VOGONS


First post, by AlessandroB

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If i install my PCI graphic card in my PII, how to choose to use integrated S3 instead of ATI when i wanto to play dos games and choose PCI ATI when i go to windows98/XP? tnks

Reply 1 of 10, by dionb

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Integrated S3? Is it some kind of UniChrome chipset? If not, it's an onboard S3 chip, not an integrated device (no separate chip). That could be very relevant to your question. Which motherboard is it exactly?

Reply 2 of 10, by jtchip

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Depends on the motherboard and BIOS. On at least some Award BIOSes, under the "integrated peripherals" section there is a "init display first" option which allows you to select on-chip VGA, PCI slot or AGP slot. It could also be under "PNP and PCI setup" as "VGA BIOS sequence".

Reply 3 of 10, by AlessandroB

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dionb wrote:

Integrated S3? Is it some kind of UniChrome chipset? If not, it's an onboard S3 chip, not an integrated device (no separate chip). That could be very relevant to your question. Which motherboard is it exactly?

ok, it’s an onboard s3 chip on a IBM 300GL PentiumII, Bios is really minimal, i control today.

Reply 4 of 10, by dionb

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Still need more info in the exact board - if it's an onboard AGP chip, you might be able to force PCI VGA vs AGP VGA, if it's onboard PCI that would be more difficult but there may be a jumper to select. Iirc most IBM systems from this period used Acer-manufactured boards.

Reply 5 of 10, by AlessandroB

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ok have success, the bios ibm of this machine is not so poor as I imagined. Just select in Device and I / O Ports -> Video Setup -> Primary Display and change between PCI or AGP. Strangely, from what I thought AGP enables the S3 onboard chip, with PCI, the ATI 9250 PCI video output is enabled.

Question: when I select AGP and get the video output from the S3, the ATI 9250 PCI card is not turned off right? Because in windows it appears anyway an inscription (now I don't remember which one) on the monitor connected to the ATI 9250. While in DOS the monitor connected to the 9250 goes on standby because it does not detect any video output.

Reply 6 of 10, by jtchip

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The BIOS setting determines the primary video device by initialising its video BIOS during POST. The secondary video device remains off until it's initialised in an OS with the correct driver, like Windows where you should be able to configure it for multi-monitor.

Reply 7 of 10, by chinny22

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So as AGP enables the S3 this means you can think of it as and actual AGP card built into the motherboard like dionb said and not some cut down integrated chip like later systems.

And yes as you haven't disabled the video just selected the primary both will still be somewhat active. This is how you had duel screen back in the day.

Reply 8 of 10, by Mike3d

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Hello.
I have the same problem.
I have IBM 360GL 6275-220
Celeron 333MHZ
160MB RAM
and S3 trio3D (agp onboard).
The motherboard has only PCI and ISA slots.

I bought and inserted an nvidia fx 5500 256MB PCI and I can't deactivate it in the bios of the S3 card.
Windows 98se displays 2 gpu.
In device managere are 2 card: 1. Geforce fx5550 and 2.unknown pci vga card.

I understand that after the insertion of PCI card I must deactivate onboard card but in my computer I don´t know how to do it.
Thank you for your advice.

Reply 9 of 10, by Mike3d

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edit.
I upgrade latest Bios version and now have change AGP/PCI. Previously this option was not.
FX5500 PCI work nice.
Only dont work fx5500 with my CRT - TVM TCO6S on VGA connection.
Max resolution is 720 × 576 in first display on nvidia setting. And I can't change......
On my other old monitor LCD acer FP751 have all resolution. But i like CRT for old dos gaming.

Reply 10 of 10, by dionb

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Mike3d wrote on 2020-06-04, 20:01:

[...]

I understand that after the insertion of PCI card I must deactivate onboard card but in my computer I don´t know how to do it.
Thank you for your advice.

Why do you understand that? It's not necessary.

The important thing is that you can get your PCI card to be primary (so BIOS & DOS displays on it). Looks like you've done that. Windows can easily handle multiple display adapters - and displays. If you have more than one in Windows, you need to select primary in Windows as well (this can be different to BIOS primary). If you only use one display, the status of the other one is irrelevant - there is no need to disable it.