SOLVED Minimum graphics card size for Windows 10

[Wolfie]

HI all,

I am currently fixing up an old PC (Fujitsu Siemens Scenic S-2), it has an on-board 64 MB Intel GPU (845G), does anybody know what the minimum graphics card size for Windows 10 is?.

In BIOS; the maximum allowed GPU aperture size for the motherboard is 256MB!.

I have an old ATI 9200 128MB AGP card with a DVI connector (VGA cable is burnt out!) which I can put in, can I double the aperture to 256?, would that work?.

Current specs: Pentium 4 2.4GHz. 160GB IDE HDD, 2GB PC2100 DDR SDRAM. 64 MB Intel on-board GPU.

The W10 disk starts and runs from boot for about/up to 2 mins and then conks out and the PC restarts. I tried 3 different DVD's as I cannot boot from a USB stick on the rig.

I have seen ATI/Nvidia 256MB graphics cards on E-Bay so I could buy one from there if necessary!.

 

[Regedit32]

Hi Wolfie,

DirectX 9 or later with WDDM 1.0 driver

https://www.microsoft.com/en-nz/windows/windows-10-specifications

 

[Grizzly]

Wolfie, that PC is way too old to run Windows 10. You may be lucky to run Windows 7 on it. The pentium4 CPU does not support the Command set of Windows 10 or 8 for that matter. I have an old Athlon 2400+ and a Gateway with an Intel CPU (both single core) which I cannot install those systems. Not even on my storage PC (which has a dual core 4800+ AMD Athlon) I can install Windows 10. Win 7 is the latest or I have to put new hardware in it....

 

[Wolfie]

Hi chaps,

thanks for the replies, I did read somewhere that the rig doesn't support W7 @Grizzly, so that got me wondering anyway, I thought that if I could crank up the GPU to the max allowed by the motherboard that it would work?. I did put 2GB of RAM on it!.

@Regedit32, it currently has Peppermint Linux OS 32 bit edition (Ubuntu 16.04 base) on it but the graphics are really bad when playing a livestream via the internet using FlashPlayer . On the link you provided; it does state a minimum of 800x600 res for the display, it runs at 1920x1080 with the current 64MB on-board GPU so I am confused?. I also would have thought that Windows 10 would provide DirectX 9 and the WDDM 1.0 driver?.

If push comes to shove; I will leave Linux on it and just put in a slightly better graphics card! (I still have the 128MB ATI card albeit with a DVI connector).

The PC is being donated anyway and I don't want to spend too much money on it, I have a few spare parts lying around but sadly no graphics cards so maybe E-Bay is my best bet as I want the thing to be usable even if it is being given away!.

Another question that I have, I know that you can normally set the GPU aperture to double what it is in BIOS on older PC's, does the same still apply to W10? (just for future reference).

 

[Regedit32]

Install Windows XP on it.

Create your own logonui.exe and overwrite the default one.

Your new logonui will display a Ransomware Welcome - with your bank details for the $400 bitcoin you want.

When they deposit the funds, buy them a new computer and yourself a nice holiday.

 

[Wolfie]

HI Regedit32,

as tempting as your idea is; I think I will stick to my original plan first, if that doesn't work; I may use your method!.

I went ahead and bought an old 256MB Nvidia graphics card for €20, I will see what happens when it arrives?.

I actually don't have a copy of XP any more, I do have an OEM W7 version which fails to install which I forgot to mention that I also tried but I don't have a W7 key anyway!.

 

[Grizzly]

I am surprised the GPU runs at 1920x1080 with only 64MB RAM. Usually 64MB will be limited to 800x600 at 32bit depth.
The new Nvidia will definitely improve the screen....

My old Gateway has a 128MB Nvidia in it and the resolution is limited to 1024x768. Since I cannot install anything more modern like Win8 or 10 (Win7 is the last one that works on it), I am currently running it on Linuxmint 18 "Sarah" which works just fine....

 

[Wolfie]

HI @Grizzly,

you should try doubling the GPU aperture rate in BIOS!, if your base GPU is 32MB, click on 64MB and save the setting and exit BIOS and then see what your screen res is!. Likewise; if it is 64MB, double it to 128MB which is what I have mine set to!.

I found another Pentium 4 CPU which I believe is exactly the same as what I have installed anyway!. (I have bits of old PC's lying around doing nothing!).

 

[Grizzly]

This works only with onboard video cards right?? If so I cannot deny nor confirm it cause all my motherboards have a dedicated videocard.

 

[Wolfie]

I think it works with all GPU's, whether they are on-board or in a slot?, give it a try and see what happens. It will basically take RAM from your system to improve its performance, if you have limited RAM, then don't do it!.

Interesting article here which explains it quite well:

http://www.tweak3d.net/articles/aperture-size/

What I would also do in your case is to use a low spec variant of Linux like Peppermint Linux OS or Bodi, there is also PCLinuxOS LXDE and MATE to try!.

 

[Grizzly]

well, I tried. the one computer that has only a 128MB Video card in it, does not have the option to increase the aperture in the BIOS. the other one that can, has already a 512MB card in it, that would be Like we say in Germany "Pearls before the swines" (might not be the correct translation)...

 

[Wolfie]

Hi @Grizzly & @Regedit32 ,

I am not sure but this might be the reason why W10 won't install as the PC specs more than match the minimum system requirements?:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NX_bit

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executable_space_protection

The 256MB graphics card should be here soon, I will see what happens when it arrives but I'm not holding my breath!.

I also swapped the CPU's around for the other one I have, it is a later model of the P4 but still only single core (I think?) so no improvement there!.

"Pearls before the swines", I think we (the British at least) would say: "don't put the cart before the horse"! (Auf Deutsch gesagt: "Setze den Wagen nicht vor das Pferd").

I also forgot to mention Linux Lite and Lubuntu to the lightweight Linux distro's list!. Linux Lite is pretty good!.

 

[Wolfie]

Update: The graphics card is installed now (256MB Nvidia FX5500) but it makes no difference to the video lagging problem!.

My last hope is that I ordered a newer P4 CPU (only €3,80 including postage!) that supports hyperthreading and NX which is what is currently stopping me from installing Windows 10 on this rig, it might be here today or on Friday as there is an holiday here tomorrow!. I will keep you posted.

 

[Wolfie]

Okay, to put everyone in the picture, it doesn't really matter what GPU you as long as it supports DIrectX 9 and 800 x 600 screen res.

I installed the newer CPU with HT and NX support (Pentium 4 3.0Ghz and was able to get W10 installed on the old PC!.

Marking as solved.

 

[Grizzly]

....today or on Friday as there is an holiday here tomorrow!. I will keep you posted.

Let me guess : "German Unity Day" or as it is in German: "Tag der Deutschen Einheit" ??

 

[Wolfie]

Hi @Grizzly,

day of unity is the 3rd of October (I was in Berlin the day the wall fell, purely by chance!), it was "Fronleichnam" which is (the Feast of) Corpus Christi!.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Unity_Day

 

[Grizzly]

Yeah, you are right.....