Help installing a 8800gt

[kenbb1983]

I just installed an 8800gt video card in my computer. The pc boots up finishes the post and when it ussually shows the windows load screen it hangs. I have a ECS A740GM-M V7.0 mobo and Ive already tried updating the bios and it still doesnt recognize my card. I have onboard video but there is no option in my bios to disable it, it actually doesnt even show up in windows. Disabling the onboard video, switching shared memory to none(mine could only switch to auto) and choosing pci express as the primary video (which i did) was the best solution i could find but its not working out for me. please help. Thank you. ps. in my experience with nvidia cards they always show the model # of my nvidia card and version number or something when i first boot my computer; this one is not doing that.

 

[Helltech]

Go back to onboard video, take out the 8800GT, download and install the latest Nvidia drivers for that card in Windows, shut down the computer. THEN physically install the card, and see if it works.

 

[kenbb1983]

Thank you for the reply. Im on a 7600gt now which i reinstalled. Ill try installing the 8800gt drivers ahead of time. I read a couple posts about booting to the onboard video as the primary and then plugging in the 8800gt in my case and it should work as the secondary and theyll both work. Maybe i can get it to boot just from the 8800gt eventually because i dont have vga on my monitor but i just remembered i have a vga lcd here. Ill post my results. Thank you.

 

[kenbb1983]

I tried installing the 8800gt drivers and i got the same screen. I also wasnt able to get video from my onboard video with the 8800gt plugged in the slot. There's no options in my bios regarding my onboard video except shared memory. I noticed if i unplug my dvi cable from the 8800gt and boot it gets past the post and there is disk activity unlike when i have the dvi cable plugged in.

 

[kenbb1983]

i should add when the disk activity stops ive tried plugging the dvi cable in hoping to see the xp logon screen but i dont get a signal.

 

[Mousemonkey]

Is this 8800GT a brand new card or a second hand item?

 

[kenbb1983]

It's a second hand item.

 

[Mousemonkey]

So it may be an already broken card then, which is why it won't install properly.