New nVidia GeForce 7600GS AGP card won't work - Help!

[MoonlitMaiden]

I've found some posts that sort of address this problem, but not quite... Please forgive me if this question has already been answered elsewhere.

I currently have an nVidia GeForce FX 5700LE 128MB PCI card with the latest Forceware driver (well, version 162.18, I just downloaded the very latest, version 163.75, but haven't installed it yet). My primary use of my computer, other than general Internet use and word processing, is Sims2 gaming and Photoshop graphic work. The 5700 does a decent job with all this but my sister needs a decent card (she's using the Intel onboard graphics at this point) and I wanted to upgrade a bit to get better game performance, so we decided to swap out my 5700 for a new card and give her the old one.

On the advice of someone I trust I purchased a GeForce 7600GS 256MB AGP card from Newegg. This card was recommended to me as the best I could do within my $100 or less budget and given the capabilities of my aging computer. I have a Dell Dimension 4600 with an Intel P4 2.66GHz processor, 2GB RAM, Windows XP Home Edition.

I got the card Friday and installed it Saturday, and I've been tearing my hair out ever since. I first took out the 5700 (PCI) and installed the 7600 (AGP), started up the computer and... Nothing. The screen stayed blank and the on/off button stayed amber. I plugged the monitor into the onboard graphics connector and still got nothing but the blank screen and amber button. I removed the 7600, reinstalled the 5700, and on came the monitor.

Now, there was nothing in the instruction booklet that came with the 7600GS about removing all the drivers for my 5700 before installing the new card, but I've been advised to take out all the drivers, then remove the PCI card, install the AGP card and then restart the computer, then install the software for the new card. But here's the thing: the forceware drivers from nVidia are the same for the 5700 as for the 7600, so tell me why the presence of these drivers would keep the new card from working? I am deathly afraid of deleting all the nVidia drivers and then being unable to get my monitor to work with either card, and that the computer wouldn't even be able to work with the onboard Intel graphics.

Can someone help? This new card is from Chaintech, which, if you've visited their site, is worthless as far as support is concerned -- it's nothing but links to places to buy its products. Newegg has no tech support for this and nVidia just tells you to contact the manufacturer. I've got 30 days to send this new card back to Newegg if it's defective, but I have no way to know whether it's defective, whether my system just can't use it, or whether this driver thing is what's keeping it from working.

I would really appreciate some advice on this, ASAP. Thanks!

 

[drdoom1337]

I'm no genius on this, but does your new graphics card require an external power source? is your current powersupply powerful enough ?i'm pretty sure if you delete the drivers from the old video card, it won't hurt to reinstall them later if the new card still doesn't work, after all the first time you installed the 5700 there were no drivers for it on your computer were there ?

 

[MoonlitMaiden]

I'm no genius on this, but does your new graphics card require an external power source? is your current powersupply powerful enough ?i'm pretty sure if you delete the drivers from the old video card, it won't hurt to reinstall them later if the new card still doesn't work, after all the first time you installed the 5700 there were no drivers for it on your computer were there ?

Hi, thanks for responding. The new card doesn't require an external power source, however (sigh...) the recommended specs on the new card call for a minimum 300 watt power supply and I discovered in my owner's manual that my power supply is 250 watts. I don't know if that would keep the card from working at all and if so, why didn't the Intel onboard graphics take over?

See, this is my problem: If I remove all my old drivers, what if there's something keeping my Intel onboard graphics from taking over and I then can't get a connection to my monitor at all? I'm totally screwed!

 

[cruiseoveride]

you need to set in your bios to use agp instead of pci

 

[MoonlitMaiden]

you need to set in your bios to use agp instead of pci

How do I do that?

 

[Nik_I]

ok i also have a dimension 4600 and i decided to go into the bios to see if there were any settings that might fix your problem. i found one that sets the graphics adapter. it's either set to "auto" or "agp". while if it's set to auto it should automatically switch to agp when an agp card is installed, maybe that isn't working. enter the bios and press enter on "integrated devices". from in there choose agp rather than auto. also make sure the integrated graphics aren't turned on either for some reason. that might prevent the agp card from working.

 

[MoonlitMaiden]

ok i also have a dimension 4600 and i decided to go into the bios to see if there were any settings that might fix your problem. i found one that sets the graphics adapter. it's either set to "auto" or "agp". while if it's set to auto it should automatically switch to agp when an agp card is installed, maybe that isn't working. enter the bios and press enter on "integrated devices". from in there choose agp rather than auto. also make sure the integrated graphics aren't turned on either for some reason. that might prevent the agp card from working.

Okay, but I can't turn off the integrated graphics and then switch the bios to AGP. If the card is defective or my power supply isn't enough to run it, then I'm totally screwed! I won't be able to use my PCI card to see the monitor, I won't be able to use the AGP card to see the monitor, and with the integrated graphics disabled I won't be able to see the monitor with that either. Skrooooed!

 

[tlmck]

Correct me if I am wrong, but every 7600gs AGP card I have ever seen requires a 4 pin plug from the power supply. It is the same type power plug that goes into an IDE hard drive. The PCIe version cards do not require this.

If the BIOS is set to auto on the video leave it there. Once you plug in the card it should work fine. I would still uninstall/reinstall the video drivers.

 

[MoonlitMaiden]

Correct me if I am wrong, but every 7600gs AGP card I have ever seen requires a 4 pin plug from the power supply. It is the same type power plug that goes into an IDE hard drive. The PCIe version cards do not require this.

If the BIOS is set to auto on the video leave it there. Once you plug in the card it should work fine. I would still uninstall/reinstall the video drivers.

There is no power plug attached to this card, there is no power plug or cable of that sort that came with the card, there is nothing in the hardware installation instructions that refers to plugging into the power supply and there is no place on the card itself to plug in anything. The instructions simply say to seat it in the AGP slot, replace the computer cover, plug everything back in, turn on the computer and then install the software on the disk that came with it. Unfortunately, I can't install any software because I can't see a damn thing on the monitor with this card.

Also, it says it's completely compatible with the onboard graphics so there should be no need to disable my Intel integrated graphics. Not that that seems to do any good, for some reason. With that AGP card installed, my onboard graphics don't work either.

 

[tlmck]

Which model number Chaintech card did you get. Their web site lists one AGP(GSA76GS) model and 3 PCIe models(GSE76GS, GSE76GS-A1, GAE76GS-A2). The AGP model does have a black 4 pin D-Plug on the front edge of the card. A standard 4 pin D-plug lead from your power supply is supposed to plug into this. The PCIe models do not need this as the PCIe slot supplies the extra voltage needed.

Also the card edge that plugs into the MB slot is different on AGP than it is on PCIe. The AGP card edge should have 3 sections of gold pins. The PCIe card has 1 long section, and 1 short section.

I am just wondering if you accidentally got a PCIe card somehow. Sounds like it to me. http://www.chaintech.com.tw/eng/a211_product_cate2.php?pos=9

Here is a picture of the power supply connector I am talking about. It plugs into the connector on the vid card. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Molex_female_connector.jpg

 

[Nik_I]

if it was a PCI-E card, it's quite unlikely that it would even fit in the AGP slot though

 

[MoonlitMaiden]

Which model number Chaintech card did you get. Their web site lists one AGP(GSA76GS) model and 3 PCIe models(GSE76GS, GSE76GS-A1, GAE76GS-A2). The AGP model does have a black 4 pin D-Plug on the front edge of the card. A standard 4 pin D-plug lead from your power supply is supposed to plug into this. The PCIe models do not need this as the PCIe slot supplies the extra voltage needed.

Also the card edge that plugs into the MB slot is different on AGP than it is on PCIe. The AGP card edge should have 3 sections of gold pins. The PCIe card has 1 long section, and 1 short section.

I am just wondering if you accidentally got a PCIe card somehow. Sounds like it to me. http://www.chaintech.com.tw/eng/a211_product_cate2.php?pos=9

Here is a picture of the power supply connector I am talking about. It plugs into the connector on the vid card. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Molex_female_connector.jpg

Well, the mystery appears to be solved, thanks to you. I looked the card over again thoroughly and I did indeed find a plug. I also found a number of connectors coming out of the power supply and apparently I picked the right one because I plugged it into the card, put the card in the AGP socket, turned on the computer and it was magic time. The system detected the new card and even configured it. I already had the next-to-the newest nVidia Forceware driver installed, for the 5700LE, and the 7600GS is purring along fine with it. It's only been going a few minutes at this point and I haven't gone into my game with it to test it out, but oh, what a relief to even get the thing working!

I can't understand why the very detailed instruction booklet that came with the driver never mentioned plugging it into the power supply?

Thanks so much for your help. I'll stop back in if I have any more issues with this card, but it does seem at this point as if you nailed it.

Merry Christmas!

 

[Nik_I]

well without trying to sound rude, plugging something in is kind of a no brainer

 

[MoonlitMaiden]

well without trying to sound rude, plugging something in is kind of a no brainer

Pretty crappy thing to say and it sounded very rude. So much for this being a nice friendly place.

 

[DICK151]

Common sense is dwindling in our society because everyone doesn't want to hurt peoples feelings for being ignorant, some things NEED to be said so one doesn't make the same mistake twice (even if it does hurt their feelings). And as for this site being a nice place.....who gives a s**t? As long as the thread is helpful, then the mission is accomplished, so don't hate nic for being correct

 

[spathotan]

12-17-2007

 

[peachtree474]

I have the same problem as this guy did. I have replaced the power supply and switched the integrated devices to 256mb (as required) and I still am having problems screen goes into sleep mode as soon as I turn on the computer and have no screen (only black and the button turns amber also). If you could please help me try something else.
I did plug the video card into the power supply also!! I also got the geforce 7600gs. And I have a dell dimension 4600. Any other suggestions for me???? Really need help I'm frustrated trying to figure this thing out......

 

[turboflame]

10-12-2008

 

[Guest]

I have the same problem with a Nvidia gf-9500-gt, just get a blank monitor and amber light still on, there is a kind of 2 pronged socket on the card but it doesn't mention anything about extra power. Any ideas?

 

[Guest]

Alos only have a 300W max power supply, it says card requires 350 min, Would that be the reason?

 

[Guest]

For those of you with Nvidia Video card already on-board and using a new nvidia Video card driver, By disabling the old one, your new one wont work. Or at least it didn't for me. The old hard drive is necessary for the new hard drive, and when you uninstall one nvidia hard drive for some reason it takes components you need for the new hard drive.

For instance.

If I unplug My old Graphics Nvidia card, My new card will run fine.

If I unplug My new Graphics Nvidia card, My old card will run fine.

If I disable My old Graphics Nvidia Hard drive, My new card will not run, but my old one will display green.

If I disable My new Graphics Nvidia Hard drive, My new card will not run, but my old one will.


My cards- On board 5160 Nvidia, New card Nvidia 8400 GS
Computer- Hp Pavilion, Vista 32 bit, a6803w