Intel D101GGC Motherboard PCI Express compatibility issues........

1.5.1 Graphics Subsystem
The board contains two separate, mutually exclusive graphics options. Either the integrated
graphics processor (contained within the ATI Radeon Xpress 200 Northbridge) is used, or a PCI
Express x16 add-in card can be used. When a PCI Express x16 add-in card is installed, the ATI
Radeon Xpress 200 Northbridge graphics controller is disabled.


http://downloadmirror.intel.com/15113/eng/D101GGC_TechProdSpec.pdf

Everything on the Intel D975XBXLKR motherboard is 64-bit. The Processor, and Northbridge chipset included.

The Northbridge chipset handles the Processor, Ram Memory, and high-speed graphics.

AGP and PCI Express is high-speed graphics.
A graphics card plugged into a PCI slot (White) or using Integrated (OnBoard) graphics is NOT high-speed graphics.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Motherboard_diagram.svg

The Northbridge chipset for an Intel D975XBXLKR motherboard is an Intel i975X.
(The i stands for Intel)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_chipsets#Core_2_chipsets

ALL PCI-Express graphics cards are compatible with a 64-bit O/S.

What you may be concerned with, is whether the PCI Express technology used on your motherboard is PCI Express 1.1, or PCI-Express 2.0

It is PCI-Express 2.0 technology that is used.

[Doesn't matter anyway. PCI-Express 2.0 technology is Backward Compatible with PCI-Express 1.1 technology.
A graphics card based on PCI-Express 2.0 technology will work on a motherboard with PCI-Express 1.1 technology.
You just won't get the full capabilities of the graphics card.
You probably won't notice either ]

A recommendation for your perusal;

1) http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5639261&CatId=3669

Yes this is a type of gamer graphics card, and I read your requirement.
My argument is the quality for the price.
Even if you do not game your graphics will be superlative.
Excellent graphics on a computer makes a world of difference.
This graphics card will work with a 350 Watt power supply.

ATI RADEON XPRESS 200 Graphics with support for external graphics via a PCI
Express* x16 connector

The graphics card's ram memory is independent of the system ram memory.

Doesn't matter if your computer system ram memory is DDR Sdram, and the graphics card has GDDR5 graphics ram memory, and 1GB of it.
(1024MB)

To expound;

Integrated, (Also known as OnBoard Graphics) Graphics borrows from the system resources. The Processor and Ram Memory.
A graphics card has it's own Processor.
The GPU. {Graphics Processing Unit}

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPU

A graphics card also has it's own ram memory. Graphics Ram Memory.


The best expansion slot for a graphics card on an Intel D101GGC motherboard is the PCI Express x16 expansion slot.

The motherboard chipset is an ATI Radeon Xpress 200 (For Intel)
The code name is RC410

The ATI RC410 chipset was brought out in March of 2005.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_ATI_chipsets#Comparison_of_Northbridges_2

In 2005 the PCI Express 1.1 technology was being used.
PCI Express 2.0 technology wasn't brought out until January of 2007.

Your motherboard's PCI Express x16 slot is using the PCI Express 1.1 technology.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCI_Express

Can you use the newer PCI Express 2.0, or PCI Express 2.1 graphics cards?

YES

PCI Express 2.0, and PCI Express 2.1 is Backward Compatible with PCI Express 1.1

Will you get the full capability of the PCI Express 2.0 graphics card?

NO

BUT you won't notice either, trust me.

You can use a graphics card based on ATI or Nvidia.
Doesn't matter.

What does matter IMHO, is to buy the best graphics card for the money, and not purchase one that will
'Break the Bank'.

You have to read through all the hype, and the flashy advertising, and make a choice based on deductive reasoning and intelligent thought.

More 'Bang for the Buck'.

You also have to base what kind of Wattage your power supply puts out, and the maximum Amp's on the 12 Volt power rail. (Or combine the 12 Volt power rails, if multiple 12 Volt rails are used)

When you look at the graphics card you wish to purchase, look for the Minimum System Requirements.
The Power Supply minimum Wattage requirement will be listed.

If it is a real powerful graphics card, the minimum 12 Volt Amp's will be listed also.

Two examples;

1) http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=6680896&CatId=3669

Scroll down to the > Specifications heading.
Read the bottom of the list > Minimum PSU Wattage Requirement > 400 Watts

A 400 Watt PSU (Power Supply Unit) will have at least 20 Amps on the 12 Volt power rail.
{It isn't listed in the minimum PSU requirements. This is a given}

[Is the above graphics card a decent card? You Betcha! 192 Stream Processors]


2) http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=6463720&CatId=3669

Uses less power than a comparable Nvidia GPU based graphics card.
A 300 watt power supply will be just fine.

[Note*

The minimum power requirements set by the graphics card manufacturer, are based upon a test system build.
They use a test computer with a gamer motherboard, powerful Processor, lot's of Ram Memory, and the power required for their graphics card.

The minimum Wattage (And 12 Volt power rail Amperage) is Not just based upon what the graphics card will use.

For questions please post in a Comment.

Regards,
joecoolvette

Good news, you can upgrade the graphics card with almost any current PCIe (PCI Express) video card. Once you install a new graphics card in your system, the ATI Radeon x200 will be disabled automatically, as per the manual.

The one caveat is that the board is not PCIe 2.0 compliant, so any video card that requires PCIe 2.0 compliance will not work. This is not an issue as almost all modern graphics cards work on PCIe 1.0. However, make sure to check the requirements o fthe card before you buy it.

As for the most suitable graphics card for you, its hard to say without knowing what tasks you wish to use this computer for and what is your budget. If you are only using it for office tasks, then the onboard graphics processor is more than enough for your use.

I should mention, that the motherboard processor support constrains you to the P4 series of CPUs. This is fine for moderate tasks, but if your gola is to play a game like Crysis, then even the most powerful, multiGPU graphics card will only make the game playable. You will probably never be able to max out your frames per second.

That said, the board supports up to a 3.4ghz CPU, which is fast enough to play almost every modern game if you upgrade to a powerful graphics card.

If you wish to do 3D graphics design, I would not recomend upgrading the video card for this purpose. Video rendering and processing stil does rely on the CPU. However, if you look into nvidia's CUDA framekwork, it is possible to offload rendering to the GPU. This is probably not worth the effort unless you are relaly short on cash.

Bottom line is, yes you can upgrade no problem. As for the best video card, I do need to know he reason you wish to upgrade the video card.

Hi there.
Any PCI Express card will do as long as its DDR2, DDR3 is not supported by your motherboard.
You have a choice between ATI or Nvidia graphics cards and your system should support up to 1GB of graphics memory.

Good luck and thanks for using FixYa!!

go to bios and enable it to detect graphics cards most bios have an option for onboard only or onboard and external graphics adapters

yes, before you buy video card

verify first the interface slot available on *********** board (AGP,PCI or PCI Express)

then select the video card with the same interface in *********** board

verify the video cards driver if compatible to your operating system

before installing the video card update your BIOS to latest version

Hi rebelel1271, I do have the manual for you're Intel motherboard. You can have it as well. Click on the link below to download you're manual. document.write("D101GGC Product Documentation & Manuals") D101GGC Product Documentation & Manuals
Intel states you do not need to make any bios changes when you add a PCI-Express video card. See this on page 17, PCI and PCI Express Auto Configuration. Before installing you're PCI-E video card, open windows controll panel. Than open add/remove programs. Look for the driver software for you're onboard ATI Radeon X200. Uninstall that software. (If listed). Close all opened windows & shut down windows. Unplug the power cord from the PC. Open the case. Install you're new ATI Radeon X800 PCI-E video card. Double check all internal connections, (In case you may have bumped loose any cables). You're X800 may also have a 3-pin or 4-pin male power connector built on the card. If so, plug power to the X800.
Intel D101GGC driver page.
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/filter_results.aspx?strTypes=all&ProductID=2229&OSFullName=Windows*+XP+Professional&lang=eng&strOSs=44&submit=Go%21#DOC
ATI's web site for the latest driver's.
http://game.amd.com/us-en/drivers_catalyst.aspx?p=xp/radeonx-xp
A little information. Once you're PCI-E has been installed. You're system memory will increase.

Good Luck!
If I can help you further, feel free to post here.
Mike

Hello dheyx, your Intel D101GGC board used an intergated ATI Radeon Xpress 200 graphics. If you lost display than you're intergated Radeon has died. Suggest you replace it with a
PCI-E X16 graphics card. The Intel D101GGC board does have an opened X16 PCI-E slot. Do not forget to change the bios video card setting. You want the board to see& load the PCI-E first.