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Help with video on a Dell Power Edge SC420

Smoke

Smoke

Distributed Computing Elite Member
I've read all of the threads on the Power Edge Forums that relates to this topic and even posted there trying to get some advice. It appears the Dell Power Edge Forums have had a big drop in participation and so far I've not been given any assistance. So here I am back at "home base". 😉 🙂

I've given my grandson an old Dell Power Edge SC420. During the time I used the machine the on-board video (8MB) was sufficient to my needs. Well, my grandson ask me the other day to look at his computer and "fix" the problem he was having trying to play games on Disney's ToonTown Online.

The barely minimum on-board video, good enough for my purposes as stated above, doesn't have 3D capability. So I realize I need to get him a video card.

Here's the problem. I don't want to do a MOD on the SC420's video slot. There are discussions all over the Power Edge Forums about that and the success rate of different video cards is sort of a hit and miss situation.

I would rather just buy a PCI Video card, plug it in, and enable my grandson to play those games on ToonTown.

What I don't know and would like someone with experience with the SC420 to tell me is, would just any PCI Video Card work? Or are there special cards and/or special steps required. There were discussions (on the Power Edge Forums) how Dell had crippled the SC420 so much that it is only with great effort could you add a video card. I'm not interested in modifying the PCIe x8 slot and I'd hate to buy a PCI Video Card only to find that it didn't work.

Help would be much appreciated.
 
Only 5-V PCI expansion cards are supported by that mobo also there are no reliable confirmation that PCI card can initialize with onboard off in BIOS (automatically assumes PCIE) as long as I remember. I?d try to search for more info on PCI-E 1x graphics ? that most likely should work. Anyway no 100% advice from me ? if you have/can borrow something to test it with - good, if modding and PCIE 8x is not an option and you are purchasing staff ? make sure it is cheap or can be returned with minimum costs.

I?d try calling Dell support and ask them (noting name/getting reference/email so you can blame them later/get some sort of refund/maybe working 8x card)
 
Greg, would Dell tell you what video card you could use & sell you one guaranteed to do the job?
 
I ended up getting a PCI Diamond Stealth 9250 and it seems to be doing just fine.

Thanks for the help. :thumbsup:
 
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