PCI Express 2.0 compatibility with 16X

[triumphrider-1]

I know that some graphics cards can "downgrade" to work with 16x, but where can I go to see if what I'm looking at will work with what I currently have?

Thanks,
Tim

 

[Jaymz9350]

PCI Express is both backward and forward compatable. as long as the slot is physically big enough any pci-e car
works in any pci-e slot.

 

[JoshT]

While that is correct it should probably be clarified. PCIe 16x is the slot. PCIe 2.0 is the version specification. You can have a PCIe 1.0 16x slot or a PCIE 2.0 16x slot on your board. Either way they are still 16x. The common slots IIRC are 1x, 4x and 16x all of them are still PCIe, and all of them still comform to the 1.0 or 2.0 specifications. Everything I am saying here I am saying strictly about PCIe 16x slots, the rest may be the same but the majority of PCIe gfx cards conform to 16x slot.

PCIe 2.0 motherboard slots are fully backwards compatible to PCIe 1.0 cards, and most (but not all) of the cards are compatible to 1.0 slots. PCIe 2.0 will run at either 1.0 or 2.0 specifications. The 2.0 component will slow down to match the 1.0 performance requirements, regardless of whether it is the card or board. While the PCIe 1.0 component will work with the PCIe 2.0, the 1.0 is not really forward compatible since it is the 2.0 component conforming to the 1.0's specification. Hope that makes sense.

If you can post what it is that you are "looking at" and "what (you)currently have" someone on here can help you figure out if it will work. If it won't or if there is a better option for you needs I'm sure they'll point you in the right direction.

 

[triumphrider-1]

I have the ASUS M2NPV-VM motherboard and am looking at, most likely, this card:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121352

While we're on the subject, does it matter if these cards require DirectX 10? I'm running 32 bit XP Home and 64 bit XP Pro on this computer.

 

[Psychopete]

I have the ASUS M2NPV-VM motherboard and am looking at, most likely, this card:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121352

While we're on the subject, does it matter if these cards require DirectX 10? I'm running 32 bit XP Home and 64 bit XP Pro on this computer.

Not a too bad of card, just built a new machine - AMD Dual Core 3.1gz with 1333 DDR3 with a similar card. I love GeForce cards and AMD processors, I have used them both for a long time. DirectX is not an issue, it is a library that programs reference for interfacing with the hardware. If you need it, you will just have to install it, it's free from MS. But you won't have to install it before you put in the video card.. If you can't get it from MS, lots of games and etc include the DX installer.

 

[JoshT]

I have the ASUS M2NPV-VM motherboard and am looking at, most likely, this card:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121352

While we're on the subject, does it matter if these cards require DirectX 10? I'm running 32 bit XP Home and 64 bit XP Pro on this computer.

It should work. With a quick search I've seen where that motherboard has had problems working with various gfx cards. Best I can tell you is go for it, worst case scenario it doesn't work and you have to return the card. Newegg is good about returns, I've had to do it more than once myself.

As for DX10 don't worry about it. IIRC DX10 won't run on XP but the card is fully capable of running with DX9, which your PC most likely has.

As for the 9800GT it is a good card. I've got 2 of the PNY 1gb ram version running in SLI on my desktop right now. Aside from the fact that they really need better cooling than what I can currently provide they work great.

 

[triumphrider-1]

It should work. With a quick search I've seen where that motherboard has had problems working with various gfx cards. Best I can tell you is go for it, worst case scenario it doesn't work and you have to return the card. Newegg is good about returns, I've had to do it more than once myself.

As for DX10 don't worry about it. IIRC DX10 won't run on XP but the card is fully capable of running with DX9, which your PC most likely has.

As for the 9800GT it is a good card. I've got 2 of the PNY 1gb ram version running in SLI on my desktop right now. Aside from the fact that they really need better cooling than what I can currently provide they work great.

Yeah, I've had to return one video card before with an older computer. They did not have any issue with it and got me all taken care of pretty quickly.

Thats what I was concerned about. I have DirectX 9C currently, and wasn't sure if the card would play nice with that instead of version 10.


Thanks for all the help guys!

 

[triumphrider-1]

Well this is going just swimmingly...

I recieved the card Wednesday evening and didn't get a whole lot of time to work on it until the past couple of days; and what a headache it has become.

It JUST fits in my little case, which is fine (I would prefer a bit more room but given the case I chose, it works). Got it hooked up and attempted to install the driver. No beans. The neither OS will recognise it so I can't start the computer up with it plugged in.

I checked through the bios and confirmed that the bios sees it, but it won't for some reasondisplay a picture through the new card.

Uninstalled the display drivers on both OSs and niether see the card still. They keep defaulting to the onboard, even though the bios shows PCI-E.

So this morning I begin again. Check through the bios to see if I missed something, all looked good. Restart and now I have absolultey no picture...from either processor.

At this point I may replace the bios but I'm at a loss, any ideas?

 

[JoshT]

Pull the card back out and try a full restart. If you can get picture you know that it is a problem between your board and graphics card.

When you say no picture is that just in windows or no video output period? Your board may have the problem I mentioned above.

First thing I would do is to remove the card and see if it works then. If you still have no picture you may have to reset the bios to clear any changes. This is not hard to do, but you'll have to look for instructions for your motherboard as it varies.

Once you are back where you can use the computer you can try to install the card again. Can you access the BIOS with your monitor hooked to the card?

 

[triumphrider-1]

Just no video period. I tried the VGA and DVI-D ports and they act like I disabled them; everything else works, just no video.

I am planning to flash the bios, but without a screen it is not going that easily.

 

[JoshT]

Like I said previously find the instructions for clearing CMOS on your motherboard. If you have the manual for this board look for a section discussing jumpers on the board or the BIOS, in one of these areas there should be instructions for clearing the CMOS RAM. If you don't have the manual you should be able to find it on the ASUS web site. Once you've found the instructions remove the video card and connect your monitor to the on board graphics port. Then follow the instructions for clearing CMOS, this resets your BIOS to default settings. You should once again have video. I wouldn't even think about doing a BIOS upgrade without being able to watch what the computer is doing.

 

[triumphrider-1]

I feel like an idiot, I didn't even think about the CMOS. I shall give it a whirl and report back.

Haha. Yeah, I attempted to update the bios without it; but got no where fast doing that (probably a good thing too!).

UPDATE:
Well, picture is back (on the onboard atleast), but still nothing for the new card. I have the bios set to PCI-E and not a plug and play OS, but for some reason nothing seems to reconize the card.

Is there a way to test the card to make sure everything is working?

 

[JoshT]

Sure if you have a computer with a known good PCI-E slot to plug it into.

From what I am reading on your board, combined with the trouble you are having suggests 2 options. First, is to either send the card back as defective and forget about a video card on your PC. Second, find a way to test your video card. If it works replace your motherboard because it's the problem, if it doesn't the video card is the problem but you will probably have similar issues with another card. It seems that for most people who have your motherboard the PCI-E slot just works or it doesn't and no amount of trying seems make it.

 

[triumphrider-1]

I had that feeling.

At the moment I am leaning toward RMA'ing it and forget about adding a card to this one. Thinking about trying another card, but I don't know if it will work since I don't have another PCI card to test it.

Thanks for all your help Josh.

 

[triumphrider-1]

Update:

Picked up a "new" (to me) used motherboard that the guy was running an Nvidia 9500 card in. Got it installed and wired up correctly and the card works great now.

I haven't done any performance tests on the system , but while playing Call of Duty: United Offensive I now run at 140+ frames per second; where as with the onboard card I was lucky to hit 50 fps.

Tha only thing left to do is figure out why the network is slow to be reconigized with the 64-bit system, and it'll be working great.

Thanks for all your help.