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Video card query


Chris Wilson

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I am building up a very basic spec PC to take a Bosch ISA card to run special diagnostics. Pete has helped me out with a video card, I was going to use a 2 meg Cirrus card I had, but he fell about laughing at that...Bear in mind this thing has to run 98 and run the Bosch software and store some repair data, it's not meant to play the latest games or crack some secret code!

 

The Cirrus card is a different height to the new one Pete gave me, and has a different "connector" format. I enclose pics of the 2 cards, and the vailable slots in the case. Can I use Pete's card? It's the one on the left. Thanks.

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Card on the left is AGP, the right one is PCI, your motherboard has both available.

 

The AGP card would be a better bet, you just need to stick a full height panel on it.

 

 

EDIT: if you are not too worried and the machine doesnt get bashed about just take the half height panel off the agp card and leave it free floating till you can find a suitable panel.

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Thats some seriously old kit...

 

Your motherboard doesnt have an AGP slot, so using that AGP card (Pete's) might be tricky. You will have to use the PCI (the old Cirrus) graphics card i think.

 

Edit: Wez, where is the AGP slot? I see 5 PCI and 2 ISA slots...but no AGP.

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OK, just Googled ISA slots, hadn't realised they come in two different lengths. I'll stick the Cirrus in for now, a pal has a newer MB I can have that has ISA slots for the Bosch card, and I think has an AGP slot, too, for Pete's graphics card. To be honest I would think the 2 meg video card is fine for what I need. Thanks for the quick replies!

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Far left does indeed look as Wez says AGP (can't tell which revision though - although the cards were keyed so you didn't get the wrong voltage ones in the wrong type of slot), there are 5 PCI sharing one of the ISA slots, so only 4 possibly 3 PCI available (unsure as to how it is configured if it has to share with AGP). I bet that wasn't a cheap motherboard when it was new :) (Mind you same can be said about the Supra.. ;))

 

Edit: On second glance - actually hard to tell!

Edit 2: Holy crap that is an old slot (ooer ;)).

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Completely missed the two cards on the right :blink: Have got to used to the GFX card being in the normal place :D

 

Still can't see what the slot is on those two right ones, but at least one looks like it could be agp. Probably best you just let Pete sort it out for you :D

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My God Chris, where did you nick those components from? Were they running the Ark? I'm really not sure a 2mb Graphics card will cut it, maybe one with 16mb / 32mb unless you're running 256 colours or less..

 

I'm sure I could dig up a few spares (as could a few others on this forum I bet. I suspect JustGav has a plethora of bits that'd put PCWorld to shame) if you want some better bits. Will see if I can find where my old Pentium 3 box is, it's got a reasonable mobo and a nice AGP graphics card in it somewhere.

 

Next you'll say the box is gonna have 8mb of ram...

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It's a P6V693A/A9 The slot on the left *IS* an AGP one, it says under the dust on the board. I can't swap end metal strips the holes for the connectors are at differing heights, so I have bent the tag up and will fasten it with a small self tapper once it works. Thanks for the help, as I said, it only has to run 98 and a very limited amount of graphics. the card won't run under anything newer. I am a Luddite, I'd have NT 3.51 on this machine I use at home if I could use USB attachments with it :) Thanks again everyone, I'll let you know if works, I may even be diagnosing your car on it soon ;)

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I suspect JustGav has a plethora of bits that'd put PCWorld to shame) if you want some better bits. Will see if I can find where my old Pentium 3 box is, it's got a reasonable mobo and a nice AGP graphics card in it somewhere.

 

Hahahaha, this is true, I've just gone through my loft and found some bits... so if you need anything Chris I'm sure I can dig something out.

 

Out of interest, would something like a fully self contained mini-itx motherboard with a 8gb flash card, not to do the job better? smaller, tidier, newer (will still run 98), and no hard drive?

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Hahahaha, this is true, I've just gone through my loft and found some bits... so if you need anything Chris I'm sure I can dig something out.

 

Out of interest, would something like a fully self contained mini-itx motherboard with a 8gb flash card, not to do the job better? smaller, tidier, newer (will still run 98), and no hard drive?

 

I have no *^%$@~ idea, you tell me :) I was told by my "Bosch" man that it would be nice to have quite a bit of hard drive space `cos Autodata is now on DVD, and I wanted the Autodata stuff on the same machine. You lost me in the first sentence I'm afraid ;)

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Out of interest, would something like a fully self contained mini-itx motherboard with a 8gb flash card, not to do the job better? smaller, tidier, newer (will still run 98), and no hard drive?

 

I use to sell mini itx servers for inet apps, you could if pushed fit four servers in 1u, this is before blade technology really came to light.

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I have no *^%$@~ idea, you tell me :) I was told by my "Bosch" man that it would be nice to have quite a bit of hard drive space `cos Autodata is now on DVD, and I wanted the Autodata stuff on the same machine. You lost me in the first sentence I'm afraid ;)

 

8Gb would be fine, also then you can just add storage by buying USB sticks.. 4Gb for £15 nowadays.

 

I think the benefit to you Chris is it takes out the worst working part in a PC - the hard drive. It'll still require a fan and ventilation, but they're much more rugged devices if you're going to store it out in a workshop.

 

Standard DVDs are 4.7Gb , some are 9.4Gb, but I doubt many applications are using more than 4Gb for the program.

 

Argh Gav you've got me trying to solution a box now!

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I gave you a half height card? Ooops.. that must've been why we were keeping hold of it.

I'll find you another - any chance of that one back if it doesn't work? It might be useful!

 

Maybe you should've taken me up on my offer to build it for you.

Is it working yet?

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