[Darshand]

I bought a Nvidia Geforce 8400 GS to replace my onboard 6150 LE, Im running WinXP OS and the problem iam having is installing the new graphics card, i put the graphics card in the correct slot, and its firmly in, however my computer just isnt detecting it at all, when i turn the computer on there is no new hardware message and its not showing up in the hardware section of the control panel, ive tried entering the BIOS to disable onboard graphics but the option isnt there, there was only disable onboard audio and onboard 1394, i cant figure out whats wrong, i thought it might be that i need to update my pci express driver or pci bus or whatever that slot comes under, any help would be much appreciated iam totally stumped.

Anton.

[Triple6]

You need to connect the monitor to the new card BEFORE you turn the computer on and see if you get an output from it.

[Darshand]

I tried that aswell, the screen just stays black, i just get the feeling its either something to do with disabling the onboard graphics or updating my pci whatever with new drivers or something, but when i start up the computer with the monitor connected to the new card it stays blank then if i jus take the cable out of the new card and put it back in the standard port, it works.

[Triple6]

Any way you can test the card in another computer or have it tested?

Also, what is the make and model of your computer and/or motherboard?

[Darshand]

The computer is a compaq presario 061 Model: RF786AA SR2019UK GB680, it has 1.5GB RAM, Windows XP.

Motherboard Properties
Motherboard ID 12/13/2006-C51/MCP51-A8M2N-LA-00
Motherboard Name Unknown

Front Side Bus Properties
Bus Type AMD Hammer
Real Clock 200 MHz
Effective Clock 200 MHz

The motherboard appears to be Asus, and i cant test the graphics card in another computer, this is the only one with pci express slot i think and the others are intel anyways.

[Triple6]

You can try updating the BIOS and see if it allows a new selection of a PCI-Express video card and if the card gets detected then: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/s...roduct=3264373

[Darshand]

Well i think thats the version i had already installed, but i reinstalled just now anyway and it hasnt made a difference, tried booting with the monitor plugged into the new card again, changed bios setting to primary = Pci-E, still isnt working, im so confused by this, i dont understand why it wont work, could it be something to do with pci bus? any other ideas?

[Darshand]

nobody got any other ideas? any ideas appreciated, im really stuck.

[br1ng3r]

This might sound like a stupid question, but have you installed the correct and upto date drivers for your graphics card?

[Darshand]

i havent installed any drivers for the new graphics card yet because my computer isnt actually finding it, the graphics card needs to be detected by the computer first, thats the problem im having, its as if i dont even have the card in the computer.

[Gulo Luseus]

Think I might have the answer. Plug your monitor into theonboard graphics ( dont need to take out the nvidia, leave it there) then go to BIOS when it boots. You should find the option now as to which is your primary graphics boot- you didnt say what BIOS you have, so I dont know where, basically check every single option and sub option till it comes up. It will be there, somewhere! Once you get that, save and exit BIOs, and turn off the machine, change to the nvidia, and you should find it bootds fot you. I had a similar problem on a build a while ago, and this sorted irt

[br1ng3r]

Well you've got me stummped! You seem to have done everything that i would have done, but still nothing. There could be a possibility that you have a faulty card, Is there anyway you can return it and get a replacement?

[Darshand]

Gulo - ive already entered the BIOS to look for that option but its not there, apparently only some BIOS have that option in them and luckily mine doesnt seem to be one of them...i think that would fix it aswell its just not possible because i dont have that option, thanks anyways, any other ideas?

br1ng3r - yeah its a tough one, its times like these you think "WHY ME!!"

[dustyjay]

Your computer came from the factory with about a 300 watt power supply, maybe 350 watt. It maybe that your power supply is not giving you the power required to run that card.

[dustyjay]

You already set your bios to PCIe as you said and it didn't work. I would think that it may be a faulty card or possibly the week power supply. Look at your power supply, is it a Bestec and what is the rating on it?