New card, system won't boot

vangrue · 01-27-2007, 06:50 PM

Hi, I just recently bought a new video card (Radeon x1600xt AGP) to upgrade my system, as well as a new PSU to go with it. I've got all my power cords hooked up nice and tight, and I know there isn't a power issue because the system boots just fine with my old card. With the 1600, it would get to a screen saying "Verifying DMI Pool" and then it would hang, eventually moving on to the second boot device.

Well, I've done everything I can think of. I tried putting in the old PSU, I reconnected all the power cords several times, reseated the video card and made sure it was aligned and installed tightly, I updated the BIOS and the chipset drivers, and cleared the CMOS. Now it says "Build DMI Pool" then "Verifying DMI Pool.... Update Success" and then hangs from there. I tried everything that every forum post I could find online said to do, though everyone else with the DMI pool error seems to have HDD or CD/DVD drive problems, whereas my issue rests solely with the video card.

Here are my specs:
WinXP Home
Abit KV8 mobo
Athlon64 3000+
Radeon 9600xt AIW
1.5gb RAM
Antec TruePower Trio 650w PSU
Hitachi 120gb SATA hdd
Maxtor 200gb SATA hdd

I know that the mobo supports 4x/8x AGP, and the new card is an 8x AGP. Like I said before, everything works fine with the 9600. Obviously the x1600 works, or I wouldn't be able to see anything on the screen.

What am I missing?

vangrue · 01-28-2007, 09:41 AM

Now I don't even get the "update success" part! Argh!

dai · 01-28-2007, 10:17 AM

have you connected the aux power plug to the m/b and the card if it requires it
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000474.htm

vangrue · 01-28-2007, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dai

have you connected the aux power plug to the m/b and the card if it requires it
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000474.htm

Yeah. I forgot it once when reinstalling it again, and the computer kept beeping and telling me to connect the power cord. It won't let me forget, so I've got that covered. I've done pretty much everything on that list (since most forums on the topic seem to refer to that page).

Someone on another forum said that the DMI error results from the BIOS having trouble installing drivers for new hardware (however, both the old and new card use the same drivers...). Is this true? Is there anything else someone can suggest?

Not to mention, the old card works fine when I put it back in.

dai · 01-28-2007, 10:36 AM

can you get a friend to try the card on their computer to check it is not the problem

vangrue · 01-28-2007, 10:58 AM

Unfortunately, the only one available right now is my roommate, who only has a Mac laptop. In fact, most of my friends in the area use laptops (I'm a college student, and most of my peers are using laptops, unfortunately). I'm also out of state, away from home, so none of my other friends are nearby. I could try taking the card back to Best Buy where I bought it (probably my first mistake), and see if the GeekSquad guy can install it in one of their machines, but I can't guarantee it'll help any. They didn't seem responsive/helpful when I brought the other card I bought back (x1950 Pro); their only suggestion was that my Mobo might not support 8x AGP, which I know it does, and that failing that, I should return it and get a new one. But to have this happen with two different cards is strange.

dai · 01-28-2007, 11:13 AM

reseat the card by removing and reinstalling it

vangrue · 01-28-2007, 11:27 AM

Unfortunately, I don't know how many times it'll take doing that, as I've done that very thing several times. The thing is, the video card works, or I wouldn't see anything on the screen. By now it just seems like there's a conflict with my motherboard, or maybe with the BIOS, but that doesn't make sense either for the above reason. I'll just have to try finding a computer somewhere to test it in, or maybe buy a new motherboard. If I do that, I might as well purchase the PCI-E version. Then again, I'm not sure if I'll be able to reinstall Windows again if I have to. This is a very confusing situation.

dai · 01-28-2007, 12:02 PM

does it go into safe mode

vangrue · 01-28-2007, 01:12 PM

No, it hangs before it can get to the selection prompt (Before I can hit F8 to go to Safe Mode selection). I've got one more idea before I end up ordering a new motherboard. I think it's just an incompatibility with the mobo or chipset drivers, and I was suggested one solution for that on another board. If there are any changes, I'll be sure to post it on this board.

dai · 01-28-2007, 01:23 PM

try a cmos reset

Gamah(kikboxes) · 01-28-2007, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dai

try a cmos reset

yep, pull the battery out and disconnect power, let it sit for a few min

(actually disconnect power first lol)

and then boot it with the battery still out one time...

this will ensure that no clock settings / etc will be kept

i'm not sure why but sometimes when i get new hardware i'm forced to do this to make it boot too.

vangrue · 01-28-2007, 01:59 PM

I actually solved my problem with a joke solution from another board: I got an Nvidia card, haha. I generally like ATI's cards better, for some reason, but I figured that if this new card didn't work, it was time for a new motherboard. I'd already reset the CMOS before, as I had stated, but now my new card works fine. Thanks for all the help, guys!

dai · 01-28-2007, 03:32 PM

i only use nvidia after the same type of problems with an ati card

01-27-2007, 06:50 PM	#1 (permalink)
vangrue Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 8 OS: WinXP	New card, system won't boot Hi, I just recently bought a new video card (Radeon x1600xt AGP) to upgrade my system, as well as a new PSU to go with it. I've got all my power cords hooked up nice and tight, and I know there isn't a power issue because the system boots just fine with my old card. With the 1600, it would get to a screen saying "Verifying DMI Pool" and then it would hang, eventually moving on to the second boot device. Well, I've done everything I can think of. I tried putting in the old PSU, I reconnected all the power cords several times, reseated the video card and made sure it was aligned and installed tightly, I updated the BIOS and the chipset drivers, and cleared the CMOS. Now it says "Build DMI Pool" then "Verifying DMI Pool.... Update Success" and then hangs from there. I tried everything that every forum post I could find online said to do, though everyone else with the DMI pool error seems to have HDD or CD/DVD drive problems, whereas my issue rests solely with the video card. Here are my specs: WinXP Home Abit KV8 mobo Athlon64 3000+ Radeon 9600xt AIW 1.5gb RAM Antec TruePower Trio 650w PSU Hitachi 120gb SATA hdd Maxtor 200gb SATA hdd I know that the mobo supports 4x/8x AGP, and the new card is an 8x AGP. Like I said before, everything works fine with the 9600. Obviously the x1600 works, or I wouldn't be able to see anything on the screen. What am I missing? Last edited by vangrue; 01-27-2007 at 06:58 PM.

01-28-2007, 10:17 AM	#3 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,784 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	have you connected the aux power plug to the m/b and the card if it requires it http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000474.htm __________________

01-28-2007, 10:36 AM	#5 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,784 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	can you get a friend to try the card on their computer to check it is not the problem __________________

01-28-2007, 10:58 AM	#6 (permalink)
vangrue Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 8 OS: WinXP	Friend Unfortunately, the only one available right now is my roommate, who only has a Mac laptop. In fact, most of my friends in the area use laptops (I'm a college student, and most of my peers are using laptops, unfortunately). I'm also out of state, away from home, so none of my other friends are nearby. I could try taking the card back to Best Buy where I bought it (probably my first mistake), and see if the GeekSquad guy can install it in one of their machines, but I can't guarantee it'll help any. They didn't seem responsive/helpful when I brought the other card I bought back (x1950 Pro); their only suggestion was that my Mobo might not support 8x AGP, which I know it does, and that failing that, I should return it and get a new one. But to have this happen with two different cards is strange.

01-28-2007, 11:13 AM	#7 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,784 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	reseat the card by removing and reinstalling it __________________

01-28-2007, 09:41 AM	#2 (permalink)
vangrue Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 8 OS: WinXP	Now I don't even get the "update success" part! Argh!

01-28-2007, 11:27 AM	#8 (permalink)
vangrue Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 8 OS: WinXP	Unfortunately, I don't know how many times it'll take doing that, as I've done that very thing several times. The thing is, the video card works, or I wouldn't see anything on the screen. By now it just seems like there's a conflict with my motherboard, or maybe with the BIOS, but that doesn't make sense either for the above reason. I'll just have to try finding a computer somewhere to test it in, or maybe buy a new motherboard. If I do that, I might as well purchase the PCI-E version. Then again, I'm not sure if I'll be able to reinstall Windows again if I have to. This is a very confusing situation.

01-28-2007, 12:02 PM	#9 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,784 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	does it go into safe mode __________________

01-28-2007, 01:12 PM	#10 (permalink)
vangrue Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 8 OS: WinXP	No, it hangs before it can get to the selection prompt (Before I can hit F8 to go to Safe Mode selection). I've got one more idea before I end up ordering a new motherboard. I think it's just an incompatibility with the mobo or chipset drivers, and I was suggested one solution for that on another board. If there are any changes, I'll be sure to post it on this board.

01-28-2007, 01:23 PM	#11 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,784 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	try a cmos reset __________________

01-28-2007, 01:59 PM	#13 (permalink)
vangrue Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 8 OS: WinXP	I actually solved my problem with a joke solution from another board: I got an Nvidia card, haha. I generally like ATI's cards better, for some reason, but I figured that if this new card didn't work, it was time for a new motherboard. I'd already reset the CMOS before, as I had stated, but now my new card works fine. Thanks for all the help, guys!

01-28-2007, 03:32 PM	#14 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,784 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	i only use nvidia after the same type of problems with an ati card __________________