I upgraded my PC from an RTX 3060 to an RTX 5070 12GB, replaced my Ryzen 7 3700X with a Ryzen 9 5950X, and upgraded the power supply from a Corsair RM750x to an RM850x 3.1. The old graphics card still works normally, but the new card produces no display.
With the RTX 5070 installed, the motherboard shows the white VGA warning light. The card is fully seated, receives power, has its LEDs on, and its fans spin, but there is still no video output. The motherboard is an ASUS ROG Strix B550-F Gaming with the latest BIOS. I have already cleared CMOS, reseated the RAM, manually selected PCIe Gen 4, and attempted to install the graphics drivers, but nothing changed.
I have not yet tested the RTX 5070 in another computer. Could the card be defective, or is there another compatibility or troubleshooting step I should try?
2 Answers
Driver removal tools will not usually help if the system cannot display anything during startup. The VGA light points to the motherboard failing to initialize the graphics card before Windows loads. Try reseating the card once more, checking the PCIe slot for debris, and testing every video output on the card. If the 3060 continues to boot normally but the 5070 does not, focus on confirming whether the 5070 works in a different system rather than reinstalling drivers.
Since the old RTX 3060 works in the same system, the motherboard, CPU, and power supply are probably not the main issue. The most useful next step is testing the RTX 5070 in another known-working computer. If it also fails there, it is very likely a defective card or a power-connection problem. Also verify that the power cable is fully inserted and that you are using the cable supplied or recommended for the new power supply.
That makes sense. I have tried most of the usual motherboard settings and reseating steps, so testing the card in another build is the main thing left. Hopefully I can do that soon.
I also tried connecting the keyboard and reinstalling the driver, but neither changed anything. The card still powers on without producing a signal.