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NVidia Gforce

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m130

MIS
Oct 3, 2003
9
US
I am building a server out of my box. I have an operating system but can't see it since my monitor cna't be used because my mb does not have onboard video. I got a new PCI Nvidia Gforce card but can't install the drivers since I can't see the monitor. What is the work around on this.
 
Any new video card can do basic VGA mode, and should.
Do you see a boot screen ? Can you get into the BIOS ?
If yes, you need to check for the default video parameter. It is probably on AGP, you'll need to switch it to PCI.
Of course, if you have no image on boot either, this will not be a solution for you.
Do you have any old AGP card lying around ? If it's just a question of telling the BIOS to use PCI video, you could insert it just for the time it takes to switch the parameter.

Pascal.
 
There is a BIOS setting to set the primary display to AGP or PCI; however that is not the problem, that setting is only referred to if you are using a dual video card (for dual monitor) setup. Single video card setup, the motherboard is smart enough to figure it out.

Otherwise, start checking each component in your system one by one. Try the monitor with another computer if you can. If it works, try the video card in another computer. If that works, then try different ram or different cpu on the motherboard. If that doesn't solve the problem, you've probably got a defective motherboard.

So take your pick as to which component is not working properly, only testing will solve your problem.
 
I tried everything now besides setting it on fire...Getting tired. The cpu fan turns and the floppy light stays on and that's it. Could it be CPU? I get no beep codes which tells me it's not ram. Anyone's thoughts.
 
As others have already said, a new graphics card just display at basic VGA untill the drivers can be loaded in Windows.
Your problem doesn't sound like your VGA adapter, if you have tried various cards and see nothing, I guess you have other problems.
Power supply failure? even if it appears you have power one of the rails maybe down
CPU damaged? overheated etc due to incorrect fitment of heatsink can result is a system that fires up the fans but nothing else.
Add on card or periferal preventing boot (hard drives/CDroms/modems) practically anything can prevent boot.
Martin

Replying helps further our knowledge, without comment leaves us wondering.
 
The last time I experienced this problem was with an older Pentium 3 Matsonic motherboard, it did not beep when trying to boot either but it was definitely a memory problem.
Had to try a few different sticks to get it to boot.
Thought it was the motherboard too, cause I swapped everything including power supply. Tried both AGP and PCI geforce2 cards and neither worked. No beeps, just the LED's on the mobo turned on along with the cd and floppy LED's.
I'd try 2 things.
1. make sure your floppy IDE cable isn't backwards, I've seen that stop the boot process before.
2. Try the memory shuffle.. Take out a stick possibly. Just remember to place whatever stick you are using in memory slot 1.
But while we are on the topic, what kind are you using? pc66,100,133 or DDR memory?
 
'the floppy light stays on and that's it'

Do you mean that the floppy light comes on and stays on? If so the cable is probably on backwards!

Kim.

'Everybody is ignorant - only on different subjects.'
Will Rogers.
 
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