Apparent PCI express video card seating problem

I put together a Core 2 Duo system yesterday using an MSI 965 Neo F
motherboard. The seating of the PCI express x16 video card seems to be very
problematic.

With the card installed and screwed to the case securely the BIOS won't POST
(it gives the video card trouble beep code), however if I reseat the card
but then do not screw the card to the case the system works properly.
Screwing the card to the case in all instances causes the BIOS not to post.

I am inclined to blame the PC case (it is a cheapie Codegen job) and I think
that when the screw is tightened the card is being mis-aligned in the slot,
but I suppose it is also possible that the motherboard slot is mechanically
faulty. The gold plated fingers on the video card seem to normal so I
don't suspect the card itself.

Is this a known problem with MSI motherboard PCI express sockets?

In article .au,
ShazWozza says...
I put together a Core 2 Duo system yesterday using an MSI 965 Neo F
motherboard. The seating of the PCI express x16 video card seems to be very
problematic.

With the card installed and screwed to the case securely the BIOS won't POST
(it gives the video card trouble beep code), however if I reseat the card
but then do not screw the card to the case the system works properly.
Screwing the card to the case in all instances causes the BIOS not to post.

I am inclined to blame the PC case (it is a cheapie Codegen job) and I think
that when the screw is tightened the card is being mis-aligned in the slot,
but I suppose it is also possible that the motherboard slot is mechanically
faulty. The gold plated fingers on the video card seem to normal so I
don't suspect the card itself.

Is this a known problem with MSI motherboard PCI express sockets?

No but it is well known with cheap cases.


--
Conor

"You're not married,you haven't got a girlfriend and you've never seen
Star Trek? Good Lord!" - Patrick Stewart

"ShazWozza" wrote in message
.com.au...
I put together a Core 2 Duo system yesterday using an MSI 965 Neo F
motherboard. The seating of the PCI express x16 video card seems to be
very
problematic.

With the card installed and screwed to the case securely the BIOS won't
POST
(it gives the video card trouble beep code), however if I reseat the card
but then do not screw the card to the case the system works properly.
Screwing the card to the case in all instances causes the BIOS not to
post.

I am inclined to blame the PC case (it is a cheapie Codegen job) and I
think
that when the screw is tightened the card is being mis-aligned in the
slot,
but I suppose it is also possible that the motherboard slot is
mechanically
faulty. The gold plated fingers on the video card seem to normal so I
don't suspect the card itself.

Is this a known problem with MSI motherboard PCI express sockets?


It's more likely a problem with how the motherboard is mounted. Did you use
the proper standoffs under the motherboard? If the motherboard is setting
too "high", it will cause a problem like the one you describe. If the
motherboard is properly mounted, then when you firmly insert the video card,
the top of the video card bracket should be flush with the area where you
install the case screw to secure the video card to the case. If the video
card bracket is sticking up even a little bit, then screwing down the
bracket to the case will cause the video card to be misaligned in the
expansion slot.

This can also work the other way. If the motherboard is mounted too low,
then the video card bracket will pull the card slightly out of the slot when
the video card is secured (with a screw usually) to the case.

Make sure you use the standoffs that came with the case to mount the
mainboard, and make sure you use the right size, as some cases include more
than one size of standoff in their little hardware baggie. Unfortunately,
most cases don't include instructions, so you will just have to eyeball the
mounted height of the mainboard to know if it is installed correctly. (how
do the expansion card brackets match the case?)

At worst, you might need a new case, if you can't get the one you've got to
work for you. I recently built a system using the following, and it's
pretty nice, for a cheapie case. But that's just one suggestion, and
everybody's tastes are different. -Dave

http://www.logisyscomputer.com/views...822BK&DID=C001

Dave wrote:

Make sure you use the standoffs that came with the case to mount the
mainboard, and make sure you use the right size, as some cases include
more
than one size of standoff in their little hardware baggie. Unfortunately,
most cases don't include instructions, so you will just have to eyeball
the
mounted height of the mainboard to know if it is installed correctly.
(how do the expansion card brackets match the case?)

The standoffs are the correct ones and they are screwed down flush with the
ground plane. I am certain the motherboard is at the right height.

At worst, you might need a new case, if you can't get the one you've got
to
work for you. I recently built a system using the following, and it's
pretty nice, for a cheapie case. But that's just one suggestion, and
everybody's tastes are different. -Dave

I think the case is the problem. The rear of the case is made from pressed
tinfoil and it is bowed in the middle section very slightly. Screwing the
card down also pulls it sideways enough to cause the trouble. I'll see if I
can relieve the bend in it, otherwise I'll toss the **** of a thing into
garbage bin.

If you are determined to keep the case, why not put a few shims such as
plastic washers under the card's bracket before you screw it down. That
should keep the alignment proper. I have seen the card problem before on
cheap cases myself. You really do get what you pay for.

John O.


"ShazWozza" wrote in message
.com.au...
Dave wrote:

Make sure you use the standoffs that came with the case to mount the
mainboard, and make sure you use the right size, as some cases include
more
than one size of standoff in their little hardware baggie.
Unfortunately,
most cases don't include instructions, so you will just have to eyeball
the
mounted height of the mainboard to know if it is installed correctly.
(how do the expansion card brackets match the case?)

The standoffs are the correct ones and they are screwed down flush with
the
ground plane. I am certain the motherboard is at the right height.

At worst, you might need a new case, if you can't get the one you've got
to
work for you. I recently built a system using the following, and it's
pretty nice, for a cheapie case. But that's just one suggestion, and
everybody's tastes are different. -Dave

I think the case is the problem. The rear of the case is made from pressed
tinfoil and it is bowed in the middle section very slightly. Screwing the
card down also pulls it sideways enough to cause the trouble. I'll see if
I
can relieve the bend in it, otherwise I'll toss the **** of a thing into
garbage bin.

I think the case is the problem. The rear of the case is made from pressed
tinfoil and it is bowed in the middle section very slightly. Screwing the
card down also pulls it sideways enough to cause the trouble. I'll see if
I
can relieve the bend in it, otherwise I'll toss the **** of a thing into
garbage bin.


Pressed tinfoil?

This almost sounds like the case was damaged in shipping. I've never seen a
case that would pull a card sideways when the card was secured, so I suspect
that the case is indeed defective. Bummer. -Dave

Mike T. wrote:


I think the case is the problem. The rear of the case is made from
pressed
tinfoil and it is bowed in the middle section very slightly. Screwing
the card down also pulls it sideways enough to cause the trouble. I'll
see if I
can relieve the bend in it, otherwise I'll toss the **** of a thing into
garbage bin.


Pressed tinfoil?

An exaggeration, but the structure is too flexible and I guess it had an
effective pre-load on it because of the bowing.

This almost sounds like the case was damaged in shipping. I've never seen
a case that would pull a card sideways when the card was secured, so I
suspect
that the case is indeed defective. Bummer. -Dave

Well I thought that the case was rooted, but I was able to straighten it up
with a bit of force and it seems to have fixed the problem for now. That
case is worth not a pinch of **** and it probably can't be trusted after
being handled. It was not worth returning to the shop because it would
have cost me what I paid for it in the petrol for the trip. I'll look
around for a better one locally. Serves me right for being so cheap.