New graphics card won't load/work!

English Hardware
#1

I just got a new graphics card (all specs below) and when I start up the computer, it loads the BIOS, then says it’s loading grub 2, then says, “Initializing gfx code…” and hangs there forever. How can I diagnose this and find out if the card will work with my computer and opensuse 11.1?

CARD SPECS

NVidia GeForce 8400 GS
512MB DDR2
PCI (regular PCI, NOT PCI Express)
Dual Link DVI-I, VGA

Monitor

Dell SE198WFPx (has DVI and VGA)

Computer

Dell PowerEdge 1600SC
1.5GB RAM
2.4 processor

OS

OpenSUSE 11.1 KDE 4.x

Any ideas?

#2

Have you tried booting to level 3 like this:
http://public.bay.livefilestore.com/y1p-y3Q-ZL-ZJ-qX5y6AWfrOeCfpfv1IITSpKXV1MDsqTJ8X7zhb52MQswtkNUk0-Mqzc1lbykqY0WhsQts4vnqKQ/1%20Initial%20Boot.png

http://public.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pWE7sTVz-vXVCCaOMXHx_Y5tkQXUQS_ShuGjUvLEi-JexVnmcl1RVzT7zoscMCM6E7Lg1ivAXf0X5LnxngfTIFg/2%20Edit%20the%20Boot%20line.png

Does it do anything different

If you get to a login prompt
login as user
Then become su and run:

sax2 -r

#3

Thanks, I gave up and decided to try an older graphics card instead which actually shows/loads the OS, but still won’t allow desktop effects. (Maybe I need to install drivers?)

#4

I have a similar card.

Note, if you are going to plug in a PCI card (and not PCI-e nor AGP) you need to probably make a change in your PC’s BIOS.

#5

Yeah, but when I went in to the BIOS, there was no setting that seemed even remotely like it could do that. The computer was originally a server, so it may not have that capability. It’s a Dell PowerEdge 1600SC that’s been “passed down” and I wanted to turn it into a workstation.

#6

From my brief check, this Dell PowerEdge 1600SC should have Embedded ATI Rage XL (8MB)
There may well be settings in the BIOS related to this