possible not to use graphics card?

[unwise]

Hi, is it possible to let your pc startup when you don't have a grphics card mounted into it?

I have this P166, with a graphics card that won't work (at least I think that's the problem) and i started wondering if a pc can work when its missing?

[NDC]

You will get a BIOS error beep that there is not video card detected. I think you you won't be able to get passed the BIOS screen due to the error.

[BBA]

Actually, I know several people who run unix machines with no video card at all. The total interface is through x windows or other remote applications.

Trick is, you have to get it up and running with a card in it first.

[OuTpaTienT]

BBA, do you mean running without a video card? Or a monitor? I don't see how'd it'd be possible to run a machine without a video card. The machine won't boot without one.

[NDC]

Hmmmm. That's what I thought too. How do you get passed the BIOS screen without a BIOS error that won't allow you to get passed it?

[mike511]

I don't know if this would work, but if you set the bios to not halt on any errors, wouldn't that make it boot past the bios screen without a video card in it. Just a thought.
Mike

[Barney]

I don't think that what Mike says would work (although it is worth the try).Why not just put an old ISA card.You can get those for free,or maybe you have one yourself.Even a CGA-card should work.You can get one of those out of an 8086.

Ronald

[otheos]

the question is, if you set it up so that it runs in text mode (Unix) and use the clients X to get the graphics, is the graphics card on the host being used by the OS?

[BBA]

Now I'm not really sure if it was sans graphics card...or just no monitor.

I just icq'd my unix buddies to find out.

BTW: I did find out if you hose a bios flash, the PC will still sometimes boot with a ISA vga card if you have nothing else but the floppy connected...then you can recover an otherwise dead board...if your lucky.

[BBA]

Yes...it works with no adapter at all...here is what he said:



SURE, as long as the motherboard supports booting without a video card "ie: halt on errors"



Looks like Mike got it.


SO, he also said this about no adapter card installations:



right, i believe they have a few motherboards that are supported under valinux with VACM that can install the OS remotely kinda like on a sparc



[This message has been edited by BBA (edited 09-24-2000).]

[BBA]

Pretty cool stuff too:
http://www.valinux.com/software/vacm/

[unwise]

wow, lots of replys, tanks http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif To bad the idea Mike came up with dousn't work on my motherboard http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/frown.gifI (have tried it before and am using the latest bios).

I will try later using an old "who knows wat it is exept isa" video card, but since it is ment for use with one of those old green schreens I don't have much hope it wil run windows. http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/frown.gif

Well tanks again for so much help http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif