GTX 980 SLI + 3 Displays Boot issue

[TheBlank]

Long time since I've posted here, but I'm running into an odd issue with my new machine:

I just built this machine (specs in the signature below) from the ground up in the past two days. Before I connected my second and third monitor, I made sure to install all of the updated drivers, security patches, and configured for SLI.

However, as soon as I connected my other monitors via Displayport to the primary video card, my woes began. When I'm within Windows (8.1), the system works just fine. All monitors are detected, I set the order, and the image is clear and crisp.

The problem is that when I reboot my machine with all 3 monitors turned on, the BIOS boot screen appears (on the left monitor), and when it begins to proceed past that into windows all of my monitors go into sleep mode. No amount of power cycling, port cycling, physically re-seating the cables will provide an image. I have to hard shutdown my machine.

The only way I can boot into windows (or rather, receive an image of the Windows login screen) is if I leave the center monitor turned off. The login screen shows up on the left, the right is lit but not active, and I can log in normally. After Windows loads, I can then turn on the center monitor, wait for all of my monitors to flash two or three times, and then I can proceed as normal.
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I've updated Windows as far as I can. I've updated my BIOS, video drivers, anything that I can think of in order to find some software explanation. I've disabled fast boot. I'm just about ready to start a complete new installation of Windows just to try and wipe the slate clean, but I'm really hoping there is another, easier, fix. I've been googling all night, but I can't find any posts that fit the same issue I'm running into.

Thanks for your time.

 

[FM_Fixxxer]

"as I connected my other monitors via Displayport to the primary video card, my woes began." That is the issue I believe.

http://www.geforce.com/hardware/technology/surround/system-requirements

The lay outs for what ports to use change based on each sli config and connection type used.

**edit** My bad, I had read 3way sli. Have you tried not having all 3 displays on the same card? When I was running surround with DVI, you could only have 2 of them connected to the primary card and then regardless of port type you had to use the bottom card for the third monitor.

 

[TheBlank]

I've tried connecting to the second card even though everything I was reading about the 980's told me to connect to the primary. Whatever display I connected to the second card did not even show up in NVidia control panel as an option.

I'm not sure if I have to shutdown and swap, or if I can hot swap (which is what I did), but I'm sure you can understand my reluctance to shut down the PC potentially unnecessarily.

Although, looking at that diagram it looks like I might have to connect using HDMI with one of the displays, seeing as the third Display port is listed as an "Accessory Display" rather than optional secondary.

I guess I'll play around with some more options for connections between the cards, and between cable types, but if anyone can clarify in the meantime I'd be grateful. I'll keep checking back.

EDIT:: Well, I've just played around with the different port order including the ports on the secondary card. If any displays were plugged into the second card, only one display that was connected to the primary card would be recognized. Any attempt to enter NVidia control panel resulted in a truncated menu with almost no options. If I swapped the ports back to the primary card, windows would lock up and I would have to hard boot again.

Interestingly enough, it doesn't seem to matter to the BIOS what order I plug the monitors in. No matter what, the left monitor will display the POST screen, regardless of where I plug it into the primary card. Swapping ports with the center monitor does nothing. The POST screen will be on the left monitor.

I'm going to try and disable DP 1.2 on all monitors and see if that does anything.

 

[FM_Fixxxer]

I really wish I had more experience with display port, both time I've ran surround was with DVI/DVI-D.

This isn't meant to come off as insulting at all, but in the nvidia control panel you have the cards set to surround rather than sli (maximize performance) yeah?

Have you looked into bios updates? I remember bringing home my 780s when they first came out and not having Windows see them as more than generic due to needing a bios update, since that the 780s and now my 980s are rock solid.

This is quite the oddball issue.