Asrock N68-S UCC with Power color HD5670 512 graphics card

[cl0ud]

HI I recently brought a new Power Color HD5670 512Mb graphics card however it did not work in my current system which uses an MSI MS-7297 motherboard. This motherboard only supports PCI express 1.0 and so basically the computer wouldn't boot. I tried different bios settings, flashed by bios to the latest version, contacted AMD and MSI but no luck.

So I am now looking at getting a new mainboard. I am looking at the Asrock N68-S UCC because its the only one that I can find that will fit into my Micro ATX case since my case does not have a removable backplate so I need to buy a mainboard with the same port/connector layout as my current board and the Asrock seems to be the only one that will fit.

I have a couple of questions though.

Does anyone know if this motherboard support PCI Express 2.0? I looked on the manufactures website but they don't specfy the PCI Express version which makes me think that perhapes it doesn't.

Secondly does anyone know the difference between the N68-S and the N68-S3? again I couldn't really find any difference when comparing the specs on the manfactures website.

Thanks in advanced.

[JD]

The video card should work. Did you go into the BIOS (while using the onboard graphics) and disable the onboard graphics? Then power off the computer and plug the 5670 in.

If you're set on swapping motherboard though, I'd suggest this: NCIX.com - Buy Gigabyte GA-MA785GM-US2H AMD785G mATX AM2+ PCI-E DDR2 Video Sound GBLAN CrossFireX HDMI Motherboard - GA-MA785GM-US2H In Canada.

[cl0ud]

The bios doesn't have an option to disable the onboard graphics unfortunately, only the onboard audio. You can only choose to use either the onboard or the pci express or pci first, I've tried the first two options without success. Someone on another forum i was reading said something about disabling the onboard driver in windows but I haven't tried that yet as I don't really see how that would affect the bios, or would it?

Another idea I had is using an unlocked bios hoping that there is a hidden option to disable the onboard video, I haven't tried that yet, risky, although if i'm going to buy another mb, anyway what have i got to loose.

I found out that the Asrock N68-S mainboard uses the Nvidia 630a chipset which does not support PCI Express 2.0 so I guess Im back to square one.

My case doesn't have a removable backplate so I was thinking of cutting a hole in it so that a custom backplate would fit but now that i think about it more its probably too hard to cut the metal.

[frontier204]

I assume you are following up to this post? Help Please - new graphics card - Computer doesn't boot
If so I'd watch when buying a new motherboard out because it may be difficult to wire your front panel and audio header using an HP proprietary case.

EDIT: Ninja'd by OP about nForce 6xx

[JD]

Wasn't aware it was a HP. So you'll need a motherboard and case....

You may be better off just buying a whole new PC instead.