IBM BIOS questions

Video, SCSI, modem, CDROM/CDR/CDRW, etc.
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Hyper-Z
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Joined: Wed Dec 18, 2002 11:02 pm

Hello, I have a bit of an archaic system and I was wonding if anyone out there would be able to help me with the following:
My computer is a PC 365 (6589 series) IBM computer, with IBMs "Surepath" BIOS which is Sure-a-POS, anyways, I was wondering, I have a graphics card which I thought would be able to install with this as there is no on-board video, or other potentially weird issues.
In stock trim there is a PCI S3 2mb card installed, it works fine.
I install a Fire GL 1000 Pro PCI (don't laugh!) and it doesn't work, I can't read anything onscreen, colors are there, The computer obviously recognizes there is a problem and it goes into the config screen but all the screen characters are garbage. All this is before booting into windows, I did manage to navigate to the continue booting option from the config screen, it loaded windows, it also displays like crap. I am begining to think that it is a problem in the OEM Bios, not supporting aftermarket Video cards. I tested it on a 'regular' computer with no strange BIOS inplace, and it worked fine.
Is there anything I can do?

Thanks!!
edwin
The Hardware Archivist
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Joined: Wed Mar 20, 2002 7:11 pm
Location: Netherlands
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Maybe, just maybe there's a puny little power supply in that IBM that can't handle the current drawn by most modern PCI cards. It could also be the PCI bus itself.

IIRC the Fire GL is a PCI 2.1 compliant card and the symptoms you describe are exactly what happens if fitted in a PCI 2.0 compliant slot.
edwin/evasive

Do not assume anything

System error, strike any user to continue...
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