Thread: via epia w/geforce2

Originally posted by Whaleboy
Ok, so, thanks to the lovely onboard video the via EPIA 800 provides, I couldn't do custom resolutions for my Xenarc 7". So, I decided to do what any other intelligent person would - purchase an Aopen Geforce2 MX400 PCI video card, and install it on the PCI slot of the EPIA...

Only one problem, it WON'T POST!! ARGGGH!!

Turn it on with the card in it, no boot up beep, no video, nothing. HD spins up, fans come on, then it just sits there and looks stupid......mocking me!

I've scoured the web, newsgroups, forums, for any information I can find. I've checked out using PCI video cards with the EPIA's, plenty of people have done it. They simply just install it and it goes. Apparently no settings need to be changed!

I doubled check the 'check pci' first option in the BIOS, even tried turning off the 'assign irq to vga'.. Nothing works. There's no other settings, or jumpers to change that I'm aware of to make this thing go.

Please, any help or suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated. Otherwise I'm gonna have to start buying Geforce cards at random and find out what will work with the EPIA and won't 'cause at this point, I'm thinking the damn thing is just incompatible with the EPIA.

crap.

Try this:

Get the machine up and running on the internal vid card, then install the drivers for the Geforce. When that's all done, then try and fire it up with the Geforce card.

I had this problem with my primary machine as well, and this is how I worked around it.

HTH

C!

C4M,

your solution is a windows driver one..... the problem that Whaleboy is having is definately one of the motherboard not being able to POST..... basically a hardware level fault as apposed to yours as a software level one....

Whaleboy, can you try another video card with the mobo??? most likely the BIOS on the GF2 video card doesnt like to play with onboard video card hardware...


I really need to get one of these VIA mobo's, I do feel like I am missing out! maybe when I get that new sound card I am after...

i had this problem also o my duron 800 with a epox mother board and a agp gf2mx400 <via chipset> all it tok to fix mine was a bios udate perhaps drop a note to via and see if they have a bios update they are working on they might not even know there is a problem cause well i don't think many people are hot rodding the epia boards or it could be power as was mentioned earlier

Well, I tried the suggestion of the powersupply. Removed the only unneeded thing, which was the cd-rom. All that was left was the 2.5" HD, and the motherboard on the PS. But still no workie.

An email has been sent off to Via, I'll see what they say.

I went to Fry's and Purchased a PCI Radeon 7500.. Installed it, works like a charm and does custom resolutions. Also, it only uses a heatsink, unlike the Geforce's, AND is skinnier then the Aopen Geforce2. It includes a video out and DVI connector (I plan on adding a 15" flatpanel in the back).

So for those of you with EPIA/Shuttle MB's using the Xenarcs, I'm recommending the Radeon - It's $100's (cheaper online I'm sure). And performs MUCHO better then the Rage3D chipset.

Oh, and those 80mm Enermax fans are 10x more quiet then the 40mm fan on the EPIA C3 chip. Time to replace that sucker!

quieter fan? dam ic an't even hear mine

I have a via epia 5000 probably the same bios as yours and most of the same feature... in bios there is an init display first option of pci slot and agp make sure you have that set to pci slot.

I have noticed that some things for Via are not standard the Mini ITx IR module IR2PC that i bough would not work with my via's serial port I had to modify the IR module with a couple resisters