ASUS 5PKR - GPU suddenly stopped, won't detect anymore

[Yansi]

Hi
I've just encountered a strange fault in my PC. I've been working and suddenly, the LCD went black. So I was about WTF and after a little poking (thought cable has fallen out - which haven't), I've restarted the PC. And it only beeped at me. It beeped me (1 long 3 short), there is no GPU in there. 

So fine, opened the case, looked at the GPU (nVidia 8500GT I think). Was quite hot (only passive heatsinking), but not hot enough that I could say it overheated. (but who knows).

Okay, the GPU is probably kaputt gemacht. Because neither it worked after it cooled down completely. So I've taken another one. But what the hell? It doesn't work either. So I've removed some other PCI cards and tried to insert it into the second PCIex slot. It doesn't work even there. Just again, it furiously beeps at me, that there's no GPU. Neither of the two PCIex slots neither of the two different GPUs work.

Now, I have an old crusty S3 Virge (without the metal frame - lost somewhere) inserted into standard PCI and having "fun" with 800x600x4bpp (=16 colors).

No clue what the problem is, neither what happened to it. What do you suggest to do or test? Is it a SW or HW fault?

Already been in the BIOS. Haven't seen any options related to PCIex.

Thaks for your help!

[poot36]

Something related to both of the pcie slots is bad.  Test that they are getting the correct power on the appropriate pins (look up the pcie pinout).  If that passes check for buldging capacitors on the motherboard and if you find any replace them.  Also try reseting the cmos and check the voltage of the cmos battery.  If that still does not fix the problem try updating the bios.  Also check all voltage regulators and mosfets on the motherboard for shorts or other damage.  If it still does not work check that the power supply does not have to much ripple on its outputs.  You can also try running the video card in pcie 1x mode by covering up all of the pins that would not normally be on a 1x card with a piece of paper in a U shape over the video card connector.  You can also remove the end stop of a 1x slot on the board with some cutters and place the 16x graphics card in the 1x slot and see if it works.  If it still does not work your last resort would be to reflow the solder balls under the chip or chips that control the pcie slots using hot air and liquid flux or flux you can melt into liquid.  Other than that you will most likely have to replace the motherboard.

[wraper]

Where did you get that second GPU and what it is? I'd put those GPUs in the different PC first, both of them might be just dead. 8500GT is from the generation of nvidia chips with defect in construction, which made them prone to sudden death, especially with weak cooling.