Help needed installing a drivers for an Nvidia Geoforce FX5200 on a Dell Optiplex

  • Thread starter Thread starter pfgpowell
  • Start date Start date
P

pfgpowell

Hi. first off I usually use Macs and don't know my way around PCs
(yet). I bought a secondhand Dell Optiplex GX260 for my children to
play games on. Came with Windows XP Professional installed. Games
weren't good with the built-in graphics card so I bought an Nvidia
Geoforce FX5200 AGP card on eBay (choosing that one because as far as I
can see it is the only one which will fit the low-profile Optiplex.)
I'm having all sorts of trouble getting it to work. Tried to install
the drivers from the disk (before installing the new card) but I got a
message saying 'unable to locate drivers compatible with your current
hardware'. Trouble is that once I have installed the new card - so that
the current new hardware IS present - and reboot, I now longer get a
signal through to my monitor. I get the initial Windows XP black splash
screen, but when it gets to the blue screen - zilch. I have the same
problem both when the monitor is attached to the original graphics
outlet (which shares the Dell's CPU with the rest of the PC) or when it
is attached to the new card. Sequence: Dell splash screen, first black
Windows XP spalsh creen, then blank screen when it should go to the
blue Welcome screen. This is driving me NUTS. BTW I have already been
in touch with Nvidi who gave me a link to the latest drivers which I
have donwloaded. But I get the same story when I try to install them.
My children want to play their games and I hate to be beaten. All
advice and help VERY welcome. Feel free to email me directly. Thanks,
Patrick
 
When installing a card you usually insert the card prior to installing
drivers.
As you have onboard vid, does it automatically become disabled when you add
a vid card, or do you have to disable it in the bios first?
It depends on the bios/PC and I dont know specifically about your Dell.
There are a number of low profile cards, a FX5200 is a very basic card and
as such will probably not run intensive games.
PS As this was a used PC, was it supplied with a 'clean' installation or did
it have old data on it?
If you are unsure you might be advised to first use the Dell recovery cd's
to put it back to factory specs, then visit Dell support and check on driver
updates specific to your Tag #. Then of course run winupdate to install
critical updates. Do NOT use winupdates for drivers.
 
Yes, that makes a lot of sense. Without the grapic card installed, I
can't install the drivers. WITH the graphics card installed it does
seem that my original onboard vid is disabled. and I don't get a
picture at all on my monitor (i.e NEITHER onboard vid not graphics card
is working). So HOW do I disable the BIOS. As I say I know nothign
about PCs, just Macs. It doesn't bother me that the card is pretty
basic as the games aren't intensive. Please advise furtehr, and thanks,
Patrick.
 
Once you install the new vga card you are attaching the monitor to it and
not leaving it connected to the onboard correct?

--
 
Remove the new video card, make sure that the computer boots normally
and video works, deinstall the video drivers, select a standard VGA set,
and reboot. If the video works (even though you are limited to
640x480x16), then you are ready to turn off the computer, install the
nVidia card, boot to BIOS if necessary to turn off on-board video, and
see if the new card functions at VGA settings in Windows. If it does,
then you can attempt to install the nVidia driver set.

Most problems with nVidia cards result from incorrect or leftover
drivers from previous cards. The next largest group of problems are
caused by not having installed an AGP driver for the motherboard. The
latter may not be a problem with Dell systems.
 
pfgpowell said:
Hi. first off I usually use Macs and don't know my way around PCs
(yet). I bought a secondhand Dell Optiplex GX260 for my children to
play games on. Came with Windows XP Professional installed. Games
weren't good with the built-in graphics card so I bought an Nvidia
Geoforce FX5200 AGP card on eBay (choosing that one because as far as I
can see it is the only one which will fit the low-profile Optiplex.)
I'm having all sorts of trouble getting it to work. Tried to install
the drivers from the disk (before installing the new card) but I got a
message saying 'unable to locate drivers compatible with your current
hardware'. Trouble is that once I have installed the new card - so that
the current new hardware IS present - and reboot, I now longer get a
signal through to my monitor.
Click to expand...


Disable the integrated video chip in the computer's BIOS. It's causing
a conflict with the nVidia adapter.




--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell
 
Back
Top