Upgrading video card

[MarkoPolo]

I have a Gateway computer with an integrated video card and I have bought a 256 card wilth DVI outto run my new Dell 24" monitor. The fellow from circuit city said you can't add another video card without "professional" help and that you can't have two cards in a computer at once. I am suspicious! How hard is this to do? Anything special I need to know? TIA

[jbkalla]

He's wrong. As long as you can find a PCI video card (assuming your computer is using PCI slots), you should be able to use as many monitors as you want. I don't know if Windows has any limitations, but I KNOW you can do at least two.

Don't believe guys at chain stores unless they really seem to know what they're talking about. You were good to be suspicious. :-)

[JonathanS]

It depends on how old the gateway is, if you have an AGP video card (most are I believe) but don't have an AGP slot- it does not matter who you take your computer to, it wont work. But, most computers that are not really old do have AGP slots, just look inside the case and look for a row of slots, there should be one that is differnt at the end- this is your AGP slot.

For instance, the green slot on
THIS (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ShowImage.asp?image=13-128-286-01.jpg,13-128-286-02.jpg,13-128-286-03.jpg,13-128-286-04.jpg&CurImage=13-128-286-01.jpg&Description=Gigabyte%20GA-K8NSC-939%20Socket%20939%20NVIDIA%20nForce3%20250Gb%20AT X%20AMD%20Motherboard%20-%20Retail)

but yours might not be green...

Once you know the card will fit, just push it in (with the computer off!), turn the computer on and install the drivers (card will come with a CD).

[DavidW]

Integrated video almost certainly means no AGP slot; it's usually an either/or deal.

That being the case, you'll need a PCI graphics card - there are some but not many around. Make sure you don't get a PCI Express (PCI-E) graphics card - that won't work in a PCI slot!



David

[JasonW]

Intel (and other chipset manufacturers) typically release two types of chipsets, one with integrated graphics, and one without. For example Intel is currently marketing the 945G and 945P chipsets. The G version includes integrated graphics and the P version does not. Both versions support a PCI Express x16 port which is used for graphics.

It is pretty simple to see if the motherboard has either an AGP or PCI Express x16 slot. Simply open up the computer and you should see are row of slots along the back of the motherboard. One of these should look noticeably different and will be located on the end of the row (most likely closest to the CPU).

Alternatively, you should be able to do a search to find the specs of the computer that you have purchased using Google. It would surprise me if you PC did not have a dedicated graphics slot unless it is quite old and only uses PCI slots. In this case you can still fit a card as long as it is a PCI version.

Installing the card is very simple. You will need to open the computer (obviously) and then remove a small metal panel from the case directly behind the slot that you are plan to place the card into. This can be done with a philips head or straight slot screw driver. The card will then push into the slot with a little bit of force. It is then located by replacing the screw that was removed from the blanking panel.

It is important to check that the card is suited to the slot before you try and assemble it. Cards are specific to the slot type (i.e PCI, AGP, or PCI Express x 16). One other tip is to make sure that you touch some metal on the case before you pick up and then assemble to card to discharge any static charge.

Hope this helps.

[claudermilk]

In short, that salesman is full of it & doesn't know what he's talking about. First you need to check to see what sort of expansion slots are available as others hae said. I would expect just a plain PCI. Once you have the correct card, you probably will need to go into the BIOS setup (That Hit DEL or F2 or whatever message on bootup) and disable the onboard video.

BTW, the current crop of hot gaming rigs specifially use two video cards connected to each other to boost performance.

[Zepher]

give us the model number of your gateway machine.

[MarkoPolo]

It is a Gateway 5028--It has an nvidia 6100 integrated card. I bought an nvidia 6500 pci express card (I believe I have one slot for that and 2 regular PCI slots, one of which has the wireless card in it) I will add 2 gigs of ram and this card.
Question: Can I install the new card and turn the machine back on and just uninstall the first card then from the control panel, or do I have to do something to the BIOS(I've never messed with BIOS before)?

[Hellashot]

Others are right in that you probably don't have an AGP slot, which allows for faster data transfer than a PCI slot. You'll have to disable the integrated video through your BIOS when you install a PCI video card. Make sure NOT to buy PCI Express Video card because your computer probably does not have the PCI Express slots. You'll need to plug your monitor into your new video card instead of the video-out port built into the motherboard.

[mdm]

Looks like your machine may have a pci-e slot for video card. I looked it up under comp usa and it shows one pci-e and 2 regular pci slots. Double check your board or your specs on the motherboard. Any way thats good for you. Like someone said earlier you'll have to go in setup and disable your onboard video. Look at the post and it will tell what key to hit for setup. Sometimes it's F2 or delete key. That's at startup. It will shows keys and what functions they perform. Just make you save before exit and the computer will reboot.

[CyberDyneSystems]

The on board video should be defeatable in the MOBOS Bios set up..

In the "bad old days" there were Mobos who's integrated vidoe could not be defeated,. and would allways use the onbioard as the default, or primary display no matter what you did,. but this was a looong time ago. (think Pentium era)

Any modern board with integrated video should allow turning it off completely at the least,. and may allow it to be the secondary if you want to use both.

As you know,. your Mobo DOES have PCI-Express....

Processor Brand: AMD
Processor Class: Athlon 64 X2
Processor Number: 3800+
Processor Speed: 2.0 GHz
Bus Speed: 2.0 GHz
L2 Cache Size: 2 x 512 KB
System Chipset: NVIDIA nForce 410
Memory Speed: PC-3200 (400MHz)
Memory Technology: DDR-SDRAM
Installed Memory: 1 GB
Maximum Memory: 4 GB
Hard Drive Capacity: 250 GB
Drive Controllers: IDE (Ultra ATA/DMA)
Rotational Speed: 7200 RPM
Card Slots: 1 x CompactFlash Card
1 x MicroDrive
1 x Memory Stick
1 x Memory Stick Pro
1 x SmartMedia Card
1 x Secure Digital(SD)/MMC
1 x xD-Picture Card
Sound Support: 6 Channel Audio
Video Chipset Brand: NVIDIA
Video Chipset: GeForce 6100
Video Integration: Motherboard
Shared Video RAM (Max): 128 MB
Monitor Included: No
Port Connectors: 7 x USB 2.0 (2 in front, 1 in Media Manager, 4 in back)
1 x VGA External Connector
3 x IEEE 1394 (2 in front, 1 in back)
1 x Parallel
2 x PS/2 (Keyboard and Mouse)
5 x Audio (2 in front, 3 in rear)
1 x RJ-11 Modem
1 x RJ-45 Ethernet LAN

PCI Slots: 2
PCI Express x1 Slots: 1
PCI Express x16 Slots: 1
Slots Notes: 1 PCI, 1 PCI Express x1 and 1 PCI Express x16 open

[darktiger]

Your computer has a PCIe port on it. You might have to disable (move a jumper to disable the onboard video). Some other types of mb detect a new videocard, if that is the case, then you need to go into your bios and set what videocard you want to start out with..

[MarkoPolo]

Wow, this forum is the best! I am still a little intimidated here. Let me see if I have this straight. I install the new card on the PCI-E slot. I hook the monitor to the new card. I start up the machine, but his F2 to get to Bios settings. Then? I disable the intergrated card, Nvidia 6100? How? Is that different than going into device manager and disabling the card? It's here that I'm a little nervous! Thanks again. POTN is a wonderful world.

[mdm]

Darktiger talked about jumper pins on your motherboard and I said bios under setup. I'm not sure which one but try the bios first. Device manager would uninstall it But bios would disable it.

[Mathiau]

god i want to go to that circuit city and kick the person who told you that in the head and then demand they be fired

i CANT stand incompetant sales people who know jack!!!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH


Sorry, but companies like BB and circuit city REALLY need to improve their hiring process for people working in technical postions.

[Zepher]

don't forget to unplug the power cable from the PC when you install the new card.

do it this way.
shut down the PC
Install new card
plug power to pc and keep the monitor plugged into the old vga port on the PC.
turn on PC and go to the BIOS setup, it may be one of these keys, F1, F2, F10, or DEL.
Look for a setting area called Integrated Peripherals in the Advanced area tab.
you can disable the onboard Display in there, or you may be able to keep it active and select the PCI-E as the primary display, so that you can run triple screens if you like, (2 off of the new card and one from the onboard).
If you don't plan on triples, just disable it.
then go to the exit area and save settings and exit.
turn off PC, and move the VGA cable from the onboad port to the new video card.
turn PC back on and you should see the computer boot up with no problems.
load drivers and you are good to go.

[darktiger]

Wow, this forum is the best! I am still a little intimidated here. Let me see if I have this straight. I install the new card on the PCI-E slot. I hook the monitor to the new card. I start up the machine, but his F2 to get to Bios settings. Then? I disable the intergrated card, Nvidia 6100? How? Is that different than going into device manager and disabling the card? It's here that I'm a little nervous! Thanks again. POTN is a wonderful world.

When I got home, I should of looked at my bios. Because I have a 6100 board. Sorry about that. I think you can just change video order in the bios...

[MarkoPolo]

Thanks everyone for the replies! I am going to start tomorrow on adding the 2 gigs of Ram(total of 3 gigs) and the new video card. I got a software program to move everything over from my old machine(Intellimover). I was able to get the Gateway (floor model) for $619 at Circuit City and the Ram and video card was only $300 more. I would cost more than that to add 2 gigs of Ram to my Dell 8250. Couldn't see how I could loose, but the deed is not done yet.

[MarkoPolo]

It is Saturday morning and I have installed the Ram and (apparently) the video card properly. I say that because it didn't go exactly like Zepher suggested. When I turned on the computer after installing the card, no image would come up on the old card. However, once I plugged into the new card I had an image. Under BIOS settings and intergrated peripherals, I never did see any video card (integrated or otherwise) listed. So I installed the drivers from the disc and all seems normal!
Next task is to move everything from the old computer using the Intellimover software and cable. Then I will hook up the new Dell 2405 to the DVI and I should be in business. This will have to wait untill tomorow. Has anyone used Intellimover? How did it work for you? TIA

[CyberDyneSystems]

That's very cool that not only are manufacturers making it possible to upgrade video on integrated bords.. but they are making it dead simple by allready having the Video expansion slot (in this case the PCI-E slot) have bios priority.

I HUGE improvement over the old days of "Packard hell" etc..

[PhotosGuy]

OK, here's another question. Is there a way to use the LCD on a laptop at the 2nd monitor?

[Mathiau]

if you have an jack for video out yes just plug in the lcd and go into your display properties and enable the display.

[Zepher]

OK, here's another question. Is there a way to use the LCD on a laptop at the 2nd monitor?

this was asked on another forum and there is a network program that you can use to make it work, http://www.maxivista.com/.

Mark, glad to hear that it worked flawlessly.
the instructions I posted was first hand knowledge from when I was adding a card into my friends machine with an Asus motherboard with onboard video.
that was a 2-3 year old board.

[MarkoPolo]

Thanks Zepher. I was going to move the files today, but yardwork prevailed! Hope to get it done soon. To all who replied and gave me good advice, my sincere thanks. It is really great to be able to tap expert opinion with the forum. This is like Star Wars to a guy old enough to remember seeing his first TV and phones were manned by live operators!

[PhotosGuy]

Thanks for the info, guys.

[Mathiau]

EDIT - miss read :D