How do I get this ATI Radeon 9600 AGP graphics card to work in a Dell Dimension 4100?

January 26, 2005 10:32 AM

I recently purchased an ATI Radeon 9600 AGP graphics card to replace the old AGP card in a Dell Dimension 4100. The new card doesn't work. I know I need drivers for both the card and the Intel motherboard, and I'm having trouble finding the motherboard drivers. [MI]

Searching for the drivers on Intel's homepage turns up a utility that turns on support for AGP, but the .txt file that accompanies the utility explicitly states that this program is NOT AN AGP DRIVER. I can't seem to find one. The motherboard has the 815 chipset. This is the video card. OS is Win2K. Any help would be much appreciated.

posted by Roach to computers & internet (7 comments total)

You could always register for Dell support (it's free). Once in, you can view a list of drivers/support software for your Dimension 4100.

It's probably your best bet.
posted by purephase at 10:37 AM on January 26, 2005

Drivers from ATI
posted by buxtonbluecat at 11:50 AM on January 26, 2005

Have you gone into the BIOS to make sure AGP is turned on?

I checked the page for what I THINK* is your motherboard, and I don't see any "download an AGP driver" business in the support & drivers section

* - this is a guess. Please oh please don't rely on me and end up hosing your system
posted by falconred at 2:15 PM on January 26, 2005

I replaced an AGP card in a Dell and didn't need to do anything like this. Is it a card replacement, or does the PC have a graphics adapter built into the motherboard?
posted by krisjohn at 2:21 PM on January 26, 2005

I too checked the Dell page and didn't find an AGP driver. The card I am replacing is an old ATI Rage 128 Pro 32 MB AGP card. When I put the new card in and turn the machine on, I get no signal at all to the monitor. I will check the BIOS. Thanks all.
posted by Roach at 3:33 PM on January 26, 2005

If you put the card in and you get nothing from the monitor at power on, drivers will not help you. The only thing that can possibly cure your ills is a BIOS update. There is one available here. The Radeon 9600, which can operate at both AGP4x and 8x, *should* work in your motherboard, which is AGP4x. You are, of course, dealing with a semi-proprietary Dell motherboard, so all bets are pretty much off.
posted by zsazsa at 4:09 PM on January 26, 2005

jooc, are you using the machine with the monitor connected to the motherboard? if you are, does it work if you don't have anything connected to the motherboard? the onboard on those machines is AGP, and you're only allowed one AGP card.

the drivers you're looking for are chipset drivers - if you're running a recent copy of Windows it shouldn't have a problem with the 815 chipset you've got but yano. the drivers are on dell's website. service tag numbers are Your Friend(tm).

you could always test the card out elsewhere - I bought a Rosewill 9600 XT for my Athlon64 and it arrived DOA. my co-worker's been thru 2 or 3 9800 Pros, and his were built by ATI.
posted by mrg at 7:01 PM on January 26, 2005