[GRLUG] PCI VGA Help

[Adam Tauno Williams]

On Tue, 2011-04-19 at 11:44 -0500, L. V. Lammert wrote:
> Need someone with knowledge of hw - we have a passive backplane system
> with ISA & PCI where we need a 2nd monitor (Ubuntu 10.04).

Can you be more precise about "have a passive backplane system"?

> We tried a ATI Mach64, but it would not run graphics - the monitor reports
> "frequency out of range" [monitor known good]. NBD, as we will need six or
> seven eventually so it would be preferable to have one we can purchase
> today.
> Tried multiple S3 cards - three were DOA, but one worked so I assume the
> first three WERE bad. Unfortunately, it is neither currently produced nor
> high enough resolution (800x600 max).
> Purchased a PCI VGA at a retail store, and it would not even allow the
> system to POST! The PCI connector had two "notches", which I believe means
> it requires two power supply voltages (3.3 & 5).
> SO, we took that back and purchased some Radeons - 7500 & 9000 as they had
> a single "notch" which should indicate only require 3.3V. Unfortunately,
> neither of THESE [new cards] would allow the system to POST either!

Are there any PCI options in BIOS?  If there are multiple available PCI
slots have you tried the card in different slots?

> Most of the notes we have found are way old as the current xorg has
> changed a lot.

Doesn't matter; if you can't POST your problem doesn't have to do with
X.

> If anyone has any experience in such matters, please contact us offline.

I don't know what "experience" means; I've encountered multiple issues
installing multiple video devices into a PCI bus [or multiple PCI busses
- which you have if you have more than three PCI slots].


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