VOGONS


First post, by RetroLiz

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Hi everyone! First of all, thanks to everyone who has helped me out on here - it's been a great learning experience.

I have an IBM Aptiva 2158 Series E with a V72MA motherboard, Win98 SE. I have a Radeon 7000 PCI that I'd like to install. I used my friend's PC to determine that the card works, but when I insert the card and boot up the computer, I get no video output and despite a single POST beep (which should be a good thing) it never apparently gets into Windows or even displays an error. I believe the slot itself is fine because I tried it with a SoundBlaster and the PC recognizes that. Removing the PCI card allows for normal operation.

The BIOS settings allow for "Onboard" and "Auto" as options. I set it to Auto, but for testing purposes I've also tried Onboard with the card inserted and the VGA cable plugged into the onboard video. Still no video as long as the video card is present.

The PSU is plenty beefy. I replaced the stock PSU with a 400w model.

I've tried the VGA interrupt jumper without effect. The manual for this motherboard claims there's an "ATI Rage Interrupt Jumper" but the jumper diagram does not indicate where this would be and I can't find any unaccounted-for jumpers.

What might I be doing wrong?

Battlestation: IBM Aptiva Series E 500 (Model 2158)
Sony Trinitron Multiscan 100ES 15" CRT
AMD K-6/2 400mhz
SoundBlaster Live! CT4780
IBM 120GB HDD
256MB RAM
Windows 98 SE

Reply 1 of 7, by vetz

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Have you tried any other PCI video card beside the Radeon 7000?

My worry is that the Radeon 7000 is too new to function in your setup. I know Feipoa and others have tested alot of PCI cards in their 486's (even older that your socket 7), full thread here Modern graphics on a 486.

One of the posts in that thread describe exactly what you're experiencing, that PCI cards from the 00's just gives no VGA output, but won't stop the computer booting.

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Reply 2 of 7, by RetroLiz

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vetz wrote on 2021-02-21, 12:18:

Have you tried any other PCI video card beside the Radeon 7000?

My worry is that the Radeon 7000 is too new to function in your setup. I know Feipoa and others have tested alot of PCI cards in their 486's (even older that your socket 7), full thread here Modern graphics on a 486.

One of the posts in that thread describe exactly what you're experiencing, that PCI cards from the 00's just gives no VGA output, but won't stop the computer booting.

Thanks for your reply! I've also tried a GeForce 5500 FX, but that's even newer than the Radeon 7000. (Same outcome.) I've seen other people who seem to have success with the 7000 on similar hardware. The 7000 was released in 2001, so I think it's period-correct (this computer dates from 1998.)

I figured it must be some kind of setting error as I would expect setting the BIOS to Onboard graphics only while having the VGA plugged into the onboard would bypass the card anyway.

Battlestation: IBM Aptiva Series E 500 (Model 2158)
Sony Trinitron Multiscan 100ES 15" CRT
AMD K-6/2 400mhz
SoundBlaster Live! CT4780
IBM 120GB HDD
256MB RAM
Windows 98 SE

Reply 3 of 7, by Warlord

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Id probably recommend trying a geforce 2mx PCI a lota people have had success with it and its very compatible use driver 6.50 you maybe able to get a MX 4series pci card working but I cant recommend that it will 100% work like the geforce 2 mx will and you wont be able to run such old drivers with it either. Older driver better performance on socket 7

Reply 4 of 7, by RetroLiz

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Warlord wrote on 2021-02-21, 13:27:

Id probably recommend trying a geforce 2mx PCI a lota people have had success with it and its very compatible use driver 6.50 you maybe able to get a MX 4series pci card working but I cant recommend that it will 100% work like the geforce 2 mx will and you wont be able to run such old drivers with it either. Older driver better performance on socket 7

Do you think it's a driver issue? I figured it must be hardware based because I can't even get into the BIOS; even if the BIOS is set to use onboard video only, it still will not do so if the card is plugged into the unit. I'm starting to wonder if, for some reason, this model of motherboard can't handle PCI videos cards or that there's something specifically wrong with this board. Or that the onboard ATI Rage chip is getting pissed in some manner. In all other respects, the board operates just fine.

Battlestation: IBM Aptiva Series E 500 (Model 2158)
Sony Trinitron Multiscan 100ES 15" CRT
AMD K-6/2 400mhz
SoundBlaster Live! CT4780
IBM 120GB HDD
256MB RAM
Windows 98 SE

Reply 5 of 7, by justin1985

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RetroLiz wrote on 2021-02-21, 13:12:
vetz wrote on 2021-02-21, 12:18:

Have you tried any other PCI video card beside the Radeon 7000?

My worry is that the Radeon 7000 is too new to function in your setup. I know Feipoa and others have tested alot of PCI cards in their 486's (even older that your socket 7), full thread here Modern graphics on a 486.

One of the posts in that thread describe exactly what you're experiencing, that PCI cards from the 00's just gives no VGA output, but won't stop the computer booting.

Thanks for your reply! I've also tried a GeForce 5500 FX, but that's even newer than the Radeon 7000. (Same outcome.) I've seen other people who seem to have success with the 7000 on similar hardware. The 7000 was released in 2001, so I think it's period-correct (this computer dates from 1998.)

I seem to have gone through exactly the same trouble on the same IBM Aptiva system! PCI graphics cards with respectable 3D (like GeForce 2 and 4 series) seem to have become like hens' teeth, so I'd ordered a new old stock FX5500 from AliExpress, which works on an AM3 system I have, but simply won't boot on the Aptiva 🙁

Did you get anything to work on your IBM? I'm tempted to try something like a Matrox G450, which seem to be available in PCI for a reasonable price ...

Reply 6 of 7, by Repo Man11

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justin1985 wrote on 2023-08-15, 17:30:
RetroLiz wrote on 2021-02-21, 13:12:
vetz wrote on 2021-02-21, 12:18:

Have you tried any other PCI video card beside the Radeon 7000?

My worry is that the Radeon 7000 is too new to function in your setup. I know Feipoa and others have tested alot of PCI cards in their 486's (even older that your socket 7), full thread here Modern graphics on a 486.

One of the posts in that thread describe exactly what you're experiencing, that PCI cards from the 00's just gives no VGA output, but won't stop the computer booting.

Thanks for your reply! I've also tried a GeForce 5500 FX, but that's even newer than the Radeon 7000. (Same outcome.) I've seen other people who seem to have success with the 7000 on similar hardware. The 7000 was released in 2001, so I think it's period-correct (this computer dates from 1998.)

I seem to have gone through exactly the same trouble on the same IBM Aptiva system! PCI graphics cards with respectable 3D (like GeForce 2 and 4 series) seem to have become like hens' teeth, so I'd ordered a new old stock FX5500 from AliExpress, which works on an AM3 system I have, but simply won't boot on the Aptiva 🙁

Did you get anything to work on your IBM? I'm tempted to try something like a Matrox G450, which seem to be available in PCI for a reasonable price ...

You've almost certainly run into the problem of early PCI slots lacking 3.3 volts. An older PCI FX 5500 or 5200 would likely work in your motherboard, but there's no way to know for sure unless you confirm that your PCI slots don't have 3.3 volts, or you try one and see. There has been work done on this, both to run a wire directly to the video card to supply the missing voltage or to modify the motherboard to add the 3.3 volt supply to the PCI slot(s). Adding 3.3v to pci adapter(Released)

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Reply 7 of 7, by justin1985

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Repo Man11 wrote on 2023-08-15, 18:36:

You've almost certainly run into the problem of early PCI slots lacking 3.3 volts. An older PCI FX 5500 or 5200 would likely work in your motherboard, but there's no way to know for sure unless you confirm that your PCI slots don't have 3.3 volts, or you try one and see. There has been work done on this, both to run a wire directly to the video card to supply the missing voltage or to modify the motherboard to add the 3.3 volt supply to the PCI slot(s). Adding 3.3v to pci adapter(Released)

Ah that would make sense! According to the Retroweb this IBM (Acer) motherboard is supposed to use the AT rather than ATX variant of the Ali Aladdin chipset, despite being microATX, so that might make even more sense ...

I just pulled the trigger on a G450 PCI to try instead - looking around at what is available in PCI reminded me that I had one Matrox card (maybe a G400?) back on my second PC (a K6-III), so there's a bit of nostalgia in that too. Hopefully as an actual old card, that is less likely to have the 3.3v requirement?