New GPU No Display: Check BIOS Primary Display Setting
A technician installed a new high-end graphics card in a desktop PC. The system powers on, fans spin, but the monitor remains black. The monitor works fine when connected to the motherboard's integrated video port. The technician has reseated the graphics card, connected the necessary PCIe power cables, and verified the card is fully inserted in the primary PCIe x16 slot. Which of the following is the MOST likely next step to resolve the issue?
Quick Answer
This question is testing a step in the GPU installation process that is easy to overlook because it happens in firmware rather than in the physical build itself. The technician has already done everything correctly on the hardware side: the card is reseated, PCIe power is connected, and it is fully inserted in the primary x16 slot, and the fact that video works fine through the motherboard's integrated port proves the system itself, the motherboard, and the monitor are all functioning normally. What remains is a configuration setting inside the BIOS/UEFI that tells the system which graphics output to treat as primary during boot. Many motherboards default to using integrated graphics as the primary display adapter, and if that setting is not changed after installing a discrete card, the system may continue sending its boot-time video signal out the integrated port instead of the new GPU, leaving a monitor connected to the discrete card with nothing to display even though the card itself works. Whenever a newly installed graphics card is confirmed to be seated and powered correctly, but the monitor stays black while it still works fine on the integrated port, check the BIOS/UEFI primary display or initial display output setting before assuming a hardware defect with the new card.
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates often jump to hardware failure or driver issues (options B or D) without first considering the simple BIOS/UEFI configuration that controls which GPU is used for initial display output.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Check the BIOS/UEFI settings to ensure the primary display is set to PCIe
When a discrete graphics card is installed, the BIOS/UEFI must be configured to use the PCIe slot as the primary display adapter. If the system defaults to the integrated GPU, the monitor will remain black when connected to the new card, even though the card is powered and seated correctly. Checking and setting the primary display to PCIe in BIOS/UEFI directly addresses this common misconfiguration.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Replace the monitor with a 4K display
Why it's wrong here
A 4K monitor changes display resolution, not which GPU drives output; the black screen stems from the system still routing video through integrated graphics. It is tempting because high-end cards pair with high-resolution panels, but a monitor swap would be correct only when the existing display cannot meet the card's output.
- ✗
Update the graphics card driver in Safe Mode
Why it's wrong here
With no display output, the technician cannot install a driver, and a driver fault would not explain why integrated video works while the discrete card produces nothing. Driver updates are tempting as a standard GPU troubleshooting step, but they are correct once the card is actually detected and displaying.
- ✓
Check the BIOS/UEFI settings to ensure the primary display is set to PCIe
Why this is correct
Integrated video working while the discrete card outputs nothing indicates the firmware is still initialising the onboard adapter as primary. Setting the primary display to PCIe in BIOS/UEFI directs POST output to the graphics card, resolving the black screen.
- ✗
Test the graphics card in another computer
Why it's wrong here
Testing the card elsewhere confirms whether the card itself is faulty, but the integrated port working while the discrete card outputs nothing points to a BIOS setting or output priority, not a dead card. Swapping machines is the correct diagnostic when a card fails identically in a known-good system.
Visual reference
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Key term
Peripheral Component Interconnect Express
PCI Express (PCIe) is a high-speed expansion bus standard that connects internal hardware components like graphics cards, SSDs, and network adapters to a computer's motherboard.
Key term
Unified Extensible Firmware Interface
UEFI is the modern replacement for BIOS that controls how a computer starts up and loads the operating system.
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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on 220-1101
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A technician installs a new graphics card in a desktop computer. The computer powers on, all fans spin, and the motherboard's POST LED sequence completes, but there is no image on the monitor. The monitor is connected to the new graphics card via DisplayPort and has been verified to work with another computer. Which of the following should the technician do FIRST?
easy- A.Replace the graphics card
- B.Reseat the graphics card in the PCIe slot
- ✓ C.Check that the auxiliary PCIe power cables are connected to the graphics card
- D.Update the graphics card driver from safe mode
Why C: The most common reason for a new graphics card to power on (fans spin) but produce no display is that the auxiliary PCIe power cables are not connected. Modern high-performance GPUs require dedicated 6- or 8-pin power connectors from the PSU; without them, the card may appear to operate (fans spin due to motherboard slot power) but cannot output video. Since the monitor and cable are verified working, and POST completes, the next logical step is to check these power connections before assuming a hardware fault.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1101 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1101 exam.