Graphics Card Problem - Win ME won't recongnize

[WarmMachineME]

Ok, first, the basics. Here's my system, and the onboard vid card info...

MS-6340M Micro-ATX Mobo
1.1 ghz Duron Processor
512mb RAM
S3 GraphicsPro Savage vid card

This computer was built using the drives of a Compaq Presario 5000s whose mobo crapped out on me. (I'll never buy stock again).

Anyways, this current system keeps calling the card Primary Display VGa, or something very similar. The previous system called it what it was, NVIDIA GeForce4 MX420. I didn't think anything of it then. I put in the CD that came with the card, started the installation process, but then it insisted no NVIDIA chipsets were installed, and closed the installation.

So, I went to the NVIDIA website, found the link for the latest Detonator drivers. Same thing.

So, I went back and let Windows find its own drivers, thinking I could go behind and install the drivers behind it. It prompted for a restart after Windows installed drivers by itself. Then, the computer would not boot after the WinME splash screen.

I panicked, turned the computer off, removed the card, turned the computer back on, and everything was fine. The little "Primary Display VGA" part was disappeared from the hardware profiles.

If it makes any difference, I checked, and the on board graphics didn't have a checkbox to disable it when I looked the first time.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Tiretool]

Is there a physical jumper used to disable the on-board video?

[WarmMachineME]

Erhm...honestly, I have no idea. Understand, I wasn't the one that acutally built the machine. I mean, I know what a jumper is, but I have no way of telling if there's anything on the mobo that's causing my problem.

I'll gladly have a look, erhm, if you'd mind telling me what I'm looking for? ^_^

[Tiretool]

If there's no way to switch from on-board graphics adapter to AGP slot adapter in the BIOS, then usually there's a jumper on the motherboard itself that you can reposition to tell the motherboard to use the AGP slot's video card instead of the on-board video card. It's usually just 3 pins sticking up from somewhere on the board, or sometimes it's two. You'd either move the jumper from one position to another, or you'd remove the jumper alltogether to enable/disable onboard video.

Some motherboards do this automatically, so there's no need to change anything. For these, you just install a new video card, and use it. But for some, you have to do some tinkering with the BIOS or a jumper.

I'm not familiar with that motherboard, so I don't know which yours has. If you have the owner's manual for the motherboard, you need to look there first. If you don't, then you need to go to MSI's web site and download the manual for your motherboard. Go through it and see what your motherboard requires to add a video card.

Hope that helps.

[WarmMachineME]

Geez, I don't know how I missed posting this little gem...

The card is PCI

[Tiretool]

Aaaha!

You need to go into your bios, and find the option that allows you to select Primary graphics adapter. Your choices will be AGP or PCI. Select PCI and that "should" take care of your problem. If it doesn't, let us know.

[WarmMachineME]

Looks like that's going to work perfectly. Thanks! Now I've learned something for when I try to upgrade to an AGP bus card.

And sorry if the double post was a problem. Just trying to make sure it got out to as wide an audience is possible. Guess I learned something else, too. ^_^

[Tiretool]

No problem, and glad to help.