How to disable Onboard Video

[charlescpu]

Hi!

As you know, I'd like to have a new video card for christmas. The only problem is that I have an onboard video card on my motherboard. In the Motherboard manual, they don't say anything about that thing. What does I have to do?

Someone says that I just have to disable the Onboard Video in Windows by right clicking the appropriate video card in System and put the "Don't use that peripheric". Is it true?

Thanks

[Stalemate]

Details might vary according to the version of Windows you are using, but that's pretty much it.

Post you OS version here again to get detailled explanations on how to accomplish this if you need it.

[confus-ed]

NO. NO. NO.

As a general rule simply disabling in windows device manager is not good.

You need to disable the device in bios, or set a jumper on the m/b to do it.

Even if you wanted to use both your new video and old together, then get the new working first. They can't share irq or memory ranges, the only reliable way to do this is to disable the old one first.

[DonJ]

Yes, what Confus-ed said...

Some have jumpers for this purpose...some, you can do it via BIOS/CMOS. Having said that tho, some motherboards do not have the ability to disable the onboard video...such as some of the older HP Pavilions.

[charlescpu]

Ok. It doesn't seems that in the BIOS there's an option to do this. As I saw, there's one option called "Init Display First" and there's two choices. "Onboard Video" or "PCI Slot". By default it is set to "PCI Slot". By the way, my computer config is just shown in my signature

At the store I went, they said to do it like I said in my previous post. Disable it in Windows. Where can the jumpers be on my mobo?

Thanks

[confus-ed]

Unless someones got one to hand you'll need to download the mb mannual from <a href="http://www.soyo.com.tw" target="_blank">www.soyo.com.tw</a>

I doubt the jumpers on the board will have any indication on them besides some alphanumeric like J97 or whatever.

[Platypus]

It looks like you've been told the right thing, there are no jumpers to disable the on-board video. If the BIOS setting is left at its default the on-board will only be enabled if no video is found on the PCI bus. Incidentally the Radeon will have its wings clipped a bit by the lower speed of the PCI, and won't have access to the system memory for textures etc (no AGP window).

[charlescpu]

Ok. I know it's a PCI Card. I also know that it will be slow.

Thanks for the help all

[kato2274]

[quote]Originally posted by charlescpu:
<strong>Ok. It doesn't seems that in the BIOS there's an option to do this. As I saw, there's one option called "Init Display First" and there's two choices. "Onboard Video" or "PCI Slot". By default it is set to "PCI Slot". By the way, my computer config is just shown in my signature

At the store I went, they said to do it like I said in my previous post. Disable it in Windows. Where can the jumpers be on my mobo?

Thanks</strong><hr></blockquote>
Don't know too much about your specific board, but it sounds very similar to the gigabyte board I was working on. if you leave init display set to PCI slot and drop the shared memory setting for VGA to the lowest possible amount (The gigabyte board went as low as 2MB) When you put in the PCI card you should boot up with display, and all system memory available with none shared for video. Once in windows, use device manager to disable the onboard video card in all hardware profiles. that should work.

[confus-ed]

[quote] If the BIOS setting is left at its default the on-board will only be enabled if no video is found on the PCI bus <hr></blockquote> Platypus

Really? I guess that's what it should do...experience unfortunately tells me different..bloody combo boards...&%*! combo board...

So what happens to the memory reserved for the on board-does it get released or is this a make do and mend thing?

[Sowulo]

I could be wrong but it seems to me that the onboard video only disables automatically when you add an AGP display adapter. Adding a PCI card will only create a dual display capability. In the absence of a BIOS setting or MB jumper/switch, you will probably need to disable the onboard in Windows which means that some of your memory will still be shared--as suggested, reduce it to the minimum in BIOS.

[charlescpu]

OK. But I don't have any shared memory. The Onboard Video has is owm 8 mo of memory. All that the chipset take is 1-2 mo for video.

256-2 = 254

I think that should be enough! And Sowulo I don't have any AGP slot on my motherboard. Only 3 PCI and an Onboard AGP 2X video.

Thanks

[Platypus]

[quote]Originally posted by Sowulo:
<strong> Adding a PCI card will only create a dual display capability. </strong><hr></blockquote>

You may well be right Sowulo, the m/board documentation, as usual, gives little info. It would make sense that the BIOS option just selects the Primary.

Posted by confus-ed:

Really? I guess that's what it should do...experience unfortunately tells me different..bloody combo boards...&%*! combo board...

Hee hee, I've never liked combo boards since I had a horrible Octek 486 board with integrated Headland VLB video. If I wanted games to look right, I had to put my ISA Speedstar in it & take a cut in frame rate. Board got turfed when it started killing CPU's.

[charlescpu]

And how should I install that card on my computer?

1. Disable the Onboard
2. Close the computer
3. Put the card in
4. Restart...drivers bla bla

???

Thanks

[kato2274]

If you want to be very thorough, boot into windows, unistall any drivers for the onboard video. reboot when windows finds a new display driver use the STANDARD PCI VGA driver. turn off the computer. Install new card. Boot into bios, and make any changes you need to about the onboard video (sounds like you may not need to make any from one of your last posts) when in windows install all drivers for new card. (If ATI you will need to install the PCI Standard VGA driver before installing the ATI software. Once drivers are installed, disable the onboard video in all hardware profiles.