Computer Help Needed

[Hawkius Maximus]

Here's the deal...I picked up a used Dell Optiplex 270 in working condition. Just the system and whatever was inside. I got it home, and tried hooking it up to my system...The onboard video will not work. Having upgrading my video card a few times, I figured it had to be do to the system having a video card. It appears it does. There's a DVI slot, and a TV out port on a video card. No VGA Port.

This has posed a significant problem. My Monitor only does VGA. This video card has no such port. When I attempt the onboard, I get the black screen, meaning I can't mess with the setup of the computer.

Aside from buying an adapter cable, is there any other option?

 

[oldskool]

So, is onboard shot or is onboard being overridden by the video card? i.e. have you tried taking out the video card and trying onboard again?

If not, you'll need either a DVI to VGA converter, or a different video card with VGA connections.

 

[Jaxxxson Mayhem]

There's a way to disable the card but a simple DVI to VGA connector is cheap.

 

[Hawkius Maximus]

I got it...It was as simple as removing the video card forcing the PC to load the Onboard. I'd thought of it, but I didn't do it until I saw Oldskool's post.

My GOD Onboard looks bad though.

It has 8x AGP, which I know isn't very great by today's standards, but smokes my old PCI only PC. Anyone know of any good, relatively cheap 8x AGP cards? It came with that video card, but it turns out it's only a Geforce 4 MX440.

 

[Jaxxxson Mayhem]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010380048%201069609639&name=AGP%204X%2f8X


Have a look.

 

[Hawkius Maximus]

After that fiasco, I've got everything going pretty well on this now. Got more memory in it, my PCI card for some video card support, etc, etc.

Here's a question. How does a high end PCI card, like my DIAMOND Radeon 9250 256 megs of memory compare with a low scale AGP card? Or even the ones linked to in the last post? Does AGP just flatten PCI even at low scales? Or do I need to purposefully aim up somewhat to avoid getting AGP cards that my PCI equals?

 

[DCH]

PCI-e flattens AGP (AGP is outdated) for most Video Cards. Almost all midrange up video cards are PCI-e. Hell even my shitty Geforce 8600GT is PCI-e.

 

[Hawkius Maximus]

Not PCI-E. I mean flat out PCI.

 

[oldskool]

AGP flattens PCI.