GEFORCE 4MX 64MBDDR can't be detected??

[flatchat]

Hi there, I'm new to this forum so apolagies if I've posted in the wrong place.

I've just bought a Nvidia Geforce4 MX 440 64MB DDR AGP graphics card and slotted it in the AGP slot like all the others before it.
Boot up the machine but just get the BIOS "beep" "Beepbeep" error sound. So the card isn't being detected by the mobo.
So I tried all the usual stuff, putting it in again and making sure there is no loose connection...still no good!!:mad:
So I tried the card in another PC (a pentium 2 Gateway machine)and wallah, it worked fine!!

So back to my PC (an AMD Athlon machine) and the same problem :(
My motherboard is an Abit KT7A-Raid (not version 1.3) and I've updated the BIOS to current, done all the 4in1 VIA drivers and wasted a whole day on this thing!! :cry:

Does anybody know of a compatibility problem with this type of motherboard and this graphics card? Is there a fix that I can try, have I buggered something up?
I'm open to any help, advice or whatever to get this crazy crazy problem sorted :confused:

Many thanks for your help.
:)

[Wiggo]

I'd say that you may have just found out how poor the power supply or it could also be an AGP slot incompatibility (the last not so likely). When you put it in just check to make sure the no video cards components are comin' into contact with those on the motherboard. Also what brand of video card is it as nVidia only make the chips not the boards themselves? :?:
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[flatchat]

Thanks for the reply Wiggo.

The make of card is A-TEK NVidea GF4 MX440 64MB DDR.
I've looked for a site or any info on A-TEK on the net but can't find anything.

The power supply is 400W so I would have thought that would be enough. Do you still think it could be the power supply??
The other PC I try the new card on has less power and it's fine.

Yep, checked any contact with motherboard and it's fine.
It slots in just like the one it's replacing (a GF2 32MB).

I read a thread on this forum about a guy who had his running but when he rebooted the next day his PC was dead. He said it worked in his mates PC and then he remembered he messed with something in NVMax and then it worked.
Well I haven't got any tweaking software in operation but do you think I could try something to make a change to AGP during the post as that's where the problem is?

Thanks again, I'm tearing my hair out here!!

[RDR]

have you had any other Video cards running in the Abit MB?

[flatchat]

Hi RDR,

Yes I put in a Voodoo 3 card about 2 weeks ago to track down a faulty monitor. Swapped cards around between the PC's to find out I had a faulty monitor. Didn't install any software though for the Voodoo card, it was literaly in 2 minutes for a boot up.

Do you think this might have done something? If so, why would the original GF 2 card go back in and work fine until now with the new GF4? It's gotta be something simple but what I can't for the life of me work out.


I've tried different settings in the BIOS to but it won't boot even to BIOS with the new card in. Just get the error beeps and a dead screen.

[Wiggo]

Are the beep codes for the video or are they for a memory error? :?:

If you're not sure then just pull the memory out and reinstall it again as sometimes changin' video cards will unseat memory. ;)
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[flatchat]

Hi again Wiggo.

Not sure what beeps they are for. It is one longish beep followed by two shorter ones.

I've had the memory out and swapped them and put them back in and out again and booted with one and booted with the other one and so on. Still no go.
As for memory, I have 2 sticks of 256MB SDRAM= to 512MB's of SDRAM Micron memory. Not alot I know but the other PC the card works on has only 256MB SDRAM. :confused:

Any other ideas guys? I'm starting to go :flames:

Cheers guys for your time and effort so far.

Hey Wiggo, I'm from Perth WA but live in the UK. Comin home for Xmas soon....but not leavin till I get this graphics card sorted!!!!!!
lol

[Wiggo]

Ok if Abit has stuck with the standard codes then 1 long and 2 short beeps indicates a problem with the video card or the memory on it but if they're working in another PC then I'd be having a close look at things like the AGP slot on the board as this maybe coming away from the board itself though the prob would have to be with the motherboard. :cry:

It amazes me how many of my fellow countrymen are over on that cold island. :eek:
I mean Tasmania is just as cold but much closer (more trees too). :laugh:
But do be prepared for the smack in the face that the heat will give ya here when ya step off that plane. It's only mid spring now and already we've been havin' mid summer temps for weeks. ;)

Good luck with your problem so ya can feel this heat m8. :thumb:
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[flatchat]

Thanks Wiggo, yes the folks back home say it's been pretty warm so far and it's only October/November. Can't wait to get back to the sunshine now. Gotta get back in the water fast, scuba diving etc

As for the motherboard, well I did check the AGP port today and tried to move it and it was stuck solid, no movement at all.
The older GF card works fine on it though so it can't be that.:?:
I tell ya, it's really ticking me off now, got this new card but it's just sitting in the box and I'm stuck with this older one :mad:

I can't really send back the card cos it does actually work!...just not on my PC! :cry:
There has to be a reason. I will look further into the power source thing and see if there is a problem there.
Will get back to you if I find a solution but the way it's been going today, I doubt it! :confused:

Thanks again for your fast replies and help Wiggo, catch ya soon:cheers: :thumb:

[Cloud Strife]

Have you tried moving the pin on the GeForce 4 440MX graphics board dual-bios? (If it has one) Cause if it's on safe-mode, sometimes it won't run (Doesn't run on my computer when it's on safe-mode), other than that, there's nothing else that I can think of, other than your motherboard not being GeForce 4 440MX compatible, the version below mine (GA-7RVXP Revision 1.0-1.1) won't work with GF4 MX.

Good-luck :thumb:

[Wiggo]

I think that you may just find that there is a voltage issue between the motherboard and the card. See if you can take the card back and explain the problem to them they just may change the card for you for something that will work. If they will then pay a few dollars extra and get a name brand card as this will help cut down on incompatibilities. ;)
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[flatchat]

Hi Cloud Strife, thanks for the advice. Unfortunately this GF4 card doesn't have the pins you talk of or anything you can move.
The BIOS update I flashed today was supposed to fix the GF4 MX440 DDR issue with my motherboard (Abit KT7A-RAID).

I would be interested to hear from other people who have motherboards incompatible with some graphics cards.
It does sound like the most realistic reason.
Like you say Wiggo, a voltage issue between the mobo and card, something that the BIOS flash should have fixed.
Unfortunately I got the card from Singapore so is a little far to go back there to replace :rolleyes2 :laugh: That will teach me!!

I guess a mobo upgrade would sort this out. Seems weird though, the other PC (Gateway mass produced PC) is much older than mine. Have no idea what mobo is in that, can't be good in one of those mass produced PC's but the GF card works fine in that.

Does the grooves cut in the slotted teeth have any bearing on card to AGP socket compatibility? The Voodoo card has different slots cut into the contact teeth than the Geforce cards.

[Wiggo]

Yes the slots should make it impossible to fit an incorrect card into it. I'd say that the video card just isn't made to the exact tolerences required by the Abit board where as the Gateway board is only designed for ultra stability so their tolerances are probably set much wider to avoid this. :smokin:

Oh Cloud Strife that statement about that Gigabyte board is wrong and the problem was with a couple of hundred boards from a certain batch lot. My PC No.2 uses the ver1.1 and it has no probs with it's GF4 MX440 and neither did the other 2 I built with GF4 Ti4200's which is spose to be even worse if ya listen to rumours. : peace2:
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[Cloud Strife]

Oh Wiggo

... Hehehehh... Anyway...

That's what I heard when I was browsing around the internet for ways of tweaking my Gigabyte motherboard, I found a post somewhere that said that it 'DID NOT' work at all with the older revisions... Heh, I guess I'm gullable...

No harm done; thanks for spoting the mistake. :D

Also, does anyone know where I could find the latest NVidia bioses? (preferably GF4 440MX, and made by NVidia)

-Thanx-

[RDR]

barring the whole voltage/compatibility issue thing - the only other thing I can think of is to make absolutely sure that the card is fully inserted and seated into the AGP slot - I know you've said you've done that already.....I had an Geforce2MX card a couple of years ago that needed a little wiggleing to get it to make proper contact - sounds stupid I know......