Gateway graphic difficulties
 

I've salvaged an older Gateway desktop with integrated S3 video on-board (AMI mobo, but proprietary to Gateway, no BIOS support from AMI).

I have an NVidia PCI card (GeForce MX4000... no big whoop, but an upgrade that will accommodate some games for the kids). I've disabled the S3 in the Device Manager, installed the card, and rebooted. Windows (XP Home) finds the NVidia AND the S3, tries to install both and locks up.

I've undone all of the above, and tried again. This time, I disabled the S3 and tried to install the NVidia software before installing the card.... no joy! The software won't load unless the system detects the card.

Soooo.... I go to Gateway's on line tech support. They advised me that there is no jumper on the motherboard for disabling the graphics adapter. There is no setting in the BIOS (there is for the on-board audio, but not video). They suggested that after disabling the S3 in the Device Manager, that I try setting up the NVidia in safe mode, which works, as long as I stay in safe mode. When I reboot normally, Windows finds the onboard graphics again, and again locks up.

Here's where I stand: Gateway 1.4mhz Athlon, 394 mg ram, AMI mobo with onboard graphics (S3 Savage pro?), C-Media PCI audio, DVD-Rom, CD-RW, 20gb primary, 80gb slave, SMC wireless-g adapter, WinXP Home.

I have the feeling that, in the end, a cheap motherboard/processor change would be the most effective, if not least painful, path. Hopefully, though, a few of our genius brethren can deduce a fix.

Thanks for you kind attention.

My first impression is that the onboard graphics have to be disabled on the BIOS level for this to work, and it doesn't seem possible. If Gateway is telling you to try things in Safe Mode, I suspect they know already that they have no "real-world" solution to offer. Get the cheap mobo.

Be prepared to change the case as well. Some of the prebuilts have non-standard cases that will not accomodate a regular motherboard (space issues)

Fortunately you can get a decent Raidmax case for around 30 bucks ;)

Thanks, fellows. You've confirmed my gut feelings.

Now, do I want to get a $40 mobo and stay at 1.4mhz, or $130 with a 2.8 processor? Only my wallet can answer that!