Bounty - Help w/ 5 R9 290 rig

[Lucky Cris]

Okay - after a week of trying to do this on my own, I need help from the gurus here.

Mod-please move if this isn't the proper place.

Quick look at my setup:

MSI 890FXG GD65 w/8 gigs of ram
5 r9 290 w/powered risers

I tried various flavors of Ubuntu and Windows 7 but I can never detect more than 2 GPUs, that's using different versions of AMD Catalyst and different combos of slots. Also tried shorting PCI pins but it's being plain fucking stubborn. I've already killed one CPU (not even sure how I managed to do that) but I suppose it's a good thing I purchased 3 sets of everything. Anyhoo, I'm trying to set up 2 rigs with a total of 10 cards total. I'm starting to wonder whether I need to axe this MOBO and get something else?

Anyone who can help a sister set this shit up, a nice bounty awaits.

EDIT - I think this is supposed to be in Mining Support - Please move.
 

[dazza12]

Will your BIOS let you set the Gen of the PCI slots? If so, set them to Gen2, rather than Gen1 or Gen3.

Failing that, do you know which cards aren't working? Are they connected to the 1x slots?

[Starscream]

The 2 cards that windows detects, are they always in the same slot (on mobo) or the same 2 cards?

I can't image an issue with the OS since you say that both ubuntu and win detect some of the cards (so it can't be OS drivers) and since some of the cards do work it can't be mobo driver issue (don't think so anyhow).
That leaves you with either a PSU problem, faulty risers, fried PCI-e slots or of course bad cards.

[Lucky Cris]

Hi,

No, mobo won't allow me to do that. any combo of the slots are working, but only two can be seen at a time. Both 16x works, but if I plug a 1x, it won't recognize. Same the other way around too. If I have 2 1x connected, the both are visible, but it's plugging that 3rd one - no matter the slot - that never gets play, altho the fan spins.

Will your BIOS let you set the Gen of the PCI slots? If so, set them to Gen2, rather than Gen1 or Gen3.

Failing that, do you know which cards aren't working? Are they connected to the 1x slots?

[Lucky Cris]

I have a total of 10 cards - I've tried all of them, various slots. I don't think there's an issue with the cards or the PSU, everything brand spanking new. I have a Corsair AX1200i as main power for each rig. I know that's not enuff to power all five cards (I'm getting the power adapter), but it should be enough to power the rig with 3 cards...

Corsair Link shows all of my PCI slots; but only has power going to MAIN (the mobo). Right now I just have one card connected via powered riser. It's not doing any major processing so this smart PSU isn't directing any power to it I suppose.

Running windows update now; my 5th fresh install

I have the MSI drivers that came with the disk - should I reinstall? I also have the AMD Catalyst driver (13.25) that came with the cards I tried during a previous installation and got nothing but a black screen.
 

The 2 cards that windows detects, are they always in the same slot (on mobo) or the same 2 cards?

I can't image an issue with the OS since you say that both ubuntu and win detect some of the cards (so it can't be OS drivers) and since some of the cards do work it can't be mobo driver issue (don't think so anyhow).
That leaves you with either a PSU problem, faulty risers, fried PCI-e slots or of course bad cards.

[Lucky Cris]

Damn, I really hate for it to be these damn risers. I was extra careful with them.

One board I have 3 1x and 2 16x. The other board I have 4 1x and 1 16x - just trying to mix em up. I have 5 more 1x still in the package unopened. I guess if all else fails I can start swapping those out.

[Lucky Cris]

Oh - not sure if this helps...

Device Manager says Standard VGA Graphics Adapter. The kicker is these cards are DVI-D only.

[Lucky Cris]

Damn, I really hate for it to be these damn risers. I was extra careful with them.

One board I have 3 1x and 2 16x. The other board I have 4 1x and 1 16x - just trying to mix em up. I have 5 more 1x still in the package unopened. I guess if all else fails I can start swapping those out.

Well, let me say this... I'd rather it be the risers than something else! lol

[dazza12]

Sounds like it's getting some power (fans spinning), but probably not enough.

EDIT - just seen your reply. I've got the same power supply on one rig. It's still possible this might be an issue with power to the risers. Although it's working on one card there may still be one of the others that may be drawing slightly less than it needs to.

As an example, on a recent install I had 6 cards. One would stubbornly not work. If I swapped the card out the card that was in it's place also didn't work, so it looked like it was the riser. I swapped the riser - still the same problem. I then swapped the riser for another design (was using USB, switched to one non-USB) and it's now working absolutely fine. Normal fault finding wouldn't have found it, it's only by luck I had a pile of older risers to hand.

[Lucky Cris]

Son of a <bleeep!>

Okay, I have the molex risers, and I have the 6 pin power cord connected to the board that gives extra power to the slots. I also still have the cards that aren't connect to the board connected to the PSU (it's hell disconnecting them).

I'll disconnect all cards from the PSU and report back

Sounds like it's getting some power (fans spinning), but probably not enough.

EDIT - just seen your reply. I've got the same power supply on one rig. It's still possible this might be an issue with power to the risers. Although it's working on one card there may still be one of the others that may be drawing slightly less than it needs to.

As an example, on a recent install I had 6 cards. One would stubbornly not work. If I swapped the card out the card that was in it's place also didn't work, so it looked like it was the riser. I swapped the riser - still the same problem. I then swapped the riser for another design (was using USB, switched to one non-USB) and it's now working absolutely fine. Normal fault finding wouldn't have found it, it's only by luck I had a pile of older risers to hand.

[dazza12]

Device Manager says Standard VGA Graphics Adapter. The kicker is these cards are DVI-D only.

It will always see a video card as a VGA device - it means that Windows has identified the class of device, but hasn't got any further than that.

It does sound like there's enough power or enough pins alive on the riser to identify the class of device, but it's likely that anything else and it's failing. It's ticking boxes for power or riser (or the powered part of the riser isn't working). Sounds like your card and mobo are fine.

[Starscream]

Oh - not sure if this helps...

Device Manager says Standard VGA Graphics Adapter. The kicker is these cards are DVI-D only.

Device manager says it after you installed driver for the 2 cards that do work? (under display adapters).

BTW, use 13.12 drivers for r9 290

[Lucky Cris]

This PSU is kickass BTW! lol  This thing is outsmarting the hell out of me!

Here's something else... the fan on the PSU only turns on for a short time after reboot then turns off. It's a power saving setting, right? I saw that there's a setting to fun the PSU as full power in Corsair Link, should I do that?

Device Manager says Standard VGA Graphics Adapter. The kicker is these cards are DVI-D only.

It will always see a video card as a VGA device - it's based on the old PC standards when DVI didn't exist.

It does sound like there's enough power or enough pins alive on the riser to identify the class of device, but it's likely that anything else and it's failing. It's ticking boxes for power or riser (or the powered part of the riser isn't working). Sounds like your card and mobo are fine.

[Starscream]

This PSU is kickass BTW! lol  This thing is outsmarting the hell out of me!

Here's something else... the fan on the PSU only turns on for a short time after reboot then turns off. It's a power saving setting, right? I saw that there's a setting to fun the PSU as full power in Corsair Link, should I do that?

No need. Some of the Corsair models got this silent feature built in that will let the fan spin only under load.

[Lucky Cris]

Yes. The disk that came with my cards have 13.25, which caused a black screen and I had to reinstall windows. With Ubuntu I was able to ssh in and uninstall nonworking drivers but windows won't allow me to.

I'm scared! But going to AMD tech site to download 13.12...

Oh - not sure if this helps...

Device Manager says Standard VGA Graphics Adapter. The kicker is these cards are DVI-D only.

Device manager says it after you installed driver for the 2 cards that do work? (under display adapters).

BTW, use 13.12 drivers for r9 290

[Lucky Cris]

K, thanks! I have all 5 cards plugged into it... should I disconnect all but 3? My husband built me a closed case (can't wait to post my pics) and I have 6 120mm fans connected to another PSU so the only things I have connected to the main PSU is the board, a SATA hard drive.

This PSU is kickass BTW! lol  This thing is outsmarting the hell out of me!

Here's something else... the fan on the PSU only turns on for a short time after reboot then turns off. It's a power saving setting, right? I saw that there's a setting to fun the PSU as full power in Corsair Link, should I do that?

No need. Some of the Corsair models got this silent feature built in that will let the fan spin only under load.

[Starscream]

Yes. The disk that came with my cards have 13.25, which caused a black screen and I had to reinstall windows. With Ubuntu I was able to ssh in and uninstall nonworking drivers but windows won't allow me to.

I'm scared! But going to AMD tech site to download 13.12...

Oh - not sure if this helps...

Device Manager says Standard VGA Graphics Adapter. The kicker is these cards are DVI-D only.

Device manager says it after you installed driver for the 2 cards that do work? (under display adapters).

BTW, use 13.12 drivers for r9 290

If your GPUs are marked as VGA that means the driver didn't install properly. VGA is the standard basic drivers.

[Lucky Cris]

K, I haven't installed the AMD Catalyst drivers, I just did a fresh install of Win7 and that's how it detected it. As soon as the system boots back up I'm going to try 13.12.

Yes. The disk that came with my cards have 13.25, which caused a black screen and I had to reinstall windows. With Ubuntu I was able to ssh in and uninstall nonworking drivers but windows won't allow me to.

I'm scared! But going to AMD tech site to download 13.12...

Oh - not sure if this helps...

Device Manager says Standard VGA Graphics Adapter. The kicker is these cards are DVI-D only.

Device manager says it after you installed driver for the 2 cards that do work? (under display adapters).

BTW, use 13.12 drivers for r9 290

If your GPUs are marked as VGA that means the driver didn't install properly. VGA is the standard basic drivers.

[dazza12]

Normally shouldn't happen if all 5 cards are the same - Windows uses the same driver files as the other cards. If the correct driver is installed for card 1 and 2, then subsequent cards should install correctly.

Just a thought - are all of the cards identical, or are some different models or configs (memory, brand etc.), despite being the same GPU?

EDIT - just seen your response, didn't realise the standard VGA description was happening with the first card. Install the drivers and try again.

[Starscream]

K, thanks! I have all 5 cards plugged into it... should I disconnect all but 3? My husband built me a closed case (can't wait to post my pics) and I have 6 120mm fans connected to another PSU so the only things I have connected to the main PSU is the board, a SATA hard drive.

Closed case for 5 cards rig? Hmm...

And you said you got a dedicated PSU just for the mobo and your HDD/SSD? Why?

How exactly are you connecting your GPUs to the power? Are you making sure you aren't mixing the power supplies?