly_76]

1 hour ago, keeling2002 said:

The board is rated for up to twice the ram capacity I am running (32MB vs 1 MB). I used these ram modules with my prior cpu successfully (ryzen 5 1400x) but obviously this doesn't guarantee compatibility. I am convinced that the problem is graphical though, given that windows boots properly (can log in blind, hear beep from ctrl-shift-win-b). I should be able to get back into my room within the next six hours, so I'll try reseating ram and gpu then. If that also fails, I'll look into a newer gpu.

It's certainly possible the latest Invdia driver for the GTX1050ti may have problems, but it's also possible the GPU itself may need thermal paste and thermal pads redone. Its also possible the 1400X compatible BIOS revision supported the GTX1050ti, but the one necessary for the 5900X may not.

[keeling2002]

On 2/4/2023 at 3:50 PM, An0maly_76 said:

It's certainly possible the latest Invdia driver for the GTX1050ti may have problems, but it's also possible the GPU itself may need thermal paste and thermal pads redone. Its also possible the 1400X compatible BIOS revision supported the GTX1050ti, but the one necessary for the 5900X may not.

Thanks for all the help.

 

Reseating has had no effect.

 

It also has the issue after well over 24 hours powered off, so I would assume heating issues would take at least a few minutes to arise upon booting.

 

As I have no access to another computer to test the gpu with, nor any clue how to check the thermals myself, I think I will just replace the gpu with something more modern.

 

As you have had a 5900x, and not had gpu issues, which one did you use, so that I can consider it?

[An0maly_76]

7 hours ago, keeling2002 said:

As I have no access to another computer to test the gpu with, nor any clue how to check the thermals myself, I think I will just replace the gpu with something more modern.

 

As you have had a 5900x, and not had gpu issues, which one did you use, so that I can consider it?

Just as well. Invidia has stopped support and driver upgrades for the GTX750ti, putting the GTX1xxx series next on the chopping block.

 

The two big questions for your ideal upgrade are PSU wattage and budget. The 5900X is a beast (and now that I think about it, you may want to verify your PSU's PCIe 6+2 output hasn't gone dead), and can handle any current GPU. But be aware the RTX4xxx series have had power connector issues, not seating correctly, causing melted connectors and even fires. EVGA either won't be making RTX4xxx or is stopping GPU production altogether due to a spat with Invidia, so be aware of this as well.

 

I wanted an RTX3080ti / RTX3090 for my build a year ago, but couldn't justify the $1800-$2200 price tags. I spent around $2600 total, and with price drops since then, the same machine today sans GPU would be about $500 cheaper, allowing an Asus Tuf RTX4080, power adapter issues notwithstanding.

 

The cheapest 3080ti / 3090s on the market are still around $1100-$1200. Zotac and MSI cards tend to be cheaper. I've heard Zotac fares quite well, but I'm not impressed with MSI's support. Cheapest 3080ti on the market is a Zotac -- Amazon has them for $1150.

 

The 3060ti is a good price-performance option, and Asus cards tend to be better performers in a given price range, but everything has its limitations. Hence, I chose the Asus KO RTX3060ti-8GB-OC, since I have an Asus B550 board. Was $850 on Amazon at the time, now around $660.

 

The KOs have more transistors for better longevity, meaning... Maybe five years longer life than a non-KO? The Asus RTX3060ti v2 OC is similar and around $500, but be mindful of and compare clock speeds and VRAM speeds as well, as they are a factor in bang-for-the-buck. Asus has other 3060ti options between $450-$500 also.

 

Zotac 3060tis range from $475 - $600 on Amazon, most comparable, but some give up a bit of clock speed. I don't much care for MSI due to support issues, but another member seems happy with the MSI Ventus 3 OC 3060ti they recently got for around $500.

 

AMD has some comparable cards as well, but their technology is a bit different and I'm not that familiar with them. I have heard that at least some of AMD's RX cards  suffer performance loss at PCIe3 speeds, which can be a factor if your machine has to swap lanes (usually most common with M.2 storage).

 

Your 1050ti might be worth messing with to someone else, so maybe you could put it on Craigslist for a few bucks.

[keeling2002]

2 hours ago, An0maly_76 said:

Just as well. Invidia has stopped support and driver upgrades for the GTX750ti, putting the GTX1xxx series next on the chopping block.

 

The two big questions for your ideal upgrade are PSU wattage and budget. The 5900X is a beast (and now that I think about it, you may want to verify your PSU's PCIe 6+2 output hasn't gone dead), and can handle any current GPU. But be aware the RTX4xxx series have had power connector issues, not seating correctly, causing melted connectors and even fires. EVGA either won't be making RTX4xxx or is stopping GPU production altogether due to a spat with Invidia, so be aware of this as well.

 

I wanted an RTX3080ti / RTX3090 for my build a year ago, but couldn't justify the $1800-$2200 price tags. I spent around $2600 total, and with price drops since then, the same machine today sans GPU would be about $500 cheaper, allowing an Asus Tuf RTX4080, power adapter issues notwithstanding.

 

The cheapest 3080ti / 3090s on the market are still around $1100-$1200. Zotac and MSI cards tend to be cheaper. I've heard Zotac fares quite well, but I'm not impressed with MSI's support. Cheapest 3080ti on the market is a Zotac -- Amazon has them for $1150.

 

The 3060ti is a good price-performance option, and Asus cards tend to be better performers in a given price range, but everything has its limitations. Hence, I chose the Asus KO RTX3060ti-8GB-OC, since I have an Asus B550 board. Was $850 on Amazon at the time, now around $660.

 

The KOs have more transistors for better longevity, meaning... Maybe five years longer life than a non-KO? The Asus RTX3060ti v2 OC is similar and around $500, but be mindful of and compare clock speeds and VRAM speeds as well, as they are a factor in bang-for-the-buck. Asus has other 3060ti options between $450-$500 also.

 

Zotac 3060tis range from $475 - $600 on Amazon, most comparable, but some give up a bit of clock speed. I don't much care for MSI due to support issues, but another member seems happy with the MSI Ventus 3 OC 3060ti they recent got for around $500.

 

AMD has some comparable cards as well, but their technology is a bit different and I'm not that familiar with them. I have heard that at least some of AMD's RX cards  suffer performance loss at PCIe3 speeds, which can be a factor if your machine has to swap lanes (usually most common with M.2 storage).

 

Your 1050ti might be worth messing with to someone else, so maybe you could put it on Craigslist for a few bucks.

Thanks a bunch for the help, I'll look into those gpus as a potential replacement.