Does a computer need a video card to boot?

TC · Nov 23, 2001

Okay this is off topic of course, but my question does relate to my Seti farm. Since I'm using VNC to control most of my farm, I wondered if I could get these computers to boot without a video card installed. I've got VNC and Seti set to run at startup, so theoretically I could hit the power button and once the system was booted I could use VNC to check on things without needing a video card. I tried this on one computer and it didn't work. I set the bios to ignore all errors, but it wouldn't boot without the video card. It will post, but not load the OS. Any idea if this depends on the particular mobo, or if there's a way around it? It would mean one less part required to have a new seti cruncher.

zouo · Nov 23, 2001

As long as the bios and OS accepts it then it is no problem. I have a BP6 and a KT7A that boot without video cards. *However* they run Linux. My understanding is that Windows will not load if it does not find any vga adapter whereas Linux will continue to boot up.

Tech^Cellfish · Nov 23, 2001

I have read about this someplace. Someone wrote that Windows would display (although you have no vid.card) an error telling you that there is no vid.card installed.

Tech^Cellfish · Nov 23, 2001

I searched a bit, and I think you might want to read the following:

Topic: Booting w/out a video card
Topic: booting motherboard without video card
Topic: Booting Win95/98 without video card

TC · Nov 23, 2001

Thanks for the info - looks like it's a no go any way I slice it.

Murphy · Nov 24, 2001

At my work we use 15 pinned sub-D plugs with some pins connected and plug them in. My collegue read it somewhere on the internet. This way you can fake your monitor

You still need the vid card...

If you want to, I can look it up for you...

TC · Nov 24, 2001

Murphy said:
At my work we use 15 pinned sub-D plugs with some pins connected and plug them in. My collegue read it somewhere on the internet. This way you can fake your monitor
You still need the vid card...

If you want to, I can look it up for you...

The monitor is not a problem. All of my machines boot without a monitor. I was just hoping to boot them without the need for a video card installed since most of them are controlled via VNC over the network.

Basher · Nov 24, 2001

TC said:
The monitor is not a problem. All of my machines boot without a monitor. I was just hoping to boot them without the need for a video card installed since most of them are controlled via VNC over the network.

Could just buy mb's with onboard video but they are usually lower performing boards

zouo · Nov 25, 2001

I did some further reading. TC - have you tried this: Boot the machine without the video (*edit) card. When you hear the hard disk stop then hit the space bar once and enter. Apparently a windows error message comes up when you are booting that says, "No VGA device found" with a radio button/tick box below asking you to tick it if you want to continue and not be reminded of this in the future. (Another M$ "feature"

)

I'm not sure how you ever get the display back after ticking this but it sounds like it is worth a try. :beer:

TC · Nov 26, 2001

zouo said:
I did some further reading. TC - have you tried this: Boot the machine without the network card. When you hear the hard disk stop then hit the space bar once and enter. Apparently a windows error message comes up when you are booting that says, "No VGA device found" with a radio button/tick box below asking you to tick it if you want to continue and not be reminded of this in the future. (Another M$ "feature" )

I'm not sure how you ever get the display back after ticking this but it sounds like it is worth a try.

That's interesting - might give it a try, but you said to boot the machine without the network card, and I need the network card to use VNC to manage the computer without the video, not to mention keep Seti going. Why does the network card have to be left out?

SpeeDj · Nov 26, 2001

I do believe he means without the video card

J

zouo · Nov 26, 2001

<slaps forehead> Yes! Video card. I got carried away in all my excitement. :beer:

TC · Nov 26, 2001

SpeeDj said:
I do believe he means without the video card

J

Don't you mean she

Does a computer need a video card to boot?

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