PCI card preventing computer from booting up. Help!

JuneBug29

I just got a PCI audio interface. When i fit it into a PCI slot it prevents the computer from booting up. The computer fan turns on but there is no activity on the screen whatsoever, no boot process at all. I tried changing some IRQ settings, disabled the onboard audio device and tried different PCI slots. I still have had no joy. Computer boots up perfectly without the card installed but once it's put in it doesn't even go to the boot stage. Any ideas on what i could try?

Serephucus

Have you set your BIOS to boot from removable devices first? AFAIK PCI is counted in there. Could be looking for non-existent boot data.

JuneBug29

Serephucus wrote: »

Have you set your BIOS to boot from removable devices first? AFAIK PCI is counted in there. Could be looking for non-existent boot data.

I actually do. So i set the hard drive as primary boot device then i assume? What exactly would be happening if that is the case? If it doesn't find removeable devices it moves down the line. How exactly would the PCI card be stopping that? I can't check it out now but i will definitely see if it's the cause of the problem 2moro. Thanks for the tip

If you're getting no POST at all with the sound card inserted then I'd be thinking the card might be faulty.

Serephucus

Sorry, I completely missed that it's an audio card. Could still be the issue mind you. If the second one is, for example, your CD drive, then it might not boot. Basically, set it to the hard drive, and disable all others. (Also make sure if you have more than one HDD that the HDD boot priority is set the right way - actually pointing at your boot drive. )

@Karsini: If he hasn't got it booted at all there's no way to tell. It could be something as simple as the BIOS throwing a fit because it's looking for boot data from an audio card.

Serephucus

Serephucus wrote: »

Sorry, I completely missed that it's an audio card. Could still be the issue mind you. If the second one is, for example, your CD drive, then it might not boot. Basically, set it to the hard drive, and disable all others. (Also make sure if you have more than one HDD that the HDD boot priority is set the right way - actually pointing at your boot drive. )

Would this only be the case if the machine actually POSTs? The OP said he/she is getting no startup sequence or video.

JuneBug29

Karsini wrote: »

If you're getting no POST at all with the sound card inserted then I'd be thinking the card might be faulty.

Card definitely isn't faulty. Works fine in my other computers

Serephucus

Hmm... you're right, it would be more likely to post and then **** up... Still, can't hurt to have boot priorities right in case.

If that doesn't work, try a CMOS reset as well.

JuneBug29

Tried changing the boot order, no difference. Same problem after resetting aswell

-( i )- Wicker

This may be of some help

Tea_Bag

sounds like a faulty PCI slot maybe? can you test it with another working PCI device?

JuneBug29

Tea_Bag wrote: »

sounds like a faulty PCI slot maybe? can you test it with another working PCI device?

I don't have any other PCI devices. I have tried all PCI slots. Is it possible that they're all faulty?

-( i )- Wicker - I'm not having any problem with the sound card itself. Works fine and i know how to set it up correctly. It's not a problem with my operating system. It's not getting past the bios which is the problem.

Cuddlesworth

What machine is it?

Serephucus

So your card works fine - from being tested in another computer, and your motherboard works fine - unless all your PCI slots are faulty, which is very unlikely.

What board do you have? Anyone ever heard of PCI slots being disabled by default or something like that? (I haven't).

t1mm

My next step would be to beg borrow or steal another PCI device and try it in all of the motherboard's PCI slots.

JuneBug29

t1mm wrote: »

My next step would be to beg borrow or steal another PCI device and try it in all of the motherboard's PCI slots.

I actually may have a network card lying around that i could try with it. Will post results when i get to doing it.

harney

Could it be a power issue? Perhaps unplug something else, even the hard disk, and with the pci card in see if you can can POST

BaconZombie

Remove the card and check the setting in the BIOS:
You are looking for PCI and IRQ settings.

JuneBug29

Don't believe it's a power issue. Tried plugging out everything but the primary hard drive and plugged in the card. Still getting the same results. I already have checked settings in the bios and tried changing IRQ settings. I am just after trying the network card i had. Worked perfectly in all slots so it doesn't appear to be the slots either. Baffled.

Serephucus

So it's just the card in that machine... Can you take a shot of your BIOS screen? The one with Boot devices, HDD boot prioity, all the stuff? It's usually Advanced System Settings or something.

JuneBug29

Serephucus wrote: »

So it's just the card in that machine... Can you take a shot of your BIOS screen? The one with Boot devices, HDD boot prioity, all the stuff? It's usually Advanced System Settings or something.

Here's a few shots of the advanced tab. Bear in mind a lot of setting have been changed but if anything sticks out like a sore thumb do let me know Thanks

t1mm

Is the Intel Audio Device your onboard sound? Try enabling that, and maybe have a mess around with the POST Mode too. Worth a try!

Serephucus

Wow. HP do a good job of making their BIOSs ****ing unintelligible.

Dunno if these will do anything, but:

You have your SATA controller, and your ethernet card sharing the same IRQ channel (5).
Your SATA controller is down pretty far on that list, I dunno if it should be at the top (or if it can be moved at all).

Serephucus

Serephucus wrote: »

You have your SATA controller, and your ethernet card sharing the same IRQ channel (5).
Your SATA controller is down pretty far on that list, I dunno if it should be at the top (or if it can be moved at all).

Typical Compaq/HP BIOS alright. You can't change it's order on the list but you can change the IRQ. However in some cases the IRQ is shared with something else so it will change on that device too.