Problem With GeForce 5200 Graphics Card

[nihil]

Hi FanacooL,

1. I wouldn't disable the onboard Video AND remove the driver. I would leave the driver there and just disable the onboard video. I suspect that might be your problem, as the BIOS cannot activate the onboard video without a driver.

2. The frame buffer is the amount of memory that the video can use to build images before displaying them. As the memory is now on your video card, I would try 64Mb, but I don't know your MoBo or BIOS. If you are still "sharing memory" all that will do is slow your computer as the system will have less RAM to play with. It should not give you the display problems that you are describing.
I believe that you are confusing this with the IGD which is tha memory address space that the onboard chipset can use.

3. That board has some quite advanced onboard graphics, so adding a lower to middle end video card may not improve things and may indeed make them worse.

4. The Intel 915 Chipset is intended to support PCI-E, (Express) so have you got the right video card. What is the exact model of your MoBo and your Video Card ?

My approach would be :

1. Remove video card
2. Reinstate onboard video and get it working
3. Install video card
4. Select the videocard in the BIOS
5. Set frame buffer to 64
6. Test it all works properly
7. Install audio card

I would also try that video card in another machine, if the above does not work............there is still the possibility that it was defective when you bought it. Unfortunately with the fall in price of components the testing standards have also fallen so more defective items reach the consumer

Good Luck

[Galiath]

Some more questions for you... You mentioned that this is an External video card...
1. What type of port do you have it plugged into, USB1.0 USB 2.0 Firewire, etc.
2. Next question is why did you go for an external card, based on the description this sounds like a new machine, probably with a PCI-express slot, which will allow alot faster processing, while also using the internal BUS instead of a serial link from the external. Even if its an AGP slot you'd have better results with it.
3. What's the onboard Card ?
4. (I hate to ask this one, but it helps in comparison with #1) Cost of the external card.
6. What exact video card did you get, include a link if possible.

I have removed the external sound card and put the Graphics card in the other PCI slot, Still nothing happen...... Even changed the refresh rate and screen resolution..... Oh yes i remember when i was playing with this sitting I select the resolution 1024X786 and the monitor got hanged (all the LEDs started blinking and no display).

Somebody suggested me that i should increase the RAM too....

Now this sounds like an INTERNAL card that your using. I thought they stopped building PCI Regular cards with GF4, MX series... Do you have the manual for your Motherboard, based on the picture that I found of the board, and the configuration, it says there's 2 PCI slots and PCI-Express, its possible since this is such a small board, that you may have to enable PCI-Express through a Jumper setting, bus technology is rarely auto-sensing

http://www.intel.com/products/mother...glvg/index.htm is the link for the MB

If your going to run any games on that system, you'll need more RAM... 256 is minimum for XP imo. You need more if your going to run a graphics intensive application.

Next statement is that the internal board is almost the same as the one you purchased, although its taking away from your internal RAM by using it. the 915 video card has 128MB of ram, supports DirectX9, with OpenGL 1.5... Now I know most games are starting to only support ATI and NVidia; but why only go with a 128MB card when 256mb cards are pretty cheap at this time.

Sorry for rambling on, but more information is definately needed.

Galiath

[nihil]

Hey Galiath , I think that our friend means "independent", "stand alone" or whatever (like NOT an integrated chipset)..........there is no such beast as an external video card................and I have ISA ones with a massive 256Kb in my collection

Until we have the precise model data we can only speculate, but I can tell you that the I915 chipset is designed to support PCI-E. Unlike AGP, the two technologies are slot compatible, although the results would be unpredictable due to the different number of contacts.

This is certainly NOT a RAM issue, as he was getting better results with the onboard 900 chipset that was sharing memory.................although I do agree that with XP used in a gaming context I would not build below 1024Mb for a "good" experience. Obviously with that kind of processor and 333 or 400 DDR, XP will run quite happily, it is the gaming that will cause problems.

He did mention that he was having problems with "older games" as well so it does not sound like a frame rate problem, unless his settings are wrong?

256Mb DDR video card RAM?......................it depends.............some of the 128Mb offerings are actually faster, but you would only spot this with a framerate dependent game.

As I posted earlier the 5200 card is considered "marginal" by gamers, and the onboard 900 chipset is pretty good for integrated video.

I still suspect the settings and "removing the driver", particularly the latter.

[Galiath]

Sorry its been a few years since I've looked at external hardware. Figured they'd go further by now with these.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/avcards/805c/
http://www.ati.com/companyinfo/press/2000/4335.html
(there's all sorts of "beasts" just some of them arn't worth mentioning)

I've thrown out all of my ISA boards now, as I rarely use my systems that still have the slot, and prefer PCI cards in comparison.

I should have edited my post more after I deciphered his actual post.

He listed his model of motherboard, which I linked above...
http://www.intel.com/products/mother...plwd/index.htm which only shows 2 pci slots, although it lists 2 pci and a PCI-express.

I wasn't trying to say that this was a RAM issue. I was just trying to say that if he was going to be using games, etc. that he would need more of it to enjoy the experience.

I agree that "some" of the 128mb cards are faster, but normally the x200 (x=variable) low end nvidia cards are not included in that listing. Sorry I didn't read your quote that mentioned tbe information on the 5200, otherwise I would have left that comment out.

[nihil]

Hi Galiath , no worries pal................I have stuff that is almost as old as me, historical kit is a hobby of mine

We have a slight problem in that our friend is in Pakistan, I am in the UK and you are in the USA............the product specs and numbers are different.

He said that he only had two PCI slots? In which case I suspect that they are PCI-E? if there are 3 then yes, one would be a legacy PCI slot?

OK on the memory though....................for gaming (or any advanced graphics for that matter) you need a lot to get the best experience.

[FanacooL]

nihil

I have followed your instructions carefully, I reomved the graphics card, re-install the on-board driver and then re-inserted the card and disable the onboard one.

Still the new games aren't working at all ?
Older ones are Ok but not much difference in them.... I mean with an External Graphics card one would expect higher performance in terms of graphics.....

I am just curios about one thing, which i though mention in my posts..... that when i run DirectX 9.0 Diagnose on that On-Board graphics card my AGP Texture feature is disable (as that VGA doesn't support this feature) ok with me and which i click Test Direct3D the first test where it says testing with Directx 7 or something like that .... the logo rotates fine withourt any flickering or pauses......

While when i run the same test on the external card i am feeling it pauses or rather slows down during this phase 1 of Direct3D test..... Rest works ok....


So what i wanna know is why this external card is having problem in first phase rather than my internal on-board VGA?.

And my board doesn't have PCI-Express slot both are normal PCI slots :-(

And as far as RAM is concern apart from gaming issues..... I will get another 256 chip in it......

[nihil]

Hi FanacooL ..............thank you for your patience brother

All I can say is that we seem to have tested most of the possibilities? just clear things up for me...........

Have you tried setting the frame buffer to 64?

I suspect one of two things..............

1. That MoBo has very good onboard (internal) graphics, so it may well perform better or equal to a weak, independent (external) video card.

2. Your 5200 video card may be defective, which is why I would like you to test it on another machine.

I would try another video card in that computer, and try the 5200 in another computer. I know that is easy for me to say as I have a lot of machines and components, and friends who would help.

As for memory (RAM) that advice has nothing to do with your video problem, but it would improve your machine's performance

[FanacooL]

Well as i said eariler the highest value in memory buffer is 32 so how can i select 64 there..... Well the only reason i have bought an external graphics card is that most of the games my bro bought says needs graphics card..... so i thought I should get one for him, although i was quite unaware of the fact that it could result in humilation.....

Anyways the last option is checking that card in another machine... for which i have to wait for a while as i dont have any other system.....

[nihil]

Sir!

i was quite unaware of the fact that it could result in humilation.....

I demand a 50% share in that humiliation, as I have also failed?

I will have one more attempt, other than testing the card elsewhere.............

With more memory, allow it the maximum share that you can....................I guess that will be the best you can do?.............. Windows XP does some interesting stuff behind your back with an onboard (internal) graphics chipset I know that your intel board supports this feature

Good luck brother

[FanacooL]

OK..... So I will try it with more memory slots in the system and see the result......