MSI K8N Neo2 - No PCI devices

Platino

Platino

New Member
Good evening, folks. :)

Recently I bought the mainboard mentioned in the title and it works fine all in all, besides of one annoying problem. I installed Windows XP with Service Pack including all the newest device drivers but when it came that I wanted to install the drivers for my Terratec TV-card, the system told me that it couldn't find any matching card. :confused:

Then I opened the device manager and saw that the message was correct: Not a single PCI-device listed although I DO have two of them plugged on the mainboard: The before mentioned "Terratec Cinergy 600 TV/Radio-TV"-card and an older "Soundblaster Live! 1024" that I need for the sound-transmission to my TV (I hate this permanently cable in and -out-pluging).
After this I tried to solve this problem with a simple reboot - and it worked! I restarted the system several times and the PCI devices kept staying in the device manager. After the main program-installations I confidently shut down the system and cut it off from the power supply, like I always do to save a bit of energy and money. On the next day, I started the system again but - just as predicted - that bothering problem was there again. No PCI devices found in the device manager. :mad:

Once again I rebooted the system for about three oder four times - the PCI devices stayed there. Then I shut down the system, turned off the power supply unit, waited for a few seconds, turned it on again und started the computer. My assumption was right: No PCI devices found. I think you can understand that I'm not willing to reboot my system every time after the first boot-up, just to make my PCI-cards appear.

Is this a known problem? I couldn't find anything about this on google. I'm thankful for every suggestion, idea or possible solution! :o

By the way, the processor is an AMD Athlon 64 3000+ and the system is not yet overclocked. Also no IRQ-conflicts were found - every device has it's own IRQ.
 
but when it came that I wanted to install the drivers for my Terratec TV-card, the system told me that it couldn't find any matching card
Click to expand...

Hmmm, sounds to me that you are trying to install this PCI device using driver files stored on the computer. Have you installed the drivers for this PCI Device with the CD that came with it, or are you trying to install it from drivier files/utilities already on the computer?... Have you visted the manufacturers' website for the latest drivers?

Is the connection between the PCI Device and the motherboard slot loose? Are the wires snug and tightly connected? I know that this is probably not the case but you never know... :D

Pretty weird that you have to reboot a couple of times before it works though... It could be a faulty motherboard or the PCI Device could be faulty.
 
The driver files came from the web and they're in the latest version - I never had any problems with them. On my old mainboard (R.I.P.) the cards worked properly with the same drivers installed. Apart from this, the cards are working without any problems, as long as they have been detected by the system.

Of course the cards are plugged correctly - otherwise the system would never detect them, regardless how often I reboot the system. Even if it would do - I doubt that the cards would work fine. I even tried different PCI ports and it's really doubtable that I did faulty mountings for several times in a row. :rolleyes:

I think I phrased it a little wrong: The computer needs only ONE reboot to make the cards appear in the device manager. What I meant was that the cards do not disappear, as long as I don't shut down the system (and cut if off from the power supply). The cards are missing only after a cold start!

But thanks for the help so far. :)
 
Right...Ok, I understand now :P

Well, to be honest, I am bedazzled :D

I can't believe no one else has replied though... Usually we would have atleast 6 or 7 replies from different people...

[SHOUT] Come on you guys! Give us a hand! [/SHOUT]
 
when the system is cold metal contracts

I know you say the cards are tight but I would check all connections, especially since you just installed the motherboard. something is not making a connection. when the system is cold metal contracts when it is hot it expands and makes a connection.

Check all motherboard screws, cables etc everything for proper connections :)
 
ccnaws said:
when the system is cold metal contracts when it is hot it expands and makes a connection.
Click to expand...
I must say, this sounds logic. But on the other hand: The graphics card is also a PC-card, although it's AGP, not PCI.

The next thing I'm going to try is testing how the motherboard works after dismounting from the case. But first, I have to make my second (reserve-)PC working in order to have at least one PC I can work with, just in case the motherboard has to be sent back to MSI. *grml*
 
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Platino said:
The next thing I'm going to try is testing how the motherboard works after dismounting from the case.
Click to expand...
Yesterday in the evening I've done this removal, placed the board next to the case on a mainboard-carton and put all cards and connectors on it. Today, after almost 18 hours without power, I booted the system und opened the device manager:

Incredible but true - the cards are listed! :eek:

I think that there is a metal pin or something similar somewhere on the board which makes a short to the PCI devices as long as it's in a cold state. Can't think of any other logical cause. Later I will remount the board and watch closely for metal pieces on the mainboard, that make a connection with the inner case.
 
Once again I rebooted the system for about three oder four times - the PCI devices stayed there. Then I shut down the system, turned off the power supply unit, waited for a few seconds, turned it on again und started the computer. My assumption was right: No PCI devices found. I think you can understand that I'm not willing to reboot my system every time after the first boot-up, just to make my PCI-cards appear.
Click to expand...
As a quick hack solution, click the "detect new hardware" button a few times

I think I phrased it a little wrong: The computer needs only ONE reboot to make the cards appear in the device manager. What I meant was that the cards do not disappear, as long as I don't shut down the system (and cut if off from the power supply). The cards are missing only after a cold start!
Click to expand...
A shot in the dark ... but a dead CMOS battery? Or do you have the info from your BIOS redetect each time? :)
 
I can happily announce that the problem has been found - and solved! :)

My old mainboard (EpoX 8RDA+) had four mounting holes on it's left side, so there were still four mounting screws on the plate of the case. But the K8N has only three mounting holes on this side! So the unnecessary fourth screw was placed exactly under the two pins of a condenser. *argh*

I think that the two pins of the condenser were shorted with the screw as long as the mainboard was in a cold state. Through the thermal expansion, one of the metal pins lost it's connection with the screw during the runtime of the PC and ended the short. Because of the fact that the PC searches for non-hotpluging-devices like PCI only during the boot progress, the cards were detected first after a reboot. :rolleyes:

Even if I found the solution myself, I would like to thank you all for the advices and ideas. ^^
 
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