[Dragon12]

I think I already know what the answer is to this question, but I thought maybe one of you folks might know a trick or two to get this to work.

I have a L440GX Intel motherboard that I'm using as a desktop (I know that it's not designed to be such, but it's been an interesting project). As you may know it has on-board video but it lacks in just about every aspect as a video card. So I tried to add an old ATI 64 video card and it just made everything difficult to use (something about getty's coming in to fast).

I have gone through the documentation regarding the MB but it doesn't say anything about adding or subtracting any jumpers or changing anything in the BIOS to use a PCI video card.

Does anyone know of any tricks to fool the motherboard into using the PCI video card instead of using the on board video card? Or am I stuck with the on-board video?

Thanks in advance,

Dragon

:bat_angel

[Strog]

From Section 5.2 of the manual

Resource allocation
The system BIOS identifies, allocates, and initializes resources in a manner consistent with other
Intel servers. The BIOS scans for the following, in order:
1. ISA devices: If an ISA device is found, it is initialized and given resource priority over
other devices of the same type plugged into the system.
2. Off board PCI devices: If found, the BIOS initializes and allocates resources to these
devices.
3. On board Video, IDE, and SCSI devices: If equivalent functionality is not found off board,
the BIOS allocates resources according to the parameters set up by the SSU.

Automatic detection of video adapters
The BIOS looks for video adapters in the following order:
1. ISA
2. PCI
3. Baseboard
The on board (or off board) video BIOS is shadowed, starting at address C0000h, and is
initialized before memory tests begin in POST. Precedence is always given to off board devices.


Sure seems like it should automatically use a PCI card if there's one plugged in. I don't blame you for not wanting to use the 2Mb Cirrus Logic video. :Eyecrazy:

Can you get it to come up in single user? or with acpi disabled?

[Dragon12]

Thanks Strog,

I tried installing it again, but the computer would turn on for about a second and power off. Couldn't even get it to POST. My guess is that the motherboard will not support off-board video. It's strange, I had installed it about a week ago or so and it would boot OK, but the screen would flicker and you couldn't type anything for about 15 to 20 seconds. Then some error about getty's coming into fast.

The Cirrus Logic on-board isn't too bad. Resolution sucks and can't play 3d games (of course), but it's fine for surfing the web and checking e-mail. Sound card works so I can at least listen to music. :biggrin:

I may try some other video card and see what happens. The ATI I have may have gone bad. It is from '97.

Thanks anyway, I do appreciate the help,

Dragon