title: New video card: Ati dies, Nvidia takes over
link: http://jj.isgeek.net/2006/09/new-video-card-ati-dies-nvidia-takes-over/
author: Jj
description: 
post_id: 199
date: 2006/09/19 23:37:43
created_gmt: 2006/09/20 04:37:43
comment_status: open
slug: new-video-card-ati-dies-nvidia-takes-over

![Built by ATI](https://bm.isgeek.net/5c/fa/d39fa4e84feb5f61fbab284d0b20e8f94a0ba38f633c2f6ff7c6e76f815a.jpg)Over the last weeks my screen connected to my Ati video card had been showing strange lines accross the windows, funny repaints and weird colors. As weeks passed it all got worse and even the BIOS boot screen was a mess. So I decided to check my video card.

It turns out the fan hadn't been spinning for god_knows_how_long, so I figured I could give it a last shot by changing the fan. Of course no fan I can find in Wilson would fit, so I just adated _any_ fan to it, This is what I ended up with...

![ATI Radeon 9700 AIW](https://bm.isgeek.net/cd/99/7f437dfd5dd89302ac1ddac899fbd89bed720ba0abd99c17134384fe3a46.jpg)

It didn't really help, so I decided to get a new Video Card. I went to the store and asked for:

  * Brand: Nvidia

  * RAM: 128MB

  * AGP: 8X

  * Chip: GeForce FX Whatever you've got

  * Manufacturer: Whoever

My video card needs aren't too big, mainly because I'm a desktop user, so any GeForce with enough RAM will be enough for me. I got a [XFX built card, GeForce FX5200 powered](http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814150041) for $45 and I'm quite happy.

![XFX Nvifia geForce FX 5200](https://bm.isgeek.net/3c/e2/9079c157c537227b7f927c9323c7c2b4d5b5c8871c0e3308259bb9eb6d9a.jpg) ![Nvidia XFX video card](https://bm.isgeek.net/1d/2b/6f334d8b4aa5b3c98cb2ce32297fb64f7c07e0b60f4dac5377feb83dc49d.jpg)

#### Instalation blues

I installed the new card, and still see funny pictures, even in [Gentoo](http://www.gentoo.org/) or [Ubuntu](http://www.ubuntulinux.org/) or any [liveCD](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LiveCD) I tried. I recompiled the kernel, installed the correct drivers, modified enlessly my `xorg.conf` file with no luck.

The next morning, defeated... I grab my new videocard in my hands and stare at it wondering why it is not working correctly :(

![GeForce FX5200 DDR 256](https://bm.isgeek.net/73/1b/d6ecf835768902a4c9bf9904bfdbb803ba86ba71cda24d01a408c8148013.jpg)

I read out loud **GF FX5200 256MB DDR TV DVI**.... and find myself sayind **256MB, 256MB, 256MB**!!!! I asked for a 128MB videocard and got a 256 Videocard!. In a blink I changed the AGP aperture size in my BIOS setup, and automagically it all got solved :D

![New Nvidia card installed](https://bm.isgeek.net/e5/c7/bb405541ebdca56f62042c60c4c4b4edd91eaed80edd44fc2f9b904b7bdd.jpg)

#### So, how I solved it?

Since I know I wouldn't read all the fluff I just wrote, The thing was that I got a 256MB videocard instead of a 128MB card I requested, My AGP port was configured for 128MB and that is why it didn't work.

I changed my AGP aperture size to 256MB in my BIOS setup and it got fixed :)

## Comments

**[Slayer_X](#2294 "2006-09-20 03:53:13"):** nuff said :P

**[K](#2300 "2006-09-20 07:17:54"):** CONGRATS!!!!

**[breno](#2303 "2006-09-20 09:49:13"):** There are ocassional weird offers in Wilson, a couple of months ago gonta and I got Geforce 6800 Ultra video cards for $50 each, they were used but in perfect state. Quite a deal!

**[Jj](#2304 "2006-09-20 10:32:36"):** And I'm definitely more happy about having a Nvidia card now with working drivers than my old ATI which I really liked, but the drivers were just too crappy :-/

