PCI-E network card doesn't work in 1x slot but works in 16x slot?

[dirtydog]

Just got a PCI-E ethernet card. Tried it in my sole PCI-E 1x slot and nothing, suspect the card is DOA but just to make sure, I whipped out my graphics card and tried it in the 16x slot (I have onboard graphics too). Turns out the card is fine.

Does this mean my PCI-E 1x slot is dead? Or is there something in the BIOS I need to enable to get it to work?!

[Mark]

It very much depends on the board. If it has more than one 16x slot, try the graphics card in the other one and maybe the 1x slot will work. A lot of boards (particularly older ones) share lanes between PCIe sockets so it may just be a conflict.

[dirtydog]

This is a mATX board with just one PCI-Ex16 and one PCI-Ex1 :)

[Mark]

Fair enough. Unlikely to be that then.

[Streeteh]

Only way to find out if it's buggered is to use another PCI-E card in the 1x slot and see if it works i'm afraid. As mark said, it depends from motherboard to motherboard and in earlier PCI-E supporting mobos there were many layers of subtle and unexplainable complications.