Tek-Tips is the largest IT community on the Internet today!

Members share and learn making Tek-Tips Forums the best source of peer-reviewed technical information on the Internet!

  • Congratulations strongm on being selected by the Tek-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!

second video card

Status
Not open for further replies.

drj31

Technical User
Jan 29, 2002
40
US
I'm having problems with my second video card. I have a Geoforce2 in the AGP slot and i'm running (or trying to run) a ATI 128-16mg in the PCI slot. Everytime i unplug or shutdown the next time i start up the computer wants to start on the PCI slot and not the AGP (which is signified as the startup). Sometimes when unplugged the computer won't see either card until i take out the ATI card. Once its up and then i shutdown i can put the ATI card in and most of the time it will start up correctly. Does anyone have suggestions or recommendations of a good second card to try (try to stay in the range of the 16mg price of the ATI if possible)
 
This sounds more to me like it may be a motherboard related issue. Since the BIOS is what's essentially in charge of what video device to poll during POST, that would be where I'd start looking first.

What kind of motherboard are you using and what BIOS revision? I'd check the website of whoever manufactured your motherboard (or your computer if it's a Dell, Gateway, etc.) and see if they have a BIOS update for your model before spending money on anything else.


~TK
 
i'm not at home right now, but i'm running a Abit KT7ARaid card...not sure what BIOS version. So you mean look for a BIOS update and flash the BIOS?
 
Yes, look at Abit's website (www.abit-usa.com) to see if there is an update for your motherboard's bios. Make sure to read all their warnings about the upgrade and RAID configs if you have a RAID array running on your system. Looks like it has the possibility of wiping out your hard drive if you don't do it right.

If you've got the latest and greatest BIOS already, be sure that your ATI card is in PCI slot 1 (first polled PCI slot during boot), which is usually the first PCI slot next to the AGP slot. I've seen some mbrd's that assign the last PCI slot as slot 1, but check your manual for sure.

This is where I'd start. At worst, if none of this works to alleviate the problem, go to some local PC shop and buy some old junky 2MB PCI vid card (S3 S2000 card or something like that) for ten bucks and see if it works correctly. If anything you'll have a spare vid card around to test any other PC's you build in the future. This may at least help you determine whether or not the ATI card truly is the problem before spending money on a good replacement card.


~TK
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Part and Inventory Search

Sponsor

Back
Top