Z68 Extreme4 Gen3 > PCI-E cards not working

[bozza]

Putting together a new PC, everything works fine except i can only get the onboard graphics to work.
I cant get any of the PCI-E slots to recognise cards im putting in there - Monitors just stay black when plugging into PCI-E graphics cards.
I can boot into Windows just by using the onboard graphics - When i check in display adapters in device manager it only has the Intel graphics listed.

I have tried both a HD6950 and a HD5770
I have tried all 3 PCI-E slots.
I have tried a different power supply.
Flashed the Bios to 1.10
Reset the CMOS after replacing the cards via the button at the back.
I made sure the primary graphics in the Bios was set to the PCI-E, not integrated.

Is there anything anyone else can recommend? Is there any way to run diagnostics on the board to see if the PCI-E slots actually work?

The only other thing i can think of is the board is faulty, i just want to make sure there's nothing else obvious i do.

[bozza]

Re: Z68 Extreme4 Gen3 > PCI-E cards not working

UPDATE: Ok so i pulled it all out of the case and the HD6950 card seems to work fine in the bottom PCIE slot (PCIE5), but its impossible for me to run it in that slot when i put the motherboard in the case because of the PSU being underneath it and the case doesnt have a spare spot below that slot for the graphics card vent.

Shouldnt i be able to use either of the top PCIE slots anyway? Or are only reserved for running them in crossfire? I know the top two are PCIE3 and the HD6950 is only PCIE2, but that shouldnt matter should it?

Is there possibly some setting in the Bios ive missed to allow the top two PCIE slots to be used for a single VGA card?

[Griff7520]

Re: Z68 Extreme4 Gen3 > PCI-E cards not working

sounds like a faulty mb to me mate.....you should have a single graphics card in the top pciex2 slot....the bottom pciex5 slot is only a x4 slot.

make sure in bios, it is set to pciex in graphics options.

Are all your power connectors seated properly? What power supply are you using? is the memory in the corrct slots....just a few things to check that may help

[bozza]

Re: Z68 Extreme4 Gen3 > PCI-E cards not working

sounds like a faulty mb to me mate.....you should have a single graphics card in the top pciex2 slot....the bottom pciex5 slot is only a x4 slot.

make sure in bios, it is set to pciex in graphics options.

Are all your power connectors seated properly? What power supply are you using? is the memory in the corrct slots....just a few things to check that may help

Yeah thats what i thought, ive never had an issue like this before.

Yep, made sure the its set to PCIE in the Bios, not integrated.

Definitely all connected. I've tried both a new Silverstone 750W PSU, and also my old Antec 600W PSU which was working fine on my old PC and didnt seem to make a difference, and since just set up my old Motherboard with the HD6950 and its working fine on my old Motherboard.

Cheers for the reply. I've since contacted the place i bought it from so hopefully they agree its just a DOA motherboard and can swap it over on Monday.