Graphics Card upgrade problem in ML370 G4

[miketheman2k]

I have an ML370 G4 which has 2 PCI-e slots and 4 PCI-x slots. My plan was to upgrade the graphics on the server by installing a Geforce 6200 PCI (not PCI-x!) card. However when I do this, the server does not output from either the graphics card or the on-board output.

When I try the same graphics card in an ML370 G2 (with non-PCI-x slots) it outputs fine. This would suggest that the card doesn't work in a PCI-x slot but I was under the impression that PCI-x is backwards compatible with PCI and should, at worst, slow down the other PCI-x slots. Is there an option on the ML370 G4 to slow down the PCI-x inputs manually instead of relying on the server to do it?

Any suggestions would be welcomed.

[James ~ Happy Dude]

Hello Mike,

You are half way correct.

PCI X are backward compatible.

That means, you can Use a PCI-X CARD on a PCI slot, & it will work on the PCI slots speed.

You have a PCI card on a PCI-X slot. This wont work !!

Regards,
James.

[miketheman2k]

Oh right....damn!

Thanks for the response :-)

[James ~ Happy Dude · Accepted solution]

Welcome Mike !

Regards,
James.

{PS: Say thanks with points}

[miketheman2k]

Something else has just occured to me about this compatibility problem...

I have two other PCI cards in this server; a Hauppuage TV card and a SoundBlaster card, and they both work fine. I have tried removing these cards to see if it resolves the problem, but it doesn't. Surely these cards wouldn't work either if PCI cards were the issue?

[James ~ Happy Dude]

Thats interesting mike, you mean you have 2 PCI cards working on PCI-X slots ???

Regards,
James.

[miketheman2k]

That's right, the following two devices:

http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/pages/products/data_novat500.html

http://www.soundblaster.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=208&product=15855&nav=2

[James ~ Happy Dude]

Ya Mike, I went through the links.

I think VOLTAGE used by these Card plays an important role here.

Couldn't find the usage for the cards you mentioned !

Regards,
James.

[miketheman2k]

Does the ML370 BIOS have any configuration for voltages or other relevant settings? Or is this the end of the road for this graphics card in this server?

[Blazhev_1]

Hi,

You can use PCI cards in PCI-X slots if they are universal voltageâ that is, if they work with both 5V and 3.3V voltages. PCI card and slot keys are meant to match signaling voltages. The 5V-only PCI cards are keyed so that they cannot be installed in a PCI-X slot.

The PCI-X slot work only with 3.3 V, so only universal or 3.3V PCI card can be installed and if a 32-bit/33MHz 3.3V card is installed on the PCI-X bus, it automatically
forces all the cards in the same PCI-X bridge to work at 32-bit/33MHz...

ProLiants are not made for multimedia apps, that's why they have so poor VGAs. Normally no optional VGAs are supported, only by some modells NVIDIA QUADRO..



Regards,
Pac