AGP 4x card in an AGP 2x slot, possible?

[mooojojojo]

Well as the title says. Is it possible to use an AGP 4x card (say a GeForce4MX, or a Radeon 9000) in an AGP 2x motherboard... for instance one that uses an Intel BX chipset. And what about an AGP 1x mobo - Intel LX? Thanks.

 

[Trader05]

AGP should be backwards compatible. BX was a great chipset, you should not have a problem with that one, LX i'm not sure i have never used them.

 

[JBT]

AGP is backwords compatible it should be fine.

 

[aSnipingPenguin]

I was under the impression that unless the newer card was specified to be 1x/2x/4x compatible, it shouldn't be used in a 2x slot because of the the supply voltage dropping from 3.3V to 1.5V in the 4x standard. Or is that only a problem if you use a 1x/2x card in a 4x slot?

 

[jswjimmy]

ya it ok i ran a agp4 card on my old bx bord

 

[CZroe]

Originally posted by: aSnipingPenguin
I was under the impression that unless the newer card was specified to be 1x/2x/4x compatible, it shouldn't be used in a 2x slot because of the the supply voltage dropping from 3.3V to 1.5V in the 4x standard. Or is that only a problem if you use a 1x/2x card in a 4x slot?

Umm, cards that will not work aren't supposed to fit (Though some 1.5v-only cards have slipped out with double-keying).

The slots are keyed one way for 3.3v and the other (Literally, the port turned backwards) for 1.5v. Cards until recently are almost always keyed to fit in either and have on-board voltage regulation to deal with either type of signaling.

 

[mbackof]

I agree with CZroe on this. The boards are supposed to be keyed. My ATI 9600 did not fit in my AMD900 Tbird system with 2X AGP but it works fine in the AMD 1800+ HP system my wife uses.

Mike

 

[mooojojojo]

Wait wait wait so it's possible for an AGP 4x card to be keyed so that it won't fit in an old slot? I thought that AGP 4x cards have 2 notches, allowing them to go in both 2x and 4x slots. And 2x cards have just one notch incompatible with the 4x slot (i.e. - on the other 'end' of the card).

 

[Sideswipe001]

Not ALL cards are made either way, from what I've seen.

I know for certain older cards have serious issues in newer motherboards, as most now aren't designed to take the old AGP cards. I would bet that many new cards are not designed to fit into older ones too. If in doubt, look at a picture of the card before you buy.