GPU not detected after installing m.2 NVMe drive

Hardware Hub GPU
1

Hi peeps

First time writer here. I have enjoyed Level1Techs youtube vids for a while, and decided to try the forums when I encountered the problem mentioned in the topic.

I was upgrading my htpc/living room gaming PC with an m.2 NVMe drive, when I booted up the screen was black. After switching to the onboard graphics, the picture came back.

While on onboard graphics I tried to reinstall nvidia drivers, but the installer could not find compatible hardware. The Device manager does not list my GPU.

Steps I have taken:

  • Made sure graphics adapter was NOT set to IGD in BIOS
  • Updated BIOS to latest version
  • Reinstalled windows (was going to anyway)
  • Removed NVMe drive and tried a SATA drive, in which case the GPU works fine

My hardware:
Motherboard: MSI H110i pro m-itx
GPU: Gigabyte GTX1050Ti windforce OC 4G
CPU: Intel G4560
RAM: 2x4 GB Micron Ballistix 2400 MHz
Storage: Adata SX6000 m.2 PCIe 256 GB (NVMe) + 60 GB Corsair Force for testing (SATA)

It’s like the NVMe drive disables the GPU, and I have no clue how. Hope some of you can help.

Regards

2

Does the m.2 slot on that board share lanes with the pcie slot. Plugging in one might cause it to switch to that port over the PCIe.

Unfortunately if this is he case you will need to move parts around to separate them.

2 Likes
3

Thank you for the answer.

I’m not sure how to figure out if my slots share lanes. It doesn’t seem to be part of the MSI support documents. It is a m-itx board with one GPU slot and one m.2 slot, so I am not able to move parts that much :slight_smile:

4

It is also worth a shot, have you updated you BIOS recently? I see they have lots with NVMe compatibility and such listed. Easy fix if it works.

5

Thanks, but I already updated to the latest BIOS. No luck.

6

PCI Express Configurations:
Up to 1x16, 2x8, 1x8+2x4

Max # of PCI Express Lanes:
16

https://www.msi.com/pdf/presale/H110I-PRO

PCI-Ex16 1
PCI-E Gen 3.0
SATAIII 4
M.2 Slot 1x 2280 Key M(PCIe Gen2 x 4)

Looks like to me the CPU hasn’t enough PCIe Lanes to Power the GPU by x16 and the M.2 drive by x4. Since you can’t easily solder more PCIe Lanes into the CPU try to set the GPU in the Bios to x8 then it should work. No worries tho, I’ve seen benchmarks were it doesn’t make a difference if a GPU run with x8 Lanes or x16 lanes for most Gaming Stuff.

7

Then it should split into x8 and not just turn off.

1 Like
8

1x 2280 Key M(PCIe Gen2 x 4 Mb

High speed PCIe Gen3x2 interface: Nvme

Ya… check the cpu … some one beat me to it.

9

Correct, but mostly the Motherboard won’t do it for you

10

What? o0 It should totally just do that.
And otherwise it should not switch at all.

1 Like
11

Thank you for the input.

It seems all my BIOS allows, is to change the “PEG0 max link speed” from auto to Gen 1, Gen 2 or Gen 3. I have tried setting it to Gen 2, still no luck. I guess it still uses 16 lanes, just at a slower speed. Does that make sense?

12

Yeah, that must be for compatibility. Set that to Gen3 or Auto, it has nothing to do with the problem.

Looking at this the M.2 does not share lanes with the GPU at all. This goes through the chipset.

13

So would that rule out the CPU as the problem?

14

That is a good question.

Here is my suspicion but I am not sure at all so maybe someone else can verify or clarify this issue

but:

I don’t think that the Chipset can magically get you more PCIeLanes than the CPU can provide. Since the CPU is maxed out at 1x16 Lane the Chipset take x4 to provide to the m.2 so the GPU gets x12 so it is turned off. I would say that without a CPU that can provide at least x20 Lanes OR a BIOS Setting allowing you to run the GPU x8 you are stuck, I’m afraid.

To resolve this Issue: Set the GPU to x8 or test with a CPU that has more PCIe Lanes, minimum 20 Lanes.

15

Yes, it does. Up to 6 lanes, PCIe x1, x2 or x4 Gen. 2.

1 Like
16

Supported Processor PCI Express Port Configurations
1x16

Does that means that it can provide the Lanes from 1x16 Lane from the CPU? If not than the BIOS is the problem, right?

Edith:

Supported Processor PCI Express Port Configurations

Configurations indicates the number of lanes and bifurcation capabilities for which the processor PCI express port is enabled. Note: The processor’s actual PCI express configurations will be determined or limited by the value of this chipset attribute even if the processor is capable of additional configurations.

Not quite sure what that means tho

17

It means the CPU does not connect to the chipset with any of it’s 16 direct lanes of PCIe. So for the sake of this topic it is x16 Gen. 3 on the slot and x2/x4 Gen. 2 on the M.2.

They have nothing to do with each other.

1 Like
18

Interesting!

So it should work, it doesn’t and the CPU / MB-Chipset is not problem… yeah, I don’t know… I guess I’m out at this point.

19

It SHOULD not be the problem. Something is and until OP can double check components individually it is all shots in the dark.

20

If anything I would expect you might lose some sata ports but the manual literally says nothing about what gets sacrificed when using m.2. @noenken is right though, it should just work. The m.2 should run through DMI and not use any of the x16 lanes from the GPU.

I think there is something wrong with that board.