New card doesn't support legacy BIOS. What can we do?

[Techhog]

My friend bought a Zotac GTX 750 Ti for his HP computer (HP Pavilion h8-1214) after I suggested it. However, I failed to consider that his card might not support the BIOS, so the computer doesn't get past the BIOS splash screen with it installed. What are his options now? Is replacing it the only option? Would NewEgg allow an exchange for a compatible model? If it has to be replaced, what models would work?

 

[LTC8K6]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127783&cm_re=msi_750-_-14-127-783-_-Product

That one supposedly has a switch on it for UEFI or Legacy BIOS.

http://event.msi.com/2014/vga/Hybrid_BIOS/

 

[zir_blazer]

That should be a compability issue between the card and the Motherboard unrelated to your assumption. I doubt that any manufacturer would risk to remove old VBIOS support, in the same way that UEFI CSM seems to be staying.
Some Firmwares had issues trying to read from hybrid PCI Options ROMs that had both a classic VBIOS header and also a EFI header. Since that is an OEM system, I would blame bad Motherboard Firmware, which isn't uncommon.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

I would attempt the following fix even if the system has win 7 instead of 8 installed.

http://nvidia.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3156/~/when-installing-an-after-market-graphics-card-into-a-certified-windows-8-pc

When an after-market graphics card is installed into a motherboard with UEFI enabled in the system BIOS, or if the system is a certified Windows 8 PC with Secure Boot enabled, the system may not boot.

UEFI is a new system BIOS feature that is provided on most new motherboards. A UEFI system BIOS is required in order for the Windows 8 Secure Boot feature to work. Secure boot is enabled by default on certified Windows 8 PCs.

In order to get the PC to boot with a graphics card that does not contain UEFI firmware, the end-user must first disable the secure boot feature in the system's SBIOS before installing the graphics card.

Note: Some system SBIOS's incorporate a feature called compatibility boot. These systems will detect a non-UEFI-enabled firmware VBIOS and allow the user to disable secure boot and then proceed with a compatibility boot. If the system contains a system SBIOS the supports compatibility boot, the user will need to disable secure boot when asked during boot process

Instructions for manually disabling secure boot:

1) Power down the system

2) Remove the NVIDIA Add-in card

3) Boot the system using integrated graphics

4) Enter CMOS settings. CMOS settings can usually be accessed during boot, typically by pressing one of F1, F2, F8, F12, or Delete (depends on the system firmware) Alternatively they can be accessed in Windows 8 as follows: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-access-the-bios-on-a-windows-8-computer/

5) Set Secure Boot to disabled

6) If there is an option, set CSM (or compatibility or legacy mode) to enabled.

7) Save the new settings

8) Power down the system

9) Install the NVIDIA Add-in card

10) The system should now boot

I see that system has a FX CPU, so boot using the old vid card.