Free Slot? (Dumb question number eight thousand four hundred thirty nine....")

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Lost at Sea

Using Win XP Home, SP3 installed.

Is there a way I can determine if my system has a free PCI slot
without opening the case? Some little used applet in WinXP?

Thanks
 
Rather than being motivated by a desire to be helpful, you are clearly
lurking here only with the intention to insult and ridiicule.

Apparently it does not occur to you that I might have a disability,
that opening the case might be a major endeavor, made all the more
fruitless if there were no available slot.

Thank you for your invaluable (NOT) advice.


\On Sun, 14 Sep 2008 20:37:19 -0600, "Val"
 
Rather than being motivated by a desire to be helpful, you are clearly
lurking here only with the intention to insult and ridiicule.

Apparently it does not occur to you that I might have a disability,
that opening the case might be a major endeavor, made all the more
fruitless if there were no available slot.

Thank you for your invaluable (NOT) advice.

\On Sun, 14 Sep 2008 20:37:19 -0600, "Val"
Click to expand...

Depending on the make / model of your PC, several "name brand" PC
makers may have such an application.

Also, I have seen several PCs that their BIOS / CMOS appear to show
which slots have a "device" inserted.

Also, several popular BIOSes can show a "summary" screen, which lists
out the "detected" / "configured" devices, before Windows "boots."
You might need to set up a "DOS" boot floppy in order to see or
practise "pausing" (Pause key) the boot process so as to see this.


You might want to look for Belarc Advisor. Not sure if it will show
this info.
 
smlunatick said:
Depending on the make / model of your PC, several "name brand" PC
makers may have such an application.

Also, I have seen several PCs that their BIOS / CMOS appear to show
which slots have a "device" inserted.

Also, several popular BIOSes can show a "summary" screen, which lists
out the "detected" / "configured" devices, before Windows "boots."
You might need to set up a "DOS" boot floppy in order to see or
practise "pausing" (Pause key) the boot process so as to see this.


You might want to look for Belarc Advisor. Not sure if it will show
this info.
Click to expand...

Could you find the manual on line? Home brew or not?
My mobo manual is quite descriptive with great photo
 
Certainly not an infallible method, but often just looking st the slots
on the back of your computer case will identify which slots are
occupied. If you (or someone who is helping you) sees ports or
connectors on these slots, it's a good bet that there's a card in the slot.

Bill
 
| smlunatick wrote:
| >> Rather than being motivated by a desire to be helpful, you are clearly
| >> lurking here only with the intention to insult and ridiicule.
| >>
| >> Apparently it does not occur to you that I might have a disability,
| >> that opening the case might be a major endeavor, made all the more
| >> fruitless if there were no available slot.
| >>
| >> Thank you for your invaluable (NOT) advice.
| >>
| >> \On Sun, 14 Sep 2008 20:37:19 -0600, "Val"
| >>
| >>> If you tried searching for such an app, you'd have already found that there
| >>> doesn't seem to be any such. And in that time you could have opened the PC,
| >>> cleaned out all the dust, counted your slots, and had time for a cold
| >>> beverage.
| >>> | >>> Using Win XP Home, SP3 installed.
| >>> Is there a way I can determine if my system has a free PCI slot
| >>> without opening the case? Some little used applet in WinXP?
| >>> Thanks
| >
| > Depending on the make / model of your PC, several "name brand" PC
| > makers may have such an application.
| >
| > Also, I have seen several PCs that their BIOS / CMOS appear to show
| > which slots have a "device" inserted.
| >
| > Also, several popular BIOSes can show a "summary" screen, which lists
| > out the "detected" / "configured" devices, before Windows "boots."
| > You might need to set up a "DOS" boot floppy in order to see or
| > practise "pausing" (Pause key) the boot process so as to see this.
| >
| >
| > You might want to look for Belarc Advisor. Not sure if it will show
| > this info.
|
| Could you find the manual on line? Home brew or not?
| My mobo manual is quite descriptive with great photo

Unfortunately, the motherboard manual will show the number of PCI slots, but not if they are
occupied.
I repair a lot of computers but have never found a piece of software that accurately lays out the
interior.
I can guess at the number of slots use by looking at the rear panel, but even then I can be fooled
when I find that one of the slots is blocked by some other internal feature. The only sure way is
to open the case and look.
 
Rather than being motivated by a desire to be helpful, you are clearly
lurking here only with the intention to insult and ridiicule.

Apparently it does not occur to you that I might have a disability,
that opening the case might be a major endeavor, made all the more
fruitless if there were no available slot.

Thank you for your invaluable (NOT) advice.


\On Sun, 14 Sep 2008 20:37:19 -0600, "Val"
Click to expand...

< plonk >
 
Depending on the make / model of your PC, several "name brand" PC
makers may have such an application.

Also, I have seen several PCs that their BIOS / CMOS appear to show
which slots have a "device" inserted.

Also, several popular BIOSes can show a "summary" screen, which lists
out the "detected" / "configured" devices, before Windows "boots."
You might need to set up a "DOS" boot floppy in order to see or
practise "pausing" (Pause key) the boot process so as to see this.


You might want to look for Belarc Advisor. Not sure if it will show
this info.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the response. Belarc Advisor is a neat thing to have
around, but it does not answer my particular question, Nor does my
BIOS screen.

But I did find out, by way of another response here, that all slots
are occupied. By the most obvious, therefore overlooked way. Looking
at the back of my computer it is clear that all slots are occupied.

So, thanks for your interest, and redeeming the newsgroup after the
unhelpful response I first recieved.

Thanks
 
Could you find the manual on line? Home brew or not?
My mobo manual is quite descriptive with great photo
Click to expand...

Thanks for your response.

Turns out the advice given by Bill Sharpe was right on target. All the
slots are full.

I am glad to know not all participants are like the first response I
got here.

Thanks again
 
| smlunatick wrote:
| >> Rather than being motivated by a desire to be helpful, you are clearly
| >> lurking here only with the intention to insult and ridiicule.
| >>
| >> Apparently it does not occur to you that I might have a disability,
| >> that opening the case might be a major endeavor, made all the more
| >> fruitless if there were no available slot.
| >>
| >> Thank you for your invaluable (NOT) advice.
| >>
| >> \On Sun, 14 Sep 2008 20:37:19 -0600, "Val"
| >>
| >>> If you tried searching for such an app, you'd have already found that there
| >>> doesn't seem to be any such. And in that time you could have opened the PC,
| >>> cleaned out all the dust, counted your slots, and had time for a cold
| >>> beverage.
| >>> | >>> Using Win XP Home, SP3 installed.
| >>> Is there a way I can determine if my system has a free PCI slot
| >>> without opening the case? Some little used applet in WinXP?
| >>> Thanks
| >
| > Depending on the make / model of your PC, several "name brand" PC
| > makers may have such an application.
| >
| > Also, I have seen several PCs that their BIOS / CMOS appear to show
| > which slots have a "device" inserted.
| >
| > Also, several popular BIOSes can show a "summary" screen, which lists
| > out the "detected" / "configured" devices, before Windows "boots."
| > You might need to set up a "DOS" boot floppy in order to see or
| > practise "pausing" (Pause key) the boot process so as to see this.
| >
| >
| > You might want to look for Belarc Advisor. Not sure if it will show
| > this info.
|
| Could you find the manual on line? Home brew or not?
| My mobo manual is quite descriptive with great photo

Unfortunately, the motherboard manual will show the number of PCI slots, but not if they are
occupied.
I repair a lot of computers but have never found a piece of software that accurately lays out the
interior.
I can guess at the number of slots use by looking at the rear panel, but even then I can be fooled
when I find that one of the slots is blocked by some other internal feature. The only sure way is
to open the case and look.
Click to expand...

Looking at the slots in back was right on target. They are all full.

Thanks for your feedback. Much appreciated.
 
Certainly not an infallible method, but often just looking st the slots
on the back of your computer case will identify which slots are
occupied. If you (or someone who is helping you) sees ports or
connectors on these slots, it's a good bet that there's a card in the slot.

Bill
Click to expand...


Not infallible, but it certainly worked for me. All my slots are full,
so I will go with a USB external instead.

Thanks for your help. Much appreciated.
 
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