PCI-E x1 card in PCi-E x16 slot

[KodiaKro]

When researching for a MB for my planned upgrade I completely forgot about my sound card, so now I ended up with an Audigy RX that does not fit on the MB (yeah, I know, rookie mistake  )

The MB in question is the Gigabyte Aorus X670 Elite AX v1.2.

From what I saw on the web, the card should be able to work in the x16 slot, as long as it's securely fasten to the chassis so it does not shift in the slot. I did that but I can't see it in Device Manager at all. I've tried to install the latest drivers (from 2022) but the installation fails with a BSOD. I've tried with some older drivers (from 2018) and this time the drivers seem to install OK, but I still can't see the card in Device Manager.

Also, with the card in the system, I get random BSOD from time to time (all with the same stop code: DRIVER_OVERRAN_STACK_BUFFER)

Is there an issue with the card itself? Although it worked perfectly in the old system where it was seated in a PCI-E x1 slot, and the same OS.

Is there something else I need to to from BIOS to make the system see the card? Or a PCI-E x1 card only works in a PCI-E x1 slot? 

Unfortunately I can only find PCI-E x1 sound cards on the market, so if the issue is with the slot incompatibility, there isn't much I can do  Maybe an adapter from X16 to X1?

[Kilrah]

The slot width isn't a problem, technically any card width can work in any slot. 

Maybe try setting the slot to a lower speed in the BIOS.

[Blue4130]

15 minutes ago, KodiaKro said:

When researching for a MB for my planned upgrade I completely forgot about my sound card, so now I ended up with an Audigy RX that does not fit on the MB (yeah, I know, rookie mistake  )

The MB in question is the Gigabyte Aorus X670 Elite AX v1.2.

From what I saw on the web, the card should be able to work in the x16 slot, as long as it's securely fasten to the chassis so it does not shift in the slot. I did that but I can't see it in Device Manager at all. I've tried to install the latest drivers (from 2022) but the installation fails with a BSOD. I've tried with some older drivers (from 2018) and this time the drivers seem to install OK, but I still can't see the card in Device Manager.

Also, with the card in the system, I get random BSOD from time to time (all with the same stop code: DRIVER_OVERRAN_STACK_BUFFER)

Is there an issue with the card itself? Although it worked perfectly in the old system where it was seated in a PCI-E x1 slot, and the same OS.

Is there something else I need to to from BIOS to make the system see the card? Or a PCI-E x1 card only works in a PCI-E x1 slot? 

Unfortunately I can only find PCI-E x1 sound cards on the market, so if the issue is with the slot incompatibility, there isn't much I can do  Maybe an adapter from X16 to X1?

Why not just use the motherboard audio? Is there some special feature that the Audigy is giving you?

[KodiaKro]

Haven't listen to any music yet, but so far the headphones AMP is missing. 

My headphones are 50ohm, so to properly drive them an AMP is needed. On the onboard card I need to go to 100% volume to match 30-40% volume on the Audigy RX.

 

[Blue4130]

7 minutes ago, KodiaKro said:

Haven't listen to any music yet, but so far the headphones AMP is missing. 

My headphones are 50ohm, so to properly drive them an AMP is needed. On the onboard card I need to go to 100% volume to match 30-40% volume on the Audigy RX.

 

50 ohm is not really that high. It also isn't a good measure of how difficult a headphone is to drive.

 

BUT back to the soundcard...Don't bother with an x16 to x1 adapter. If you are going to spend money, just get a USB DAC. Soundcards dies out over a decade ago. Motherboard audio is generally just as good or better than the VAST majority of soundcards unless some special card is needed. (thik recording studio)

[KodiaKro]

9 hours ago, Kilrah said:

The slot width isn't a problem, technically any card width can work in any slot. 

Maybe try setting the slot to a lower speed in the BIOS.

I've set the PCIe speed to GEN1 for both extra PCIe slots, and tried the sound card in both slots, but no success

 

@Blue4130, I know an external sound card/dac si also an option, but I would like to keep all the hardware inside the case as much as possible

[KodiaKro]

I've tested the card in a friend's computer, which has PCI-E x1 slot, and 2 PCI-E x16 slots (very old mb from the time when sli and crossfire were a thing). 

In the PCI-E x1 slot it did not work. The PC would not even boot. But in the 2nd PCI-E x16 slot it worked fine.

 

Then I tested again on my system in the 1st PCI-E x16 slot. Removed the video card and put the sound card instead. Surprise, surprise, it worked. 

What the hell is wrong with my other slots? Why doesn't it work there? Could the slots be broke or something?