Disable onboard graphics in favor of AGP card

[lukearndt]

I'm brand-new to these forums (hi, folks!), and I had a question that I thought somebody might be able to shed some light on. Here's my current situation:

I have a PC Chips M935ALU motherboard. It has an onboard graphics card that shows up as SiS 650_651_M650_M652_740 in Device Manager under Windows 98 SE. My friend gave me an nVidia Riva TNT2 64 AGP card, and I am trying to install that and use it in place of the onboard one. The problem is, the computer doesn't seem to detect the card at all. If I insert the card in, then plug the monitor into the AGP card, I get nothing. If I plug it back into the onboard VGA adapter, I get the video.

I believe I have the most recent drivers for my onboard video card as well as the latest BIOS update. In looking through the BIOS setup, I can't find anything to disable the onboard video, though there is an option for the primary graphics adapter, and I can select either PCI or AGP. Neither seem to make the computer detect the nVidia AGP card, though.

Does anybody have any idea what I can do to get this working? I would love to be able to upgarde my video card, but I'm just not sure what's going on here. I'd be happy to give any more information or try anything else. My friend recommended these forums to me, so I thought I'd see if somebody could help. Thanks a bunch in advance!

Luke

 

[stang8118]

You need to disable your onboard video in device manager. That's what i had to do on my old gateway computer.

 

[lukearndt]

Somebody else mentioned that I might want to disable it in Device Manager, but I couldn't figure out how to do that. The only thing I can think of is to actually click on Remove to get rid of it. But then, Windows detects it the very next time it starts up. Do you think I'm missing something?

 

[Yuriman]

Disabling it in the device manage wont help with being able to boot with it. Maybe there is a jumper on the board? My grandpa had that (or a similar) one, and it worked fine with the Gf2mx I put in it. Btw it sounds like its about time for an upgrade.

 

[lukearndt]

Hmm... how can I find out if there's a jumper on the board? You'd think that, with there being an AGP slot, there's got to be some way to disable the onboard graphics. Someday, hopefully I can just buy a new mobo, but for now I need to make do with what I have. Here's a PDF file of my manual: http://www.amptron.com/manuals/M935ALUv7.0/935s70A.pdf

I can't find anything in there that tells me about jumpers for the display, though I'm certainly willing to give anything a shot! I'd love to be able to put this new card in.

 

[Enablingwolf]

Have you gone to your BIOS and seen if there is a disable there? I had a "PCChips M800LMR" and thats how I did it. I couldn't find the jumper either on that older board. PCCHIPS are about the cheapest-crappiest boards around, and they shortcut on lots of things. So it may very well not have a jumper setting and may rely on BIOS to disable the onboard. I will look into seeing if I am right or wrong on this jumper for the PC Chips M935ALU.

 

[Yuriman]

Yea, I had a pcchips board die on me after a month, and I decided on another company. Come on, if your board costs $35 brand new, they must take a few shortcuts.

 

[Enablingwolf]

luke look on page 32 of your Manual that will tell you how to disable the onboard. Make it AGP, and you should be good to go.

 

[lukearndt]

luke look on page 32 of your Manual that will tell you how to disable the onboard. Make it AGP, and you should be good to go.

I checked that out, but it still doesn't seem to work when I put the primary graphics adapter to AGP. Even then, the video still displays from the onboard VGA, and the AGP card still doesn't work. I've tried having that setting on both PCI and AGP, and the same thing seems to happen. Any ideas?

Thanks, by the way, for the help, guys. And, I think I'll look into upgrading to a new board whenever I can afford it. I kind of assumed this wasn't top of the line, but I'm trying to make do.

 

[stratcatprowlin]

I always disable it in device manager, shut down,install the new card and bootup.Then install the new drivers.

I take it this is not working?

 

[Enablingwolf]

Is windows detecting the AGP card in device manager?

 

[lukearndt]

I always disable it in device manager, shut down,install the new card and bootup.Then install the new drivers.

I take it this is not working?

When you say to disable it in Device Manager, you mean to remove it; right? Or is there some other place to look? I don't have any other options other than to remove, update driver, etc.

Enablingwolf: It sure isn't detecting it in Device Manager. Now, one thing that is kind of weird, is a couple of months ago I installed this other AGP card. Now, it worked like one or two times, with Windows detecting it, me installing the driver, and the monitor receiving a signal from this AGP card. But suddenly, this stopped working and basically started giving me the same problems that I'm having with this nVidia card. I don't know if it's even possible, but could the AGP slot be "blown" or something?

 

[stratcatprowlin]

No! big difference! Right click on it and choose disable.then shut off the pc and put the new card in. then bootup and wait for the harware wizard to popup.

 

[stratcatprowlin]

well, If you dont have a disable option,I have no clue.

 

[Enablingwolf]

One thing I have run across is a slot that is dirty, and needed to be cleaned. Have you tested this card in another PC to 2X check that is does work? Or used another card to test the slot?
There should be an option to "disable driver" in the device manager for 98SE. Disabling a driver si different than remove. The only other thing that I can think of is IRQ conflict that would not make a video card not detect. Besides the jumper settings, and I don't think ( I might be wrong) that your board has AGP jumper.

 

[Enablingwolf]

I had wierd stuf go wrong all the time with my Yugo car of Motherboards(PcChips). I swear it gave me grey hair. But yes low end Motherboards can go kaplewee fer no reason, and at the weak spots; i.e- your AGP slot. Mine died of natural causes, the thing wouldn't overclock... no really it just wouln't boot one day. Never did figure out why it did that. No warning or nothing. Best you can do is rule out all options for the failure, then try and price a mobo in your price range, till you can get the funds up.


Edit: had to find some way to fit the "Yugo car" comment in.

 

[Mr.Guvernment]

does the video card your friend gave you work?

 

[lukearndt]

As far as I can tell, the video card he gave me works. The reason I'm posting again here is because I've had another weird experience with the card.

My friend was over the other day, and we yanked the card out and put it back in the AGP slot, and it worked! The computer detected it, the monitor picked up a signal from it, and all was well for two days. Then, I came back to my computer after the monitor turning off from being idle, and the screen wouldn't come back. I checked the connections, and all was correct. So I restarted. The monitor still wouldn't pick up anything from the AGP card. I'm not using the on-board card again, and am wondering what in the world could be wrong. Could the card/slot be so sensitive that pulling it out and putting it back in fixes it? And the card has been in the computer for a couple months, and it has not been detected until we yanked it and put it back in.

I don't know if the AGP slot could be crazy, the video card be crazy, or something else be going on. Just for clarification -- when the AGP card works (which is very rare), it is the only device that shows up under Display Adapters. When the onboard adapter works, that is the only one showing under Display Adapters.

Thanks again for the help.