To Cromat88: I have come to accept that as one of the answers as to why it won't work. And it sucks, cuz I won't be able to play my game to its full extent, and I also wasted another $25 (on top of the cost of the game) on a useless graphics card...
To weaselman: I tried the graphics card in both scenarios:
1) Card connected thru the 4pin power to my computer (cable was just hanging inside the case when I opened it).
2) Card disconnected from the 4pin cable, which is supposed to be as the instruction manual that came with it mentions nothing about plugging it in.
But still NOTHING! No display on my monitor. I did these two in all possible combinations, that is: Monitor connected to card(both ports available) or to motherboard, BIOS with Primary Video Adapter selected either PCI or Onboard, and many other I cannot think of right now. I'm very persistent, so I kinda tried whatever combination came to mind.
To SharnThor: My BIOS was programmed by Phoenix Technologies, version 5.23, and up to date according to the HP website (as I've tried to find an update for it). It still does not display the option to select PCI-E in the Primary Video Adapter. The following link shows a bios that is very similar to what I see, from the HP website:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?cc=us&lc=en&docname=c02028457
If you scroll to Figure 2: Advanced menu screen, it shows exactly what I can see (minus the specific computer specs). As the little "Note" says, not all settings on the table shown below are available for all computers... Which sucks for me, again, as I don't see PCI-E option in my own BIOS.
Also, under the security menu make sure that the PCI Express x16 slot 1 is enabled
and then
Under advanced menu -> device options - ensure that integrated graphics is disabled. Then set the primary video to PCIe
I do not understand the "security menu" you're referring to, but if it is from the BIOS - it doesn't exist.
I looked at your link, and it does provide a possible solution to my problem (saying that I won't be able to use my PCI-E port):
From Max Hochman:
"Final answer: Not all motherboards support the new PCI-E 2.1 connection without a bios update."
But if this is the case, a possible solution could be to flash my BIOS and update it????? I've been trying to research this, but it gets into more complex stuff that I don't understand as of now.
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I did some other research and found a similar issue at the following link:
http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktop-Hardware/Video-card-upgrade-Cannot-find-PCI-Express-option-in-BIOS/td-p/243065
The solution offered in this case is that maybe the graphics card requires a PCI-E x16 2.1 slot, and I may have only a PCI-E x16 2.0. In this case, I really have NO CLUE how to tell which PCI-E x16 version I have on my motherboard, but again goes back to the issue of flashing the BIOS
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To summarize:
As it stands right now, I have a few possible solutions to this issue, and a bunch of unresolved questions:
1) My PSU is too weak for the required power to this graphics card, and it won't work because of this.
-I did, however, find that some users were able to run similar cards with a weak PSU, and still get it working. So what could be the issue here?
2) My card is faulty. I did not see the fan on the card turning once the power was connected and the computer was on. So it could be the damn card that is broken. I would like to try it in another computer, but I don't know anybody that would lend me theirs to try.
-Any suggestions in this area?
3) The last possibility is that my BIOS is actually outdated and it won't read my card since (I'm not sure of this) my card requires a PCI-E x16
2.1, and the BIOS is only programmed for PCI-E x16
2.0. In this case, there exists the possibility of flashing my BIOS (clearing it and reinstalling the BIOS software), but from what I can read this is a VERY difficult process that could potentially render my pc useless if done without care and advanced knowledge.
-You can tell this is where I don't know what I'm doing, as I don't even understand if the PCI-E 2.0 or 2.1 is the software or hardware itself.
-Also, any comments on what flashing the BIOS would do? would it help me in this case? and how to go about that?
4) A way to bypass the need for a graphics card (and to actually use the integrated one) was to find a software that would let me use the game (The Sims 3) without Pixel Shader 2.0 or DirectX9.0. I am using SwiftShader, but it displays their logo right on my screen and I can't get rid of it while playing the game. It also makes my computer very slow. VERY.
-Does anybody know of a good program that will let me skip the need for Pixel Shader? or any other way to play these games without a graphics card? I'll definitely save up $$$ for a better computer, starting next week.
Thanks to everyone who has helped me along the way so far.
A worthy note: I have learned more about computers in the past two days than in the last 5-10 years of my life, just by doing research and getting input of people like you. Thanks.
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