[SOLVED] Displaying a no-graphics amd system with only a usb video card?

Jun 25, 2021
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TLDR
Can I boot a system with no iGPU or nvidia/amd/intel dedicated gpu for the first time and display bios/os IF I plug in a usb video card, such as this:
https://www.newegg.com/p/1DH-0183-00003

and, ya know, turn it on?

The longer wat doing
But seriously, what am I thinking? Well, with graphics cards in an insufferable era of scalping, BUT, with light at the end of the tunnel, and with a desire to build a system before some other part experiences supply restrictions, or end of life cycle issue (and, ya know... I just... really wanna build a PC, like, now. I theoretically don't need to... BUT SINCE WHEN WAS THAT THE POINT), I've considered building something like, say, this, sooner than later

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/jVfHy4

With linux mint, and no long-term (or... even short-term) graphics solution. Then I can round it out later with Radeon 6800xt if supply ever catches up. And maybe Windows if Wine and other cross-OS solutions don't pan out.

Except, apparently, without a short-term graphics solution, I hear tell nothing will display to any monitor. If the cpu doesn't have integrated graphics, and there are no dedicated gpus on the pci ports, then systems these days refuse to dump the os/bios graphical work on the cpu (rather rude I might say). If it doesn't display... kinda makes it impossible to test the system within any reasonable time frame roughly coinciding with pc-part-return-windows.

Couple solutions that came to mind were:
  • Buy a REALLY old el cheapo graphics card for pennies (assuming any pci/pcie card can be plugged into a pcie4 port, which as far as I understand, are backwards compatibles. Anyone care to provide additional confirmation?)
  • Buy a usb graphics card (if I even understand what those things are, as much as I think I do), and pretend those work right out of the box without any drivers, os, or all that other nonsense I can't be bothered with!
So I guess my question is: is option 2 a pipe dream? (And... to a lesser concern/double-check... is option 1 still viable?)
 
Solution
Can I boot a system with no iGPU or nvidia/amd/intel dedicated gpu for the first time and display bios/os IF I plug in a usb video card
No. A gpu is required to post(there a a few exceptions but they unlikely apply to the hardware you are using) and a USB display adapter won't work.

A cheap pci-e gpu is the best option to use while you wait to get a better gpu.

bignastyid

Titan
Moderator
Can I boot a system with no iGPU or nvidia/amd/intel dedicated gpu for the first time and display bios/os IF I plug in a usb video card
No. A gpu is required to post(there a a few exceptions but they unlikely apply to the hardware you are using) and a USB display adapter won't work.

A cheap pci-e gpu is the best option to use while you wait to get a better gpu.
 
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