Video Card for DELL Server

[SandEagle]

Hi there -

I'm in a bit of a bind and need some assistance. i'm looking for a pci-x video card. can't seem to find them anywhere.


i have a dell server with the following i/o slots:

2 - PCI Express slots (x4 with x8 connectors)
2 - 64-bit/100MHz PCI-X slots 3.3V
1 - 32-bit/33MHz PCI slot 5V


so, what's the best video card for me? pci-e x16 is out of the questions...don't know why they didn't include it. i'm looking for a gaming card for my server, perhaps 256/512 MB? pci-x preferred...or a compatible pci

thanks!

 

[ViRGE]

PCI-X was a slot standard that was used for server I/O hardware. I'm not aware of anyone making a PCI-X video card. You really don't have any options, PCI video cards are terrible, as are PCIe x1 cards.

 

[gwag]

what dell server do you have?

 

[ViRGE]

I'm guessing the PowerEdge SC1430 in his signature.

 

[abaqus07]

Thank's for this post.

 

[lopri]

GF 5200 and Radeon 9200 PCI. There are 6200 PCI cards but they're too expensive. These PCI cards should be able to handle 2D desktop up to 1920x1200 LCD.

 

[CP5670]

The 5200s are actually known to have some trouble with 1920x1200 LCDs, which max out the DVI bandwidth.

As others have said, there are no real options for PCI. You'll have to replace the motherboard if you want to use that system for gaming.

 

[dclive]

Your best choice is a Radeon 1550 (550 clock) for about $130 at newegg. Be sure to sort and find the PCIe x1 cards; they make it easy to do so.

 

[Peter]

You can plug 3.3V compatible PCI cards (two notches in connector blade) into PCI-X slots as well. This will severely compromise bandwidth on that particular bus, so check whether the slot you're going to use is on the same bus as a storage or LAN controller chip.

Other than that, there are a few PCIE 1x cards which will run in your 4x slots, and there's a couple of PCI-X cards at Matrox.

 

[tcsenter]

Moved from the hijacked topic...

You can try one of these to adapt a PCI-E x16 graphics card:

PCI Express X8 to X16 Adapter


PCI Express X4 to X16 Adapter

Although, I'm not really sure which of the two is correct, since your x8 physical connector is actually x4 lanes. Either should work, really.

This adapter will add about 0.5" to the height of the graphics card, which might raise one of the card's output connectors enough that it could interfere with the chassis I/O expansion slots. I suppose that could be solved by removing the obstructing part of the chassis with some tin-snips or something, which would leave you without a fastening point unless you jerry-rigged an alternative fastening gizmo.

BTW, a PCI card is compatible with PCI-X slots. It would cause the PCI-X bus frequency to fallback to the frequency of the PCI card (i.e. 33MHz), but it should work.

 

[SandEagle]

Are you saying that any of the PCI Express x1 should fit in the PCI-e x4 slot? IF that's the case, I'll go with one of cards in this link
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...08&name=PCI+Express+x1

if PCI is a better choice, then this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...electedRating=-1&Page=


server specs:
http://www.dell.com/content/pr...c=us&cs=555&l=en&s=biz
(Click on Tech Specs tab, then Expandability)

 

[SandEagle]

well, i've decided to pick this up from circuitcity. i'll let you know if it works or not

i don't do heavy gaming and i want a decent video card to get aero to work

thanks

http://www2.pny.com/FX-5200-256MB-PCI-P1732C16.aspx

 

[dclive]

Should be fine.

 

[tcsenter]

Originally posted by: rrahman1
i don't do heavy gaming and i want a decent video card to get aero to work

http://www2.pny.com/FX-5200-256MB-PCI-P1732C16.aspx

Then the FX5200 is a bad choice because NVIDIA has discontinued driver support under Vista for all GF 5 (FX) Series GPUs. The last Vista driver for the FX family is a very buggy BETA driver with a release date November 2006. I don't even think Aero works in this driver.

Read my post above, you CAN use PCI Express x16 graphics cards. Probably have to go with a low-profile model but it will work. Others have successfully done it on the SC1430.

 

[dclive]

Looks to me like it's the Microsoft WHQ driver....from a stability POV that's a good thing. Is performance not as good as nVidia's later drivers with that card?

For a cheapy card and simple needs, what is the issue with it?

 

[SandEagle]

well, im having a hell of a time getting the 5200 to work. i plug it in and nothing happens. it has 2 vga slots and an s-video option. i don't see an option in the bios to disable the primary display adapter. what gives?

bios
https://dcse.dell.com/IFR/Powe...C1430/system_setup.asp

 

[SandEagle]

well, i got a note back from stating that the only accepted video option is the on MB video option and that it was not able to be turned off in the BIOS since there is no other option for the video or the use of an add-in card. I may me SOL on this one. Also, Vista isn't a supported O/S on that machine :-(

 

[Peter]

With Vista unsupported, you may be lost here.

There is no need to disable the onboard video even if you add one in a slot. System BIOSes typically stop using the onboard device as soon as a VGA card is found. Some always make the onboard primary, but that still lets you use the card as secondary if your OS supports that. The better system BIOSes have a preference switch that lets the user choose.

 

[SandEagle]

here's a pic of my board

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="https://dcse.dell.com/IFR/PowerEdge/PESC1430/images/sysbrd_full.jpg">https://dcse.dell.com/IFR/P......es/sysbrd_full.jpg</a>

the 2 black slots are my pci-e


at this point, i'll take ANYTHING that will be compatible. i need to get off of the onboard video

 

[dclive]

Go to newegg and get a 1550 or 1350 - the PCIe x1 cards...

 

[Peter]

You need to get off the onboard video for what purpose?

 

[zephyrprime]

Save yourself the trouble and just sell this server and use the money to buy a consumer pc. A server has special features that have an economic value that are useful only to businesses that use servers as servers. For you to hang onto to this computer is not in your best economic interest.

 

[tcsenter]

Originally posted by: dclive
Looks to me like it's the Microsoft WHQ driver....from a stability POV that's a good thing. Is performance not as good as nVidia's later drivers with that card?

What "later" drivers? As I stated, the last driver release that will support the FX 5-Series under Vista is a buggy BETA driver for Vista RC2 with a build date of October 2006 (November release). That's it, there will be no later Vista driver that support this card.

 

[SandEagle]

Originally posted by: zephyrprime
Save yourself the trouble and just sell this server and use the money to buy a consumer pc. A server has special features that have an economic value that are useful only to businesses that use servers as servers. For you to hang onto to this computer is not in your best economic interest.

i got the server at one helluva price, much better than some of those high end desktop systems (~ $1,000 less than what DELL is currently offering it for). I think I'll hold on to it for a little longer.

I wanted to use this machine primary for home use and gaming, and eventually use it for a business that I'm planning on starting. Regardless, I decided that the video card is a nice-to-have, wanted it for gaming purposes, watching DVDs, and running vista Aero. I have a desktop, PS3, XBOX360, and Wii.... so gaming is not a major issue

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: tcsenter

Originally posted by: dclive
Looks to me like it's the Microsoft WHQ driver....from a stability POV that's a good thing. Is performance not as good as nVidia's later drivers with that card?

What "later" drivers? As I stated, the last driver release that will support the FX 5-Series under Vista is a buggy BETA driver for Vista RC2 with a build date of October 2006 (November release). That's it, there will be no later Vista driver that support this card.

So there are two drivers that can be used:

1. The in-box drivers, WHQL certified and known good....or
2. The "beta" drivers from www.nvidia.com

I think I know what I'd go with.