Member Avatar for fuzzynut

i have done a search of my local hardwear shops for a pci g card and to no avail all say is that pci-e and when i say no just pci they tell me ill be lucky to find one.
i am after a 256 mb card thats all is tha to much to ask for im going bauld after pulling my hair out tring to figure out if i could hardwire my geforce agp into that silly little pci slot maybe if i use some grease and a hammer i could get it to fit.
lol sorry just ranting now.
if anyone could point me in the dir of a uk based shop that still have old pci graphics cards 256mb or better please please could u help
:sad:

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by bondi007

Dani AI

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Brief reality check and practical next steps for : true PCI (32-bit/33MHz) video cards do still exist, but they are rare and will be much slower than any modern PCIe card. There is no practical way to put an AGP or PCIe graphics card into a plain PCI slot — the signaling, pinout and protocol are different — so adapters or force-fitting are not a solution.

Workable options, with quick pros/cons:

  • Buy a used PCI card (eBay/local classifieds/salvage). Cheapest and simplest, but expect limited 3D performance and possible driver headaches for newer OSes.
  • Replace the motherboard (or whole PC) to get PCIe support and a modern GPU. More work and cost, but eliminates compatibility limits.
  • Use a USB-display adapter (DisplayLink-type) if the goal is extra 2D screens rather than gaming. No 3D acceleration, but easy and driver-supported on many OSes.

Checklist to use when evaluating or buying a used 256MB PCI card:

  • Confirm the exact model printed on the PCB and ask for clear photos of the memory chips (to verify onboard RAM versus shared-memory marketing).
  • Verify driver availability for the target OS (search manufacturer legacy/driver pages) before buying.
  • Check bracket type (full-height vs low-profile) and case clearance.
  • Ask the seller to boot to BIOS or show a POST/boot screen to prove basic functionality, or test yourself with a live Linux CD and lspci -v to confirm detection.
  • Confirm the card needs no extra power connector (most PCI cards don’t).

Warnings and context: don’t try to force or physically modify connectors — that will destroy the card or the motherboard. If the requirement is specific (video output type, OS, gaming vs desktop), include motherboard model and OS so recommendations can be tailored. Thanks to and for pointing toward vendor searches; when following those leads, prioritize the checklist above.

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Member Avatar for jporter762

hi--try tigerdirect.com US based company I think, but I found plenty of PCI cards with up to 256 mb and DVI output, which was exactly what I was looking for. Good luck!

Member Avatar for bondi007

Try microdirect they do normal pci g cards and they sell new physics cards that are pci based. The new physics cards are supposed to be the new technology but how can it when its on a old pci interface.

Hope this helps
;)

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