Dual monitor card in an HP Pavilion, system doesn't boot

[Lobster1071]

I'm working on an older HP Pavilion a6157c (a6000 series) model with one onboard VGA port.
I would ultimately like to have a dual screen setup with one with a VGA/DVI port and one HDMI port. This would not be for gaming at all, and will only be used for very light duty work. One screen (VGA) will be for internet browsing, and the other (HDMI) will be for showing a camera system. I have set up a number of multi-monitor systems in the past, so this is not new to me.

I purchased a Radeon HD 5450 PCIe thinking that would do the job (the computer is at least new enough to have a PCIe slot). The card has a VGA, DVI, and HDMI port, and supports 2 monitors (one VGA or DVI and the other HDMI). However, once I plug the card in, the computer simply doesn't boot. I get a power light, and the fans work, but I don't even get the POST screen, nor can I get to the BIOS. The screen is completely black (whether I use the VGA or DVI port). The hard drive light doesn't even flicker, so it's not even booting with no display. It's simply frozen.

I already upgraded the computer's motherboard BIOS to the latest version (downloaded from the HP website). I've also tried switching the video option in the BIOS from Onboard to PCI (there is no PCIe option, is that the problem?). Not sure what else to try. I'm not really up on all the versions of the PCIe slots, but is it possible that the card and computer simply aren't compatible? Can anyone recommend another card to try? Even if I get a video card (either PCI or PCIe) with two VGA or two DVI ports, I think that's ok, then I could just get a VGA to HDMI or DVI to HDMI converter, and I think that would work. I'm still thinking that since there is no PCIe video option in the BIOS, that the computer is simply incapable of having a PCIe video card, and I would have to get a PCI card, but I don't know for sure.

Anyone with any friendly suggestions?

Thanks

 

[not important]

an option to update the drivers which may be the problem is instead of setting the BIOS to PCI set it to ING (or onboard) then reinstall the card if it boots that way you should be able to update drivers (if it does not your PC may not have enough power)

..and if you end up having to get a new graphics card I would get a NVidia 210 probably from MSI as it will have all the ports you want I got one 6 years ago for $20 and it is super compatible.

 

[Lobster1071]

an option to update the drivers which may be the problem is instead of setting the BIOS to PCI set it to ING (or onboard) then reinstall the card if it boots that way you should be able to update drivers (if it does not your PC may not have enough power)

..and if you end up having to get a new graphics card I would get a NVidia 210 probably from MSI as it will have all the ports you want I got one 6 years ago for $20 and it is super compatible.

Thanks for the reply. Maybe I wasn't clear, but I've had it set to Onboard and PCI with the card installed, and it will not boot either way. So, I cannot get to Windows on either setting with the card installed.

Thanks for the NVidia 210 suggestion. I see one from MSI and one from Asus, among others. Any particular reason you mentioned MSI? I mean I think any reputable manufacturer would be OK, wouldn't it? I think it's a good suggestion because looking at the specs I noticed that card is PCIe 2.0, and the one I bought is PCIe 2.1. I'm hoping the older version of PCIe will be more compatible with the older computer.

Interesting that you thought it could be a power issue. I didn't think of that. The specs say that the 210 draws "up to" 75W more power. I wouldn't think that would be too much for the current power supply, but I'll see when I get the card.

Thanks again for the info.

 

[not important]

i only suggested MSI because I know that it has a heat-sink version with all the video outputs, you can get any brand you want I would just make sure it has a heat sink and not a fan because it will use less power. The "up to 75 watts"...well its unlikely that you will get it to reach that without a fan and without overclocking it while playing video games, for basic use it is around 35 watts or less if I remember correctly.

 

[Lobster1071]

i only suggested MSI because I know that it has a heat-sink version with all the video outputs, you can get any brand you want I would just make sure it has a heat sink and not a fan because it will use less power. The "up to 75 watts"...well its unlikely that you will get it to reach that without a fan and without overclocking it while playing video games, for basic use it is around 35 watts or less if I remember correctly.

Thanks again. I'm going to order that card today and try it out. Yes, I wouldn't get it with a fan, I know that draws more power, besides I usually like less moving parts and those fans are usually the first to go (and usually grow louder over time as the bearings wear). For higher end cards, of course fans are necessary, but not for this purpose.

 

[Lobster1071]

an option to update the drivers which may be the problem is instead of setting the BIOS to PCI set it to ING (or onboard) then reinstall the card if it boots that way you should be able to update drivers (if it does not your PC may not have enough power)

..and if you end up having to get a new graphics card I would get a NVidia 210 probably from MSI as it will have all the ports you want I got one 6 years ago for $20 and it is super compatible.

Had to reply and thank you. The Nvidia 210 worked perfectly. I think it was as I wrote previously, that the PCIe 2.1 card was too "new" for the older computer I was installing it into. The PCIe 2.0 card that you suggested was backward compatible enough to work. In fact, there is some good info on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCI_Express

What is says about 2.1 is that it "breaks backward compatibility between...some older motherboards", while 2.0 "are generally backward compatible".

So thanks again for your suggestion. It was just what was needed.