I'm using a B650 Aorus Elite AX motherboard with a GTX 1660 Super. The graphics card's fans spin, but the monitor stays black when the HDMI cable is connected to the card. I can only get a display by using the motherboard's HDMI output and integrated graphics. Windows and the device list don't detect the GTX 1660 Super, so its drivers won't install. I already reseated the card, and this setup has never worked because I installed Windows fresh before adding the GPU. What should I check next?
4 Answers
The HDMI cable needs to stay connected to the graphics card once the card is working; the motherboard output uses the integrated graphics. Make sure the monitor is set to the correct HDMI input, and temporarily disable integrated graphics or choose the PCIe card as the initial display adapter in BIOS after confirming the card is detected.
Check the BIOS while connected to the motherboard video output. Set the primary display to the PCIe graphics card instead of the integrated GPU, then look for a setting called PCIe x16 Link Speed. With a GTX 1660 Super, manually setting it to Gen 3 instead of Auto can help with compatibility issues. Updating the motherboard BIOS is also worth trying.
First, confirm the GPU has its PCIe power connector plugged in directly from the power supply. The motherboard slot only provides about 75 watts, while a GTX 1660 Super needs additional power. Fans spinning doesn’t necessarily mean the card is fully powered or communicating with the system.
Since the card has already been reseated, inspect the slot and power cable carefully, then test whether the card appears in BIOS or Device Manager with hidden devices enabled. If it never appears anywhere, try the GPU in another PCIe slot or another computer if possible. That will help distinguish a motherboard configuration problem from a faulty card or power supply.

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