Best PCI Express x1 Card for Win98/ME?

[gabelossus]

Hello,

I am currently running a Windows ME machine with 512 mb of ram. The onboard Intel graphics just aren't cutting it for games, and I would like to upgrade. I have looked at cards such as the NVIDIA Riva but they are either regular PCI or AGP. The only slot I have free is a PCI Express X1 slot. If push comes to shove I can replace the modem with a GPU, however I would greatly prefer an X1 card. Either NVIDIA or ATI will work with me. The motherboard is a Cascade III.

 

[basroil]

It simply will not work, anything before XP just has no freaking clue what PCIe is or how to use it.

At this point, just buy a new computer, you can get refurb core 2 machines that are about a thousand times faster (literally) for $80

 

[Saga Lout]

Have you found many games that will run on 512MB of RAM - other than Solitaire, that is?

 

[basroil]

Have you found many games that will run on 512MB of RAM - other than Solitaire, that is?

Diablo II works 😉

 

[Rogue Leader]

16 year old + games should all be fine with 512 mb ram.... I have a few boxes of them in the basement.

However you cannot put a modern GPU in that system and expect it to work. Don't get me wrong they do exist

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500395&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC-_-pla-_-Video+Card+-+Nvidia-_-N82E16814500395&gclid=Cj0KEQjw0f-9BRCF9-D60_n4rKcBEiQAnXW4-_99J3LM1O-D6AHBRjEIp1cXgu3wifIcoMeBJ-tnV_4aAhpU8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

But as mentioned Windows won't know what to do with it, and for like 40 bucks more you can get an entire computer that would demolish it. Its literally 46 more dollars than I would ever spend on that system.

 

[gabelossus]

Thanks. I know it is hard (nearly impossible) to find anything other than an AGP card that will run decent on 9x. I could just dedicate this computer to where its at and instead upgrade the crap out of my XP computer.

 

[ragnar-gd]

There are many PCIe 1x cards that run with W9x.
I have at least three in my machines on W98SE, primarily for Gigabit-LAN, i.e.: RTL 8111B NICs.

There are many PCIe 16x GPUs that work for W9x/ME, i have at least five running:
NVidia: 6200 256 MB, 6600 GT 256 MB, 7600 GT 256 MB, 7900 GTX 512 MB
ATI: x800 GT 256 MB

W9x/ME not being able to use PCIe is a myth, carried on by ignorance (although i won't blame anyone, as we are talking about an operating system from the last century... )

UNFORTUNATELY, GPUs for PCIe 1x are rare anyway, and i know of none working with W9x/ME, as the first of those (i think) appeared long after the launch of Windows Vista, mainly as Geforce derivates, camouflaged as NVidia Quattros.

Probably the best choice for your MB is a Geforce 6200 PCI wirth 256 MB Ram, which still will be lots faster than your onboard graphics, and supports DX 9.0c.

Cascade III: That's a PIII-MoBo? Do you have any hint which was the manufacturer?

 

[gabelossus]

Cascade III is.. I believe an Intel mobo. My PC is a MicronPC.com Millennia RS2110. Here is the motherboard specifications: http://www.mpcdrivers.com/apps/syscompeb68.html?ID=56&Categ=34

It's not Pentium III, in case you were wondering. Celeron 733mHz.

 

[ragnar-gd]

Sorry, to be the messenger of doom (tm), but...
...i had a look at the specifications: The slot your modem is in is not PCIe 1x, but AMR - thats what the specs say (i have no picture, but i'm pretty sure). The modem is most surely the only thing that will run in that slot ever.

The fact that the Celeron 733 runs is pretty cool, i have still two Celeron 533 (from my ABIT BP6), and thought those were the fastest ever for that slot.

If you need those PCI-slots, you're out of luck, as the aforementioned GF 6200 256MB PCI is your ONLY choice for good graphics.

What do you have in the other slots, if i may ask?