PCI Video Card in SC420

Question

I plan on putting a PCI video card in my SC420 successfully running Windows XP Pro SP2. Does anyone forsee problems? If so, what steps can I take to make it work? Thanks for your input.     This Card: nVIDIA GeForce FX5200 Video Card, 128MB DDR, DVI/TV-Out

1MTC · Answer

This will help...........   http://www.aaltonen.us/forums/viewforum.php?f=4&sid=de08b21c821c6e0a031753520c6a1fa3

jayunsplanet · Answer

They all seem to be talking about PCI Express.

MERKURMAN · Answer

I think Dell is feeling the heat from the 400SC systems.. Now they have a warning on the systems page....

The PowerEdge SC420 is ideal for your first server & network.
Note: For server use only; CANNOT BE USED AS A DESKTOP.
Dell does not support the use of a graphics card on the SC420.

I wonder who they think they are fooling....

jayunsplanet · Answer

I take that back. http://www.aaltonen.us/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2078 Very very nice. I really hope it works for me. Ill try it on Christmas.

For reference this is the message: ( p1t0 and elow : members of altonen forums) Thanks!

Step by step directions of what I did for anyone else who struggles with this as I have for the past few days:
1. Startup computer
2. Load up Nvidia drivers from CD
3. Right click the Desktop
4. Select the "Settings" tab
5. Click the "Advanced" button
6. Select the "Adapter" tab
7. Click the "Properties" button
8. Under the "Device Usage" combobox, select
"Do not use this device (disable)"
9. Click "OK"
10. Select "No" when asked if you want to restart the computer.
11. Shut down computer
12. Install the Nvidia GeForce MX4000 PCI card.
13. Hit F2 when the OS starts booting to enter bios
14. Select "Video" on the tree
15. Select "Primary Video" on the tree
16. double check that "Auto" is selected. This is the default setting.
17. Save bios settings, and boot up.

jayunsplanet · Answer

Way to funny.

jayunsplanet · Answer

Has anyone else gotten this method to work? Please give feedback

MERKURMAN · Answer

That is how I did install my PCI card...I still have an unknown device in device mgr. since I didn't get the onboard video to configure...

HEY DELL, WHAT WE NEED IS A BIOS REVISION TO TURN OFF THAT DA*N PCI EXPRESS SLOT THAT ISN'T... ARE YOU LISTENING????

jayunsplanet · Answer

so are you saying you never got the onboard card installed with the right drivers in the first place? so thats why there is an unknown device?

jayunsplanet · Answer

or you installed the pci card and something didnt work and it is still unlisted in device mgr.???

MERKURMAN · Answer

With the drivers available for the onboard video I did not get that onboard video to function...That is why I installed the PCI Video card..The unknown device is the onboard video device with no drivers loaded...

jayunsplanet · Answer

oh ok. so you did get the pci card to work? and that shows up correctly in device manager? did you disable the onboard video?

PowerEdge Hardware General

PCI Video Card in SC420

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