Graphics card installation help! Where do I put this thing?!

[Agaetis]

I'm not exactly intelligent when it comes to installing hardware. I don't really get on my computer much anyway. I recently got a new computer and I was going to transfer my GeForce FX 5200 (lol i know right) to it, but I can't find a spot to insert it in to.
So I looked around in it another day and found out if I pulled out the "modem" card, where you would plug up a phone line if you were using dial-up, I could insert the card right in there. Well, I was wondering if it'll still work by doing this, and if there is any way it could damage the computer.
I should note that the "modem card" slot is the only slot available. So does this slot work ONLY for the modem card, or is it the same type of slot and can be used for other things, such as the graphics card?
There's a video on this site that shows the spot:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01292389&cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&product=3879051

My computer is an Intel Celeron, 2.20ghz, 2gb of RAM.

Will the instructions work on that site with nothing to worry about?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[Hammeh]

I don't think that the 5200 graphics card will work in a new PC. To my knowledge the 5200 is an AGP slot card and if your computer is new then it probably will not have an AGP slot because it has been outdated by PCI-E x16.
You will need to provide us with a link to your PC specs so that we can check and see if the mobo has an AGP slot on it. If the card fits in the slot that the modem was in, then placing the card in the slot and powering it on should not damage the PC, but it is worth checking before you do so!

 

[Agaetis]

I don't think that the 5200 graphics card will work in a new PC. To my knowledge the 5200 is an AGP slot card and if your computer is new then it probably will not have an AGP slot because it has been outdated by PCI-E x16.
You will need to provide us with a link to your PC specs so that we can check and see if the mobo has an AGP slot on it. If the card fits in the slot that the modem was in, then placing the card in the slot and powering it on should not damage the PC, but it is worth checking before you do so!

I appreciate your reply. I thought the 5200 wasn't PCI-E too, but when I go to nVidia's site, it says otherwise: http://www.nvidia.com/page/fx_5200.html

"Mainstream PCI Express GPUs"
"PCI Express Certified

Designed to run perfectly with the next-generation PCI Express bus architecture. This new bus doubles the bandwidth of AGP 8x delivering over 4GB/s in both upstream and downstream data transfers"

Anyway, how do I provide you guys with a link to my PC specs? My dxdiag log or?

 

[coozie7]

Click on your link and scroll down then match your card connector to those shown.
From what you are saying you have a PCI card and yes it will fit into a PCI expansion slot, in fact the only way it could be put into the wrong type of slot is by a thug mechanic like me
BUT Does the new system have onboard graphics? If so you would be better off using that than a PCI FX5200.

 

[Agaetis]

Yeah, it's a PCI card The system is running on the onboard graphics, and it does pretty good job too. It's just I can't run some games (the, good ones) because of the Shader Model and stuff. This oboard graphics doesn't support it at all. And I remember on my past computer, the hardware might've been crap, but the graphics card did pretty decent.

So, the verdict is... I can TRY to install it? And nothing bad will happen right? Like complete destruction of my harddrive, or or or, my monitor not turning on ever again because of messing with the bios? This stuff should be real simple right?!

 

[coozie7]

The only problems I can forsee is finding drivers for such an old card and possible problems with disabling the onboard. Normally when a graphics card is added the motherboard detects it and disables the onboard automatically. This is true of most PCI-E and some AGP motherboards, but I am not sure about PCI cards.

Were I a bold type I would suggest you just bin the FX5200 and get a nice, shiny PCI-E card like a HD4650 or, for added punch, a HD4670, either of which will make the FX5200 look like a pocket calculator and run without an extra power lead.
Oh and if it says "Hello Professor Falken. Would you like to play a game?" do not select 'Global Thermonuclear warfare'

 

[ac3144]

'Oh and if it says "Hello Professor Falken. Would you like to play a game?" do not select 'Global Thermonuclear warfare''

Pure class.

 

[Bluescreendeath]

The Nvidia site is wrong...must be a typo. I used to have a FX5500 and it was PCI-regular, not express. I don't think any of the 5x00 series are even AGP, let alone PCI-express.

Just put the card in your PCI slot, not your PCI-e slot.

I think all mobos should still have PCI-regular slots.

 

[uncfan_2563]

The Nvidia site is wrong...must be a typo. I used to have a FX5500 and it was PCI-regular, not express. I don't think any of the 5x00 series are even AGP, let alone PCI-express.

Just put the card in your PCI slot, not your PCI-e slot.

I think all mobos should still have PCI-regular slots.

of course they do, unless this computer is so old it is using ISA ports

 

[Hammeh]

The Nvidia site is wrong...must be a typo. I used to have a FX5500 and it was PCI-regular, not express. I don't think any of the 5x00 series are even AGP, let alone PCI-express.

Just put the card in your PCI slot, not your PCI-e slot.

I think all mobos should still have PCI-regular slots.

Actually if you look at this page: http://www.nvidia.co.uk/page/fx_5200.html
It clearly states on the left hand side that they are AGP and PCI-E compatible.

 

[tman1]

The 5000 series cards were AGP and PCI. Nvidia didn't make PCI express card until the 6800.
I had a 5900XT that was AGP, and a 5700 media center card that was also AGP.
I currently still have a 5200 PCI card in an older Dell that lacks AGP, but I think they also made the 5200 in AGP form too.

 

[SpadeM]

The 5000 series cards were AGP and PCI. Nvidia didn't make PCI express card until the 6800.
I had a 5900XT that was AGP, and a 5700 media center card that was also AGP.
I currently still have a 5200 PCI card in an older Dell that lacks AGP, but I think they also made the 5200 in AGP form too.

Wrong http://www.nvidia.co.uk/page/fb_gffx_5200.html
Agaetis download CPU-Z utility, run it and then post what it says on the Mainboard Tab just to be sure we're giving u sound advice.

 

[apache_lives]

totally wrong here guys nvidia did release PCI-e based FX (geforce 5) video cards going by the name "PCX5xxx" like PCX5900 (http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=873&page=2) etc - sold a few my self (rubbish cards) but never seen a PCX5200, pci maybe, but even then i do believe Intel integrated is a touch quicker then an FX5200 anyhow.

 

[Agaetis]

Thank you guys for your help! I'm still debating on whether or not I should try it. I really don't want to screw my comp up from the inside by electricity from the card. What are the chances in this happening? I'm not getting a clear answer on that y'know! Will doing this have a big possibility that I'll burn up my mobo or something?

Here's that CPU-Z report:

I don't see anything about PCI in that...

 

[coozie7]

AH HA! Got you!
This should be your motherboard:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&docname=c01386897

Scroll down to see its layout.
Even if this is not your motherboard you have no worries at all, a PCI card will ONLY fit into a PCI slot. There is no doubt: The connector and keys-the cut outs in the connector-will only fit a PCI slot, nothing else (unless you are a thug mechanic like me with a varied selection of hammers).
The CPU-Z report will not show PCI as a graphics interface, because, strictly speaking it is n't one, AGP is the only dedicated graphics interface slot I know, PCI-E is used for this purpose but it is, in fact, a general purpose connection
protocol. The report is not showing the PCI-E slot though, but I think this is because it is not in use rather than absent.
I still think you would be better off getting a cheap PCI-E card.