PCI express slot? why is nothing simple?

can you fix your link to the photo so I can see please  

See if this helps. You didn't give a specific series # so I'm winging it.

http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/product-and-parts/detai...

Where on the systemboard is the port at? Close to the sides, in the middle?

That slot in your picture is designed for low bandwidth expansion cards...









The top one in the picture is a proper pcie slot that you would need, do you have one?

According to the diagram:



#17 and #19 should be your PCI-E connectors.

Slot # 19

I got her picture fixed

Why the heck does it look like it's on the edge of the system board? Maybe it's just me....(been looking at spark plugs all day)

Yea I didn't understand that as well. It kind of looks like maybe she is using the bottom expansion slot which may be the issue. I would go with what Max suggested with slot 19 because the one she is plugging in looks like a pci slot normal not pci-e

the slot on the OPs pic is plain old PCI slot which seems to be on a very narrow pcb itself, some sort of riser card? looks weird anyways...

Could you take foto of the whole mobo area with the different slots?

That would be helpful yes ^+1 however based on the end of the slot it looks like that is the issue is that she is using a non pci express 16x slot.

If you have the slimline model, it only has PCI slots and no PCI-express.

Page 85 here http://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc/pccbbs/thinkcen...


Sadly, I think you are out of luck using that video card with that PC, nor can you use any video card really.

yep that would explain it, risers and everything...

don't know what to say - I clicked on the link in the post and went right to the site?

Wow! so many replies I can't keep up!!!  

yes, the pci slot thing is on a riser on the side of the board.

if it looks like I'm SOL - it's going BACK!

do you still want another photo??

kelly

here's the MB photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/91939719@N07/ hope this link works better than the first - had never used flicker before

kelly

holy crap! i just saw a dinosaur!!!

that is pci not pic-e(xpress).

Yea I would take it back miss  

OK - I'm posting a copy of the specs of the product when I bought it. It NEVER occurred to me that in 2012, even a refurbished computer would NOT have a pci-express slot!


Lenovo IBM ThinkCentre M55e Desktop PC - Intel Dual-Core 1.6GHz, 2GB DDR2, 80GB HDD, DVD-ROM,

Specifications
Desktop Specifications
Lifestyle Home & Student
Condition Off-Lease
Operating Systems Windows 7 Home Premium 32-Bit
Platform PC
Form Factor Small Form Factor (SFF)
Memory Module Specifications
Memory Type DDR2
Total Memory Size 2GB
Maximum Memory Supported 4GB - 64 bit
Media Ports
Serial Communication Ports 1
Parallel Ports 1
LAN Ports 1
USB Ports (Total) 2 - front
6 - rear
Audio Out Jacks 3
Microphone Jacks 1
VGA Ports 1
Processor Specifications
Processor Brand Intel
Processor Speed 1.6GHz
Hard Disk Drive Specifications
Interface SATA
Capacity 80GB
Hard Drive Types Hard Disk Drive
Speed 7,200RPM
Optical Drive Specifications
Optical Drive Class DVD-ROM
Audio Specifications
Audio Description Integrated Audio
Audio Chipset High Definition Audio
Graphics Specifications
Graphics Description Integrated Graphics
GPU/VPU Intel GMA 3000
Network Adapter Specifications
LAN Data Transfer Rate 10/100/1000Mbps
LAN Description Gigabit Ethernet
LAN Interface Type RJ-45
Mouse Specifications
Mouse Type Included
Connection Type USB
Keyboard Specifications
Keyboard Type Included
Connection Type USB
Specification Notes
Specification Notes [6] To provide the most accurate specifications, the specifications listed are based upon information provided by the vendor.



Is there anything in those specs that I missed that would have told me the MB didn't have and couldn't support a pci-express? Was I really that uninformed? or was there no way to know?

thanks

kelly

So . . . does this mean I can salvage this dinosaur?? All I bought it for was to watch TV via internet - it will be my 'media center' I don't game; it's just gonna sit in the living room hooked to a 32" TV (hdmi input only from pc) and let me watch Netflix, and CBS - that's about it! Oh - and it will be hooked to my stereo and serve as my digital music library server

thanks soooo much!

kelly

seems so.

i was a bit surprised to see a PCI graphics card with HDMI out when i did a quick search on new egg. so i guess all is not lost.

loon you changed your portrait   Not all hope is lost yea. I mean if you had just purchased it it may be a good idea to get something newer but that is up to you. But yea you can get a pci card (the slot doesn't offer much in terms of bandwidth and has been legacy (meaning out of date) for a good 10 years)

hmm the second pic is a bit fuzzy on the important parts, is there actually a second black slot on that riser?

the chipset used on the mobo (946gz) did support pci-e after all... might not be used on that exact board but..

here's another photo (http://www.flickr.com/photos/91939719@N07/ ) - the pci slot is the blurred white thing on top - hard to get a camera in there . . but low and behold I see 'pci-e' on the riser board! does that mean I could add a pci slot somehow? is it necessary given my stated useage? but then could use the new card I bought

kelly

Right but it says 1x and PCI-E express slots vary in size based on speed.

oh . . yeah . . right . . I got excited there! So - back the a previous question - can I use a pci card just to watch movies/TV via internet - or should I send the whole thing back and start over?

You can but let me ask you because I think this will clear up the conversation entirely what did you pay for your computer.

there are some cards with pci-e x1 connection, but they are quite rare...

hondochica, how complex do you want to make this.
Its simple did you buy a XFX 1 graphics card that says Pci-e graphics card on the box. yes or no? if the answer is yes what is the problem.
Next does the motherboard have a Pci-e graphics slot yes it does. Its the one in the diagram that hedwar2011 posted of the motherboard diagram, the card if it states it is a Pci-e express needs to be placed in the slot saying 19.

What you tried to do was put a Pci-e card into a Pci slot, that was on a riser card. Sigh !

No the MB doesn't. Look at the pics the OP posted or the service manual I posted. hedwar2011 is from the desktop version, not the SFF which the OP has, verified by the OP and doesn't have a PCI-express port designed for a graphics card. You can even look at the OP's photo's of their actual PC and see it's nothing like hedward2011's picture.

I paid $100

is there some way to reply to a bunch/all of you so you'll know I posted a reply to your Q/C?


Hope you all get this:

OK - Let me go back to the graphics diagram and compare that with my MB; I don't see another PCI slot but I'll look again.

Weasleman: yes I bought a XFX 1 graphics card that says pci-e; ok - maybe I'm blind or an idiot - (I'm ok w/ either but think it's neither!) but I only see 1 pci slot on the MB; that slot is pictured in the photo on flicker; below that appear to be some empty spaces to plug in other pci slots - but the MB says "PCI-e 1x. . . the card is a 16x. so what am I missing here - I'll look at my MB for slot 19. . . . . .

ok - I don't see any other PCI slots (express or otherwise) on the MB - there's a photo at flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/91939719@N07/

and thanks for all your help


kelly

THANK YOU!!!!!

Kelly

LET'S START FROM HERE

looniam wrote :

PCI cards w/HDMI output:
ZOTAC ZT-60604-10L GeForce GT 610 512MB 64-bit DDR3 PCI HDCP Ready Low Profile Ready Video Card $59.99

PowerColor Radeon HD 5450 512MB 64-bit DDR2 PCI HDCP Ready Low Profile Ready Video Card $69.99


Kelly wrote:

So . . . does this mean I can salvage this dinosaur?? All I bought it for was to watch TV via internet - it will be my 'media center' I don't game; it's just gonna sit in the living room hooked to a 32" TV (hdmi input only from pc) and let me watch Netflix, and CBS - that's about it! Oh - and it will be hooked to my stereo and serve as my digital music library server

thanks soooo much!

kelly


New Comment
NOW - any reason I can't use a PCI card w/ hdmi output and save myself the hassle of returning the computer? I just want to watch internet movies/TV That's it!!!!!!

Can we keep it simple!?

thanks

Kelly

Yes. Either of those cards can handle watching movies connected to a TV.

Rambisco - and all

I'm done!! I'm outta here! I'll get a PCI card w/ hdmi output - for more $$ but it's the easiest fix for me!

Thank you all so much for all your help and your time!!

You're the best!!

Happy computing!

Kelly

Best answer selected by hondochica.

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nHappy shopping but be careful what you buy. I bought a 9645-WD7 today for 89 Canuck Bucks. I knew what I was getting (into) but spent today browsing forums and found your post. One think I found elsewhere is that the power supply is damn small at 240w and definitely not up to the task of powering a top-end video card.
n
nPS: Let us know how you made out.
n