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Is pci-e backwards compatible?

  • 25-03-2008 02:31PM
    #1
    quad_red
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,580 ✭✭✭


    Hi guys,

    I've put together a P4 desktop using a pc that was being dumped from work. Added RAM and a hard drive and bobs yer uncle.

    But getting all the drivers in has been a pain - basically, I cannot get the graphics adaptor to accept drivers. Now, the computer works perfectly in windows but it can't run direct X. Basically, I want it to be able to run basic things like google earth and maybe older games that I've always wanted to take a whack at eg. Homeworld 2 etc.

    Now, it's a HP DC5000 and has 'three full height pci slots'. http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/11876_div/11876_div.HTML

    I'm thinking about throwing in a cheap second hand graphics card and would appreciate some advice...

    1) Pci express is backward compatible, yes? So if I throw one into a pci slot, it will work fine.

    2) A separate graphics card will work around the driver problems I'm having with the integrated intel graphics? Yes or no? I don't want to buy a card and find out I'm still snookered!

    Was thinking about this:
    http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=50079&cat=8


Comments

  • #2
    L31mr0d
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,067 ✭✭✭L31mr0d


    no... PCI express is NOT backwards compatible with PCI. It will not fit in a PCI slot. You will need to buy a PCI graphics card for that PC. Does it happen to have an AGP slot?


  • #3
    TerrorFirmer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29,930 ✭✭✭✭TerrorFirmer


    Intel Extreme is pretty crappy anyway, even for a lot of older games, so a dedicated card is your best option regardless.

    Unfortunately PCI cards are incredibly slow, and much more expensive then their agp and pci-e counterparts - E-Bay is your best best, for something like a PCI Radeon 9000 or Nvidia Fx5200. There are better pci cards out there, but they're so ludicrously priced it's definitely not worth it.

    Will be fine for Homeworld 2 etc.


  • #4
    quad_red
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,580 ✭✭✭quad_red


    No, no AGP slot unfortunately.

    Thanks for all the advice guys. Not sure it's worth my while getting a completely antiquated card if it's gonna cost that much.

    Might take another wack at getting the integrated graphics working and keep on waiting to play Homeworld. I got it for a fiver in HMV three years and I'm still waiting to play it :p


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