BFG FX5900: no DVI output until boot into XP

I installed a brand new retail box BFG Asylum FX5900 128MB into my Abit IS7
/ P4 2.8c system, using DVI on a Dell 2001FP LCD. There is no DVI output on
bootup, until the system boots into XP, then everything is fine. This is
unacceptable to me because I need to be able to change bios settings, and
also to use DOS apps like Ghost or Partition Magic. Currently, the screen
is just blank until I reach the XP boot screen.

I've already RMA'ed once to BFG. The replacement card has the same problem
except once in a rare while, I'd see the screen come up very very briefly
during bootup before entering XP.

I'm using a Sparkle FSP550-60PLG power supply with a very beefy 12V rail
rating of 36A.

I tried the card on another system - Abit KT7 / Athlon 2100XP. The exact
same thing happened - no DVI output until boot into XP.

Both systems work fine with my MSI Ti4200 VTD128 using DVI on the exact same
LCD.

Does anyone else have the same problem with the BFG FX5900 card?

- Dave

This sounds to me a Video Bios problem. I had the exact same problem with my
BFG GeForce4 Ti4600. There was a updated Bios I got from this site that
fixed the problem for me.
http://whitebunny.demon.nl/hardware/...a.html#vgabios

My bios version is 4.35.20.22.01 which is the latest for the FX5900 on the
whitebunny website.

Thanks anyways,
Dave


"Gary" wrote in message
...
This sounds to me a Video Bios problem. I had the exact same problem with
my
BFG GeForce4 Ti4600. There was a updated Bios I got from this site that
fixed the problem for me.
http://whitebunny.demon.nl/hardware/...a.html#vgabios

On Thu, 19 Feb 2004 21:46:04 GMT, "Dave Hau"
_nospam wrote:

I installed a brand new retail box BFG Asylum FX5900 128MB into my Abit IS7
/ P4 2.8c system, using DVI on a Dell 2001FP LCD. There is no DVI output on
bootup, until the system boots into XP, then everything is fine. This is
unacceptable to me because I need to be able to change bios settings, and
also to use DOS apps like Ghost or Partition Magic. Currently, the screen
is just blank until I reach the XP boot screen.

I've already RMA'ed once to BFG. The replacement card has the same problem
except once in a rare while, I'd see the screen come up very very briefly
during bootup before entering XP.

I'm using a Sparkle FSP550-60PLG power supply with a very beefy 12V rail
rating of 36A.

I tried the card on another system - Abit KT7 / Athlon 2100XP. The exact
same thing happened - no DVI output until boot into XP.

Both systems work fine with my MSI Ti4200 VTD128 using DVI on the exact same
LCD.

Does anyone else have the same problem with the BFG FX5900 card?


I don't use a DVI monitor. However my BFG ASLM5900 works perfectly
on boot-up via the DVI-VGA adapter . Try doing a sanity check with
a VGA CRT-monitor connected to the DVI port through the DVI-VGA
adapter.If it fails to show the bootup screen, try it again on the
normal VGA port.... you might just have some sort of motherboard
problem.

Are you overclocking ? And have you set PCI/AGP to 33/66
locked ?? For an experiment set everything to default CPU
clock, memory by SPD and GAT to Auto.............

From the limited data you have provided, I would first suspect that
your DVI-monitor may be having trouble with the startup
scan-rates.....

Also, I believe that BFG tech support are normally very helpful. If
the problem is still there after trying a VGA monitor on the DVI-port
(and on the normal port too...) , you might want to consult with them.


John Lewis


- Dave

"John Lewis" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 19 Feb 2004 21:46:04 GMT, "Dave Hau"
_nospam wrote:

I installed a brand new retail box BFG Asylum FX5900 128MB into my Abit
IS7
/ P4 2.8c system, using DVI on a Dell 2001FP LCD. There is no DVI output
on
bootup, until the system boots into XP, then everything is fine. This is
unacceptable to me because I need to be able to change bios settings, and
also to use DOS apps like Ghost or Partition Magic. Currently, the
screen
is just blank until I reach the XP boot screen.

I've already RMA'ed once to BFG. The replacement card has the same
problem
except once in a rare while, I'd see the screen come up very very briefly
during bootup before entering XP.

I'm using a Sparkle FSP550-60PLG power supply with a very beefy 12V rail
rating of 36A.

I tried the card on another system - Abit KT7 / Athlon 2100XP. The exact
same thing happened - no DVI output until boot into XP.

Both systems work fine with my MSI Ti4200 VTD128 using DVI on the exact
same
LCD.

Does anyone else have the same problem with the BFG FX5900 card?


I don't use a DVI monitor. However my BFG ASLM5900 works perfectly
on boot-up via the DVI-VGA adapter . Try doing a sanity check with
a VGA CRT-monitor connected to the DVI port through the DVI-VGA
adapter.If it fails to show the bootup screen, try it again on the
normal VGA port.... you might just have some sort of motherboard
problem.

Are you overclocking ? And have you set PCI/AGP to 33/66
locked ?? For an experiment set everything to default CPU
clock, memory by SPD and GAT to Auto.............

From the limited data you have provided, I would first suspect that
your DVI-monitor may be having trouble with the startup
scan-rates.....

Thanks for the reply, John. My best hypothesis at this point is also that
my DVI monitor does not support the startup scan rate. As I mentioned in my
original post, I've also tried the same video card on a different system
(Abit KT7 with Athlon 2100XP) and the same thing happened. So I think it's
not an issue with the motherboard but more an issue with the monitor. A
friend of mine recently bought exactly the same card and plugged it into his
Hitachi LCD via DVI and he had no problem at all. I'm using a Dell 2001FP.
Unfortunately, I don't have another LCD to test the card on. Maybe I'll
test it on my friend's LCD.


Also, I believe that BFG tech support are normally very helpful. If
the problem is still there after trying a VGA monitor on the DVI-port
(and on the normal port too...) , you might want to consult with them.

Yeah they're pretty helpful. But after sending me an RMA replacement and I
still had the same problem, they sorta conclude that it's some
incompatibility issue and are less willing to send out a third RMA
replacement.

I have a feeling I might just sell it on eBay since my old Ti4200 works
pretty well for all purposes I care about, and this card seems to be in
pretty good demand so I should get an okay price on ebay.

- Dave




John Lewis


- Dave