Installing GFX Card Problem?

Question

Ok so I'm trying to help someone upgrade an older computer. Basically they got an LCD and the on-board GFX can't support the 1440X900 the LCD needs so everyone is stretched along the horizontal axis.

I actually have two solutions but neither is working.

Solution 1 is when I read the manual for the motherboard (ASUS P4S8X-MX) it claims to be able to 2048*1536 at 32bpp which is more than I need. Yet I am not allowed to set the resolution higher than 1200*1024. When I check listed modes nothing higher is available either. I've tried allocating more memory to GFX in BIOS and now there is 128MB rather than the 32MB originally shared but the Listed Modes are the same. There are a few other BIOS settings related to GFXs but I don't know enough to change them with confidence.

Solution 2 was to go buy a cheap AGP GFX card. The motherboard needs a 8X +1.5V card. I got a ATI Radeon 9600SE 128MB which seems to fit the bill although I'm having trouble confirming it is a +1.5V card.

I installed it but computer won't detect it. I've installed the AGP drivers for the motherboard multiple times. Changed the priority so AGP is before on-board GFX in the BIOS. The computer just won't admit that there is anything in the AGP slot.

I have removed and installed the card several times so not an issue of not being seated properly.

Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Solution 1:



Just because the hardware supports 2048*1536 doesn't mean the graphics driver does. Have you downloaded and installed the latest version of the drivers from the SiS website, rather than using Microsoft Windows built in drivers?



Solution 2:



Radeon 9600SE works fine at 1.5V, so no problems there.



However, this motherboard is known to have compatibility problems with SOME Radeon cards (not sure about yours). It is generally considered to work much better with Geforce series cards of the same vintage.



Other than that, have you tested the card to make sure it works in another PC? Does this card require an external power supply, i.e. a cable from your power supply plugged directly into the card? Some Radeon cards need this but I don't know if yours does.

Answer 2

Ok, I'm ADHD so I have trouble holding on to long paragraphs..lol. If you have an agp slot and a agp card. That is all you need. The 1.5v card is nothing. The 9600 is fine. Besides that. You are conficting all over the place, or I am getting lost in all your numbers. What is the highest resolution that your monitor supports? Is it wide screen? When you go to your settings you should see multiple different res selections. Also, an image of the monitor at the top. It sounds like you are trying to put a 4:3 res on a 16:9 monitor. Causing the stretch. When you select your resolution, look at the monitor picture and make sure it looks like a widescreen instead of a regular 4:3 or vise versa depending on the monitor type. 4:3 monitors use resolutions like 1280x1024 or the regular ol 640x480.



As for the detection of your card. The radeon you have is an 8x agp, but it will drop to 4x if needed. The 1.5v is just the power it needs to run. The motherboard itself should be able to give it that. Make sure the card does not have another plug on it for your 12+ rail to run to. If you do have this power slot and do not have it plugged in...then your card is not getting the power it needs. Video cards look more at amperage than voltage so check your specs. Also, disable the on-board video in your bios when you go to use the card.

Answer 3

soultion 1 my view u proably just have a standard intel driver loaded up date it with what ever the newest 1 especialy if its not a intel chip such as a nforce. windows has a habbit of just installing genric drivers for every thing and its possible you dont have the correct 1 (im sure you know but when you install windows every thing runs on genric until u install the manufactor drivers and some pc's no1 has ever botherd installing them) u find it a lot with so many ppl arnt running them to there full potential



soultion 2 my view

check there aint a jumper on the motherboard that needs to be switched to tell the pc its nolonger runing thro onboard graphics some odler boards require it when u plug it in to the board do u get any thing? beep etc oo and just incase from what ur sayin i presume u already know this but always the basic things u forget i find the monitor plugs in to graphics card not mother board no more failing that the card might not work try in another pc



sounds stupid and from ur post i get the feeling u know what ur doing but when ever i do any thing like that and it dont work 90% time its somthing stupid like i got lead in wrong lol

Answer 4

What does it do when you start up again? if you get the start up screens, then its most likely a driver issue, if you get nothing at all its a hardware issue. If its a driver problem, restart, go into safe mode (press f8 before windows starts to load) and uninstall all the nVidia drivers for it and restart. If its hardware make sure the video card is pressed in all the way and make sure any extra power connectors are connected.

Answer 5

Well because 1200*1024 is the max for your LCD screen, or for the 9600SE. Also, the card is old so AGP is not usually supported any more, maybe the motherboard can't recognize it because it's a newer AGP card. (9600 is a relatively new AGP wise, maybe ur board can only run old AGP cards.)