Running A Computer Without Graphics

firewolfsm

Golden Member
Oct 16, 2005
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I'm steeping up my graphics card now and i don't have a backup to use until then. The motherboard has no integrated graphics but before I installed the graphics card drivers, the computer still worked in windoes. I was woundering if a computer can be run with the CPU doing all the graphics wark. In 2D windows only of course.
 

MX2

Lifer
Apr 11, 2004
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If the mobo didnt have intergrated graphics, where was the vga plugged into:confused:

edit:Even if you have no graphics drivers installed (software), you still had to of had somewhere (hardware) that your vga cord plugged into.
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
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no

the computer will boot, and do its thing (like seti)

i'm pretty sure you can even remote into it

but you can't plug a monitor into it. no plug.
 

letdown427

Golden Member
Jan 3, 2006
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Originally posted by: firewolfsm
I'm steeping up my graphics card now and i don't have a backup to use until then. The motherboard has no integrated graphics but before I installed the graphics card drivers, the computer still worked in windoes. I was woundering if a computer can be run with the CPU doing all the graphics wark. In 2D windows only of course.


Erm, you appear to have answered your own question?

Just a thought.

 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
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Originally posted by: letdown427
Originally posted by: firewolfsm
I'm steeping up my graphics card now and i don't have a backup to use until then. The motherboard has no integrated graphics but before I installed the graphics card drivers, the computer still worked in windoes. I was woundering if a computer can be run with the CPU doing all the graphics wark. In 2D windows only of course.


Erm, you appear to have answered your own question?

Just a thought.

not really. you don't need graphics drivers for the rudimentary graphics that are used by the bios and windows setup. and then windows installs some very rudimentary vga drivers by default that can run on any vga card. but he still had a vga card plugged in.
 

JBT

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
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Originally posted by: ElFenix
no

the computer will boot, and do its thing (like seti)

i'm pretty sure you can even remote into it

but you can't plug a monitor into it. no plug.

Yeah you can definitly remote into it. Win XP atleast. I did that when I was VGAless from a FSFT deal.
 

Crescent13

Diamond Member
Jan 12, 2005
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Lets see...

No GPU = no monitor port

No Intergated graphics = no monitor port

no graphics at all = no monitor ports at all


so really what you're asking is...

Can a computer work without a monitor?

The answer is yes, but you don't have any interface so you can't see what you'd be clicking on etc.
 

Matthias99

Diamond Member
Oct 7, 2003
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Originally posted by: Crescent13
Lets see...

No GPU = no monitor port

No Intergated graphics = no monitor port

no graphics at all = no monitor ports at all


so really what you're asking is...

Can a computer work without a monitor?

The answer is yes, but you don't have any interface so you can't see what you'd be clicking on etc.

Remote Desktop (or similar technology) FTW. 'Headless' servers are fairly common, although for obvious reasons, a PC without a monitor is not as useful.

Also, some systems can run a command line interface on a serial terminal over RS-232. I've debugged SUN SPARC workstations that had bad video cards or that wouldn't boot up at all like this.

IF your BIOS will allow you to boot with no video card installed, you can bring the system up (although, as noted, you will have no way to see what Windows is outputting to the screen directly). But a lot of PC BIOSes won't boot without some sort of video device installed.
 

firewolfsm

Golden Member
Oct 16, 2005
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I never thought of the lack of monitor ports, i'm at school now. I was really wondering if there is a way to control it through WiFi or something...but then again, i have remote desktop disabled. If the computer works, i can go through the options with a keyboard looking at a different computer and enable it. I'll just try it out.
 

nitromullet

Diamond Member
Jan 7, 2004
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if you have another PC (which is what you need to do remote desktop) just use that PC while your card is out. Either that, or buy yourself a cheap PCI (or PCI-E 1x) card and keep it handy for then you don't have a video card.
 

namityadav

Member
Mar 9, 2006
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Even for enabling the remote-desktop, you would need to be able to see Windows on your PC. So you'll need a video card in it (Maybe borrowed from another machine that you are going to remote from later).
 

jasonja

Golden Member
Feb 22, 2001
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You'll need a bios (otherwise you'll get the famous multiple beeps when it posts) and OS that supports headless operation (not sure if XP Home or Pro does.... server most certainl y would).

I had an old machine that i did this with that ran Linux that I used as a router and file server. It had no video card in it but I could log into over the network to use it.



 

Peter

Elite Member
Oct 15, 1999
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"Remote Desktop" applications often enough just copy the contents of the local screen. These don't work when there is no local screen on the machine.

I'm sure there's a large box of totally obsolete PCI graphics card in an attic near you ...
 

Golgatha

Lifer
Jul 18, 2003
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Originally posted by: nitromullet
if you have another PC (which is what you need to do remote desktop) just use that PC while your card is out. Either that, or buy yourself a cheap PCI (or PCI-E 1x) card and keep it handy for then you don't have a video card.

This is why I keep my Voodoo 3 PCI card around.
 

JonnyBlaze

Diamond Member
May 24, 2001
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Originally posted by: Peter
"Remote Desktop" applications often enough just copy the contents of the local screen. These don't work when there is no local screen on the machine.

I'm sure there's a large box of totally obsolete PCI graphics card in an attic near you ...

remote desktop doesnt just copy the contents of the local screen. when im logged into my home pc from work, at home it shows the login screen and under my name it says logged on unless someone else is using the pc locally then they see their own session and i see mine.

 

JonnyBlaze

Diamond Member
May 24, 2001
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Originally posted by: Peter
So what you got there is an actual remote session. Fine for you then :)

just regular old remote desktop.


remote assistance is what copies the local screen.