What to do first: change BIOS setting, install the video card, or install driver?

[Prevost]

I just received a video card.

But my computer brand's site has confusing info, so I'm not sure if I have to change BIOS settings first (although it is already set to PCI video instead to the onboard video AGP controller - I don't know why), or if I have to install first the driver of the card, or if I install the card, connect the monitor to it, count on current BIOS setting, and expect Windows to recognize the new hardware and proceed accordingly.

For more signals, I run Windows 98 SE.

[Darius Wey]

Is this a PCI or AGP video card?

First install the video card. If your motherboard is able to detect which bus is being used, it will usually revert to the relevant setting in the BIOS. Otherwise, you wouldn't get any display. ;)

Then let Windows boot up as usual, and install the latest drivers for the card. If you're running Windows 98 SE, chances are there are no native drivers installed that will recognise the card, so a "default video card" driver will be used. You definitely don't want that if you want to bring out the true power of your card. :)

[Prevost]

It is a PCI video card.

OK, concerning drivers, I suppose the CD coming with the card contains a driver. If not, well, I guess I'll need to go to nVidia site for the latest driver. Nothing special hopefully :roll:

BTW, the card is based on nVidia GeForce FX5200

Darius, guess what? I'm getting serious about building my next PC on my own! :mrgreen:

[Darius Wey]

It is a PCI video card.

OK, concerning drivers, I suppose the CD coming with the card contains a driver. If not, well, I guess I'll need to go to nVidia site for the latest driver. Nothing special hopefully :roll:

BTW, the card is based on nVidia GeForce FX5200

The drivers in the CD are usually manufacturer-specific, but I like to download the NVIDIA ForceWare drivers just because they tend to be more updated over time. That's probably something you'll want to consider too.

Darius, guess what? I'm getting serious about building my next PC on my own! :mrgreen:

That's good. You'll find it to be an enjoyable experience as well. Once you start building your own, you won't look elsewhere. :)

[maximus]

Darius, guess what? I'm getting serious about building my next PC on my own! :mrgreen:

That's good. You'll find it to be an enjoyable experience as well. Once you start building your own, you won't look elsewhere. :)

Until you got an IRQ conflict that you cannot solve, that is :)

I remember the headache I had several years ago when I cannot resolve a conflict between a network card and a video card. Several frustrating days passed before I decided to read the manual that came with the motherboard. Apparently the 6th and 7th PCI slots are defined to share IRQ ... I always like to install my PCI peripherals from the bottommost slot, and then move up. Ah, the good old days when you have full PCI slots ...

[Prevost]

Ah, the good old days when you have full PCI slots ...
I STILL have two...if you want'em, you can get'em along with their downsides :mrgreen: some bucks don't come bad.

Well, I installed the card. Everything ran close to plug and play. However it was not the case with a new DIMM, that makes the PC unable to boot.

And I spent about 80 dollars for it... :roll:

[Prevost]

Alright, video performance has obviously improved. The speed I browse thru spreadsheets has become incredible, and "traces" I had endured for years are now a thing in the past. Happy!

[Darius Wey]

However it was not the case with a new DIMM, that makes the PC unable to boot. And I spent about 80 dollars for it... :roll:

Memory is a little different to the rest. You'll have to be aware that old PCs most likely take SD RAM, and even then, they come in multiple variants (e.g. single-sided, double-sided, PC100, PC133, amount of memory etc.) A motherboard will require a specific type of stick for it to recognise it properly.

[Darius Wey]

Alright, video performance has obviously improved. The speed I browse thru spreadsheets has become incredible, and "traces" I had endured for years are now a thing in the past. Happy!

That's great. You really do notice the improvements when you jump from a historical graphics card to a modern one. I still have a 2MB S3 card lying around... It doesn't even process 32-bit colour. ;)

[Prevost]

Memory is a little different to the rest. You'll have to be aware that old PCs most likely take SD RAM, and even then, they come in multiple variants (e.g. single-sided, double-sided, PC100, PC133, amount of memory etc.) A motherboard will require a specific type of stick for it to recognise it properly.
Yeah, I noticed. The new module has chips only in one side, while the one that came with my PC (Hynix) has chips in both sides (I guess this is what "single sided" and Double sided" means)

But the :evil: thing is, I bought it in the understanding it was specific for my system! ( :evil: again )

The saddest thing is, returning it from Panama is so expensive, that it is almost sure it is the same thing as throwing it to trash.

Next time, I'll try Corsair.

[maximus]

The saddest thing is, returning it from Panama is so expensive, that it is almost sure it is the same thing as throwing it to trash.


e-bay :)

That's great. You really do notice the improvements when you jump from a historical graphics card to a modern one. I still have a 2MB S3 card lying around... It doesn't even process 32-bit colour.


The improvement in computer world is simply fascinating, right ?
I still remember my older IBM PC XT 8088 with 4 mhz processor, 640 kb of RAM and 10 MB harddrive. And now we have 3,800 mhz processors with 2,000,000 kb of RAM and 300,000 MB harddrive. Awesome improvement.

[Prevost]

The saddest thing is, returning it from Panama is so expensive, that it is almost sure it is the same thing as throwing it to trash.


e-bay :)


:lol:
Have you ever put something in ebay from Oblivion? If so, I'll believe I can do so from Panama!

I mean, who carries the transportation charges?

Also, I'm not sure of what specifications post.

[maximus]

Have you ever put something in ebay from Oblivion? If so, I'll believe I can do so from Panama!

I mean, who carries the transportation charges?

Also, I'm not sure of what specifications post.

I once sold my older laptop thru ebay singapore, with a notification "Buyer should be from Jakarta, Indonesia or willing to pay the shipment cost"

:)

[Prevost]

Maximus, great reading you. it seems you are fine, concerning that quake and tsunamis tragedy.

[maximus]

We experienced very heavy rain during the last couple of days, but other than that, we are fine. There was an occasion when I was driving in a toll road with only 2-3 meters of visibility in front of me.

Approx. 23000 people killed in the earth quake and tsunami. Very bad incident to close this year.