Can't find graphics card slot??

kisjinjer231 · Jun 20, 2013

I have a compaq presario cq5700f with integrated graphics (ATI radeon 3000 HD graphics) which has 2 express?
PCI x1 slots. I wanted to upgrade my graphics card so i bought Zotac Geforce GT218 which according to the product description has 512 mb, DDR3, PCI express 1 graphics. When I tried to put the video card into my desktop today, I couldn't find any pci slots/video card slots to put my graphics card into. Is the video card in my motherboard and if so how can i install my new graphics card?

I've uploaded 2 pics of my desktop (sorry if pics are a little blurry)
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/24/55w4.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/694/6vkr.jpg/

rex4235 · Jun 20, 2013

Your motherboard does NOT have a PCI-Ex16 slot. Therefore, you cannot install that GPU (or any others for that matter)

bigpinkdragon286 · Jun 20, 2013

You can make out from your pictures where your PCI-e x16 slot would be, but as common to many off-the-shelf or branded computers, the physical connector has been left off of the board to save money.

Technically speaking, since PCI-e is backward compatible, you could use one of your PCI-e x1 slots if you could physically insert your graphics card into it. This is usually prevented by the slot's closed ends, but some manufacturers have been gracious enough on rare occasion to leave the ends of the PCI-e slots open for just such reasons.

What you will find however, is that even if you manage to get your card into a PCI-e x1 slot, the single lane (that's what x1 means) will bottleneck most graphics cards. In the case of your GT 218 however, that's unlikely as it's not a fast card to begin with.

Of course, if you were a good tinkerer, and wanted to take the risk upon yourself, you may be able to purchase the actual PCI-e x16 connector and solder it yourself:

http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/0877159306/WM9003-ND/760711?WT.mc_id=PLA_760711

... or with a Dremel or other tool, open the end of one of your PCI-e x1 slots so your graphics card will seat properly.

There are adapters available as well, such as this, but you may find it fiddly at best, as far as fixing the adapter or card in place, as it won't fit in a standardized fashion. These are more for custom solutions and running equipment on a bench, but at least the option is present.

http://compare.ebay.com/like/261205674082?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar#

hang-the-9 · Jun 20, 2013

Looks like the PCIe 1x slots are near the power supply. They are pretty short. Easy to figure out where they are because all the expantion slots should be near where the rear panel cutouts are for the card connections to poke out of the case.

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Can't find graphics card slot??

kisjinjer231

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rex4235

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bigpinkdragon286

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hang-the-9

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