I just recently purchased an ATI Rage 128 VR 32MB SDR PCI graphics card to upgrade my HP Pavilion 6630. Before purchasing the card I also upgraded the system RAM from 64 to 256, and upgraded to Windows XP Professional (Service Pack 1). From scouring the net I found that others with the same model of PC have been most successful installing PCI cards with 32mb of ram, especially sdram (like this one). Well here's the problem: When I first went into safe mode to disable the onboard video and tried installing the card, I got nothing but the beep code for no video (1 long 2 short), and a black screen. I couldn't get anything else but that no matter what I tried until I removed the card and was able to boot normally to re-enable the onboard video. After doing this, I restarted to enter the BIOS, and discovered that PCI was set as the default video if detected. I changed it to AGP (the onboard video is considered AGP for some reason, there is no physical AGP slot on the motherboard), reinstalled the video card, and was able to boot normally since the PC was running from the onboard video. Windows detected the new hardware and the card was listed on the Device Manager as working properly and having the latest drivers. I was sure that installing the drivers for the card would fix the problem, but sadly my assumptions were incorrect. After seeing that the card was in the Device Manager and listed as working, I figured the card probably wasn't damaged or fried (I just got it brand new that day, don't know why there would be problems anyways). Even after installing the drivers and setting the BIOS back to PCI, I still just got the beep code and black screen. Finally, I decided that maybe upgrading the BIOS would help. Unfortunately enough, upgrading the BIOS only resulted in the AGP option under default video having no affect on the mobo prioritizing the card. So now, ANY time I have the card in, regardless of whether the monitor is connected to it or not, I get the beep code and black screen. So by now I'm thinking that despite the fact that others have been successful with ATI 32mb SDR cards, that this card just isn't compatible for some unknown reason. But just to be sure, I headed to the HP site one last time to find ANYTHING on installing a new video card in the 6630. I found a complete article that seemed helpful, as it had a few steps I didn't try before, but the problem is that the steps are for Windows 98SE (what the PC was shipped with). It describes going into the device manager and clicking the 'Update Drivers' button in the properties of the Intel 810 chipset (the onboard video) to install the Standard Display Adapter (VGA), which is needed on the Device Manager list for the next step of going into the Standard Display Adapter's properties to remove the checkmark next to 'Exists in all hardware profiles'. Well from reading around, I've come to the conclusion that Windows XP comes with the Stardard Display Adapter (VGA) embedded into it, so there's no way I can access those settings to disable its ability to 'Exist in all hardware profiles' because its not on the Device Manager list. I can't use the System Recovery disk for the HP to restore Windows 98 and access those settings because the disk is only compatible with Windows 98, so I'm basically out of luck on that front unless there's any way possible to access the driver's settings in XP. I have yet to test whether its a power supply issue because no one that successfully installed a similar card had problems with a shortage of wattage, but if its worth a shot then I can unplug the CD drive and PCI Ethernet card to test it out... Aside from messing with the video jumpers on the motherboard itself for the onboard video (which I'm not sure can even be done for this PC), the only other thing I can think of to get the PC to boot and have the card in there is to install the card while the PC is powered on, which is not a smart idea and one that I won't attempt, as I have a high chance of electrocuting myself, frying the card, frying my motherboard, or all. ANY help or suggestions are greatly appreciated. Sorry for the long post, but I figured I should get all the details in now instead of later. Thanks for your time.

hello LloydKansas and welcome to pchf

sorry for the delay in answering your post

unfortunatlly it is not my area of expertise but one of the hardware techs will be online shortly and will be able to assist you in fixing your video card problem

genie3251

Thank you very much. I'll be patiently waiting for further assistance ^^

Hi Lloyd,

I believe you were on th right track trying to disabled your on board video card, but you were trying to do it in the wrong location.

The beep codes you're getting are from a conflict between the 2 video cards and it doesn't know which one to use first, so if you remove your new video card and boot into the BIOS, there should be an option in there to disable onboard VGA. Once you've done that, turn the computer off and plug in your new video card.

GaRHaR, I followed your directions and booted the computer to access the BIOS. In the BIOS there is a setting labeled 'Onboard Video Memory' or some such with the options of '1MB', '512KB', and 'Disable Onboard Video'. The only other video-related options on the BIOS are the two 'Default Video Output' options of 'PCI' and 'AGP' (onboard video). 'Default Video Output' was already set on PCI, so I just changed the 'Onboard Video Memory' setting from 1MB to Disable Onboard Video, saved the settings, and powered the computer off by pressing the power button on the front of the case. After reinstalling the Rage 128, I powered on again just to receive the same dreaded beep code as before. After removing the card again I logged the PC onto safe mode to disable the 'Intel 82810 Graphics Controller' (onboard video chipset) in the Device Manager as well as keeping the setting in the BIOS to 'Disable Onboard Video'. Still the same response. I believe what you're saying about the computer not being able to determine which video source to use first is correct, but it seems that no matter which settings I change in the Device Manager, BIOS, or both, it continues having the problem. Thank you again for your time and support ^^

Could it possibly be an issue with Windows XP that's causing the problem? I know that the OS can have a part sometimes, especially XP with the changes that were implemented into it...