Windows cannot boot or cannot detect my new PCI or PCIe expansion card. What do I do?

If you install a new PCI or PCI Express expansion card and Windows will not load or Windows cannot detect your expansion card, there are some quick tests that you can perform to identify the issue. 

• Turn off the computer, unplug the power cord, and remove the expansion card. Put the card back into the computer, making sure to apply firm pressure across the entire card. If the card is on an angle, it can cause issues and may not function properly. 

Note: This is a common problem with PCI Express x1 expansion cards.

• Move the expansion card to another PCI or PCI Express slot. 

Note: PCI Express expansion cards work in PCI Express slots that are longer than the cards and do not use the entire slot's capabilities. PCI Express expansion cards do not fit or work in PCI expansion slots, and PCI expansion cards do not fit or work in PCI Express expansion slots.

• Put a different expansion card in the slot that is experiencing the issue with the new expansion card.
• Put the new expansion card in another computer.
• If you completed the previous steps and determined that the problem is not with the card or expansion slots on the motherboard, update the motherboard's BIOS.

To determine if Windows detects your expansion card, you need to check Device Manager to see if the card is listed under the appropriate heading or listed with an error. An example of an appropriate heading for a USB controller card is Universal Serial Bus controllers. The expansion card is listed in Device Manager as the name of the chipset. You can find the name of the chipset on the Technical Specifications tab for the product ID on http://www.startech.com/.

To open Device Manager, press the Windows key + R, type devmgmt.msc, and press Enter.