- Feb 26, 2010
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I don’t know where to post this: Video or Motherboards. So I’ll try Video first.
I’m no newbie, and I may be a little anal, but this issue is driving me nuts.
I inherited a HP Pavilion a6314F Desktop PC, and have been doing “small” upgrades to it, to get it able to handle Windows 7. (Posts in other threads)
The motherboard is an Asus M2N68-LA (Narra2), with an AMD Athlon 64 x2 5000+ CPU (2.67 GHz Dual-Core). I up’d the RAM to 4GB of DDR2-667 (PC-5500), added a Seagate 7200.11 500GB SATA II HDD, installed the OS to a OCZ Agility 2 60GB SSD, up’d the PSU to 550W, up’d the CPU cooler to a CoolMaster 101a, and added a 92mm case fan plugged into the motherboard. Already too much! Only the SSD and HDD will move to the future system.
From the HP website: HP Pavilion a6314f Desktop PC
Integrated graphics using nVidia GeForce 6150SE
*Integrated video is not available if a graphics card is installed.
• Integrated graphics using nVidia GeForce 6150SE
• Up to 256MB (with 512MB or more PC memory)
• Also supports PCI Express x16 graphics cards*
To get better video performance, I installed a HIS Radeon HD4350 512MB DDR2 PCI video card in it, to replace of the (chipset) onboard nVidia GeForce 6150SE nForce 430 video. (I already had this video card, pulled from a different computer upgraded earlier this year.)
When I installed the PCI (YES, PCI! Not PCI-e x16!), the BIOS doesn’t display it's post thru the new card, via DVI nor VGA. So I plugged in via the onboard VGA, and set the BIOS from “onboard video” to “PCI.” Still, the BIOS doesn’t display it's post thru the new card! But, once Windows is ready, the log on screen displays, and from there, it’s all good. The Device Manager still displays the onboard video, even though it is suppose to be disabled in the BIOS*. And it’s taking resources from the system: memory, IRQ, DMA, etc.
When I have both the VGA and DVI inputs to the monitor plugged in, the monitor only recognizes the Digital display, which is fine. This must be a monitor “thing.”
I installed the drivers for the Radeon video card, but this happened before the drivers were installed.
The BIOS doesn’t display thru the new video card, but everything after the Windows 7 log on does.
The thing is, I would like to get a Radeon 5770 video card, future proof. But if the BIOS post doesn’t display thru a PCI-e x16 card (like the PCI card), I won’t get the card yet. Does anyone know if the BIOS post will display thru the PCI-E x16 card?
So, right now, if I want to see the BIOS post, or change anything in it, I have to unhook the DVI-D video from the added card, and hook up a VGA cable to the onboard port. What a PITA!
*I’ve had this problem before: when I disable an onboard device in BIOS, Windows still sees the device, installs drives and uses system resources for it. When I disable the device in Device Manager, I get the yellow “!”. I did it before for a LAN/Ethernet Card, upgrading from onboard LAN 10Mbps to a PCI LAN 10/100/1000Mbps card.
I know this rig is really a P.o.S., but I don’t have the cash right now for what I want, so small steps. At least it’s a dual-core. Better than the P4 2.0GHz it replaces! Next step is a new case: Antec 300.
I’m no newbie, and I may be a little anal, but this issue is driving me nuts.
I inherited a HP Pavilion a6314F Desktop PC, and have been doing “small” upgrades to it, to get it able to handle Windows 7. (Posts in other threads)
The motherboard is an Asus M2N68-LA (Narra2), with an AMD Athlon 64 x2 5000+ CPU (2.67 GHz Dual-Core). I up’d the RAM to 4GB of DDR2-667 (PC-5500), added a Seagate 7200.11 500GB SATA II HDD, installed the OS to a OCZ Agility 2 60GB SSD, up’d the PSU to 550W, up’d the CPU cooler to a CoolMaster 101a, and added a 92mm case fan plugged into the motherboard. Already too much! Only the SSD and HDD will move to the future system.
From the HP website: HP Pavilion a6314f Desktop PC
Integrated graphics using nVidia GeForce 6150SE
*Integrated video is not available if a graphics card is installed.
• Integrated graphics using nVidia GeForce 6150SE
• Up to 256MB (with 512MB or more PC memory)
• Also supports PCI Express x16 graphics cards*
To get better video performance, I installed a HIS Radeon HD4350 512MB DDR2 PCI video card in it, to replace of the (chipset) onboard nVidia GeForce 6150SE nForce 430 video. (I already had this video card, pulled from a different computer upgraded earlier this year.)
When I installed the PCI (YES, PCI! Not PCI-e x16!), the BIOS doesn’t display it's post thru the new card, via DVI nor VGA. So I plugged in via the onboard VGA, and set the BIOS from “onboard video” to “PCI.” Still, the BIOS doesn’t display it's post thru the new card! But, once Windows is ready, the log on screen displays, and from there, it’s all good. The Device Manager still displays the onboard video, even though it is suppose to be disabled in the BIOS*. And it’s taking resources from the system: memory, IRQ, DMA, etc.
When I have both the VGA and DVI inputs to the monitor plugged in, the monitor only recognizes the Digital display, which is fine. This must be a monitor “thing.”
I installed the drivers for the Radeon video card, but this happened before the drivers were installed.
The BIOS doesn’t display thru the new video card, but everything after the Windows 7 log on does.
The thing is, I would like to get a Radeon 5770 video card, future proof. But if the BIOS post doesn’t display thru a PCI-e x16 card (like the PCI card), I won’t get the card yet. Does anyone know if the BIOS post will display thru the PCI-E x16 card?
So, right now, if I want to see the BIOS post, or change anything in it, I have to unhook the DVI-D video from the added card, and hook up a VGA cable to the onboard port. What a PITA!
*I’ve had this problem before: when I disable an onboard device in BIOS, Windows still sees the device, installs drives and uses system resources for it. When I disable the device in Device Manager, I get the yellow “!”. I did it before for a LAN/Ethernet Card, upgrading from onboard LAN 10Mbps to a PCI LAN 10/100/1000Mbps card.
I know this rig is really a P.o.S., but I don’t have the cash right now for what I want, so small steps. At least it’s a dual-core. Better than the P4 2.0GHz it replaces! Next step is a new case: Antec 300.
Many modern monitors have DVI, VGA, and HDMI inputs. And you need to select the appropriate input so it knows which connection to use. Just like your TV my friend. 
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