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PCI Compatibility


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#1
heartgrave

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Is it possible to use a graphics card in a PCI-Express x16 when the card is built for a PCI-e X16 3.0 slot? I have a motherboard and the specs just states PCI-E x16 but a card I am looking at says PCI-e X16 3.0. Just want to confirm it is compatible?

Edit: I found this article on wiki. http://en.wikipedia....y_and_revisions under the PCI-e 3.0 section it states "of 8 gigatransfers per second (GT/s), and that it would be backward compatible with existing PCIe implementations." So I think I just answered my own question?

Edited by heartgrave, 05 August 2013 - 07:34 AM.

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#2
iammykyl

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Gday heartgrave.
Yes, you did answer your own question, your card is fully backwards compatible.
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#3
heartgrave

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Thank you for the confirmation!
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#4
iammykyl

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Your welcome, Posted Image
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#5
phillpower2

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Just dropping in with my two cents worth :whistling:

You can if you are unlucky encounter a compatibility issue with some earlier MBs, a comprehensive post on the subject and some feedback for you Here
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#6
heartgrave

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Is there a way to tell which PCI slot my MB has? As stated, the specs sheet just states PCIe-X16. http://www.findlapto...80p-specs-dell/
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#7
phillpower2

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To check what add on video cards are ok with the MB look at the specifications of the previous video cards that you have used.
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#8
heartgrave

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Just the 3450 and 5770 that I currently have. I tried calling Dell, and yeah absolutely NO help because I don't have a service code even though I told them the motherboard I had including the part number. Anyways, the 5770 is a 2.1 version. The 3450 just states PCI3 X16 on newegg but when I look @ AMD website http://www.amd.com/u...0-overview.aspx is states "With PCI Express® 2.0 support, you’re ready"

EDIT: The card I am looking at buying is actually 2.0 not 3.0, I apologize!

Edited by heartgrave, 06 August 2013 - 11:52 AM.

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#9
phillpower2

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You can get your service tag by using the Lookup

No worries but FWIW if the MB can run the MSI Hawk with no issues a 3.0 card should also be fine as it tends to be older hardware that falls over.
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#10
heartgrave

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Yeah, I tried that but some slight, maybe not so slight problems with that :P

1) I am at work
2) The PC is not together and is laying in pieces between my basement and my old bedroom closet LOL :lol: !!
3) My work PC is a Dell and the link requires you to download a program to scan for the code.

I call Dell, after endless voice prompts on their IVR system, even after telling it I needed Technical Support, it says it's sending me to an operator to help direct me to the right place. Get on with the operator, could barely understand her accent, after about 15 mins of talking with her, I finally get her to send me to tech support. I get on with tech support, again can not understand the person, he tells me I MUST have this code in order to be assisted even though I explained to him that I just need to know if the PCI slot was compatible with higher implementations and he even took the motherboard part number. He said he needs to know my configuration to assist me. So I pretty much just wasted most of my 1 hour lunch on the phone with Dell to get no where

Edited by heartgrave, 06 August 2013 - 12:16 PM.

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#11
phillpower2

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Yeah, I tried that but some slight, maybe not so slight problems with that :P

1) I am at work
2) The PC is not together and is laying in pieces between my basement and my old bedroom closet LOL :lol: !!!

:oops:
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#12
Veeg

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If your mobo has the pcie version 1.1 then go with the pcie version 2.0/2.1....these version are more compatible with the older mobos anyway...If your mobo has a pcie sot version 2.0/2.1 then the pcie version 3 is suppose to work... The older boards (version 1.1)were left out of the mix as the manufacturers were not willing to make the upgrade to these mobos as they were being phased out anyway. This is why some pcie version 3 cards are not supposedly compatible as believed..
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#13
heartgrave

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I read that article you have sent me Phill and I actually found some conflicting information on it. The author states : "While it is true that PCI SIG while developing PCI express slots made sure that they remain compatible with each other, it is the GRAPHIC CARD manufactures (i.e Nvidia & AMD) and the sub vendors (Saffire, Zotac, EVGA etc) that really make the difference!
We all know that the AMD Radeon HD 7000 series is extremely power efficient. Having said that it comes at a cost. This power efficiency comes due to the new electrical interface featured in PCIe v3.0 and 2.0 slots and is ABSENT in PCIe v1.1 slots. Hence they are NOT COMPATIBLE.
Sources of proof: Online interaction with Sapphire technical staff
Online interaction with AMD technical staff
Personal interaction with technical staff from MSI
They all clearly stated that that PCIe v3.0 cards are not compatible with v1.1
Further to prove their point MSI was even kind enough to provide a reference card they had with them, i.e the HD 7850 and it did not work on my computer's motherboard featuring PCIe x16 v1.1 slot. Just to make sure I installed the card correctly I placed another card from Nvidia i.e GTX 560 onto the board that I got from a friend and everything worked flawlessly." He goes on to state later on "So to most of the people who own the motherboards having chipset X38 and latter you have both AMD and Nvidia choices open to you.
But to the few people like myself owning a motherboards with G41 and previous chipsets the only solution seems to be Nvidia."

This motherboard I have actually has a chipset of Chipset Northbridge – Intel G41 Southbridge – Intel ICH7R

When I go to http://en.wikipedia...._Intel_chipsets and press CTRL+F on my keyboard to search the page I type in G41 to get this:

Chipset G41.
Code Name EagleLake(G)
Part numbers 82g41(GMCH
South Bridge ICH7
Release Date 2008.9
Processors Core 2 Quad/Core 2 Duo
Process support Support for 45nm
Hardware Virtualization No
FSB 800/1066/1333 MHz Memory types DDR3 800/1066
DDR2 667/800 Max. memory 4 GB
8 GB Parity/ECC No/No
Graphics
  • 1 PCI Express 16× 1.1
  • Integrated GMA X4500 graphics
He goes on to state "remember the PCIe 2.1 is exactly similar to PCIe 3.0 and the only difference is the 'Bandwidth'"

Kind of conflicting even though the MSI Hawk 5770 is a 2.1 and the motherboard slot is 1.1 and still worked when it states the 2.1 is exactly similar as the 3.0. But hey, since my MSI Hawk 5770 2.1 worked in the 1.1, I am going to be safe to say the 2.0 will work in the 1.1 since the 3450 was a 2.0 and it came with the PC when I bought it.

Edited by heartgrave, 06 August 2013 - 12:52 PM.

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#14
heartgrave

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If your mobo has the pcie version 1.1 then go with the pcie version 2.0/2.1....these version are more compatible with the older mobos anyway...If your mobo has a pcie sot version 2.0/2.1 then the pcie version 3 is suppose to work... The older boards (version 1.1)were left out of the mix as the manufacturers were not willing to make the upgrade to these mobos as they were being phased out anyway. This is why some pcie version 3 cards are not supposedly compatible as believed..


Thanks very much for this Veeg, the card I looking to buy is a 2.0 so I should be fine! :thumbsup:
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#15
phillpower2

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So what is the truth? ARE THE PCIe SLOTS BACKWARD AND FORWARD COMPATIBLE?

The answer is 'YES' and even 'NO'. Confused?

Yep :whistling:
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