will 8400GS work in a socket 478 motherboard?

[ik9000]

Want to put windows 7 on our old guest machine to hopefully make the networking easier - told I need a new graphics card but only have PCI ports, no AGP or PCI express. Only PCI card i can find is the PNY Nvidia 8400GS 512MB but some sites list it as requiring LGA775 - is this really going to make a difference? Anyone tried this card in a socket 478 system?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/PNY-Technolo.../ref=de_a_smtd

system spec:

HP compaq DX2000MT
socket 478 P4 2.8A (prescott)
2Gb PC3200 (though running at 333MHz sadly - BIOS is locked down and won't let me change it)
cack motherboard = Liteon NR146 (only has 3 PCI ports)
current graphics card = Nvidia FX5200
Lite-on DVD R/W

[MSIC]

I personally cannot fathom a reason why this is the case, and would ignore that. A PCI - compliant card will work in a PCI slot, and will be unaware and uninterested in the CPU.
That said, I also don't believe that you 'need' a new graphics card anyway just to get Win7 working. You may not get full aero interface visual effects, but it should still work.
I think someone has given you poor advice.

[scaryjim]

Given that I've just put a PCIe 8400GS in a socket 478 system (lovely Biostar PCIe / DDR2 socket 478 motherboard ) I'd say it'll work fine. Mine works perfectly under Win XP.

Although as MSIC says, you've been given decidedly duff advice there - you don't need a new graphics card to run Windows 7. You won't get the fancy Aero interface, but it'll work fine.

EDIT: Having just checked on the nvidia website the FX5200 isn't supported in their drivers for Windows 7. Hmm....

[ik9000]

That's good to know. Just got an email from PNY themselves! (Amazing a manufacturer who checks their mail!)

"Thank you for contacting PNY Technical Support.

In reviewing your message, I understand that you wish to know if the 8400GS PCI is compatible with your processor.

The processor should not matter. There may be a problem if you have Intel chipset 845, 850 or 865."

With the mobo having the 865 chipset I asked for further details, they simply stated

"I can’t guarantee it will work. If you need a PCI card the fx5200 will work as long as you are not running Windows 7."

Why on earth would the chipset matter? Does your mobo have one of these chipsets?

[MSIC]

My assumption (so i could be wrong) is that the fx5200 wouldnt have good drivers in Win 7 to enable 3d functionality etc, however Windows 7 will still have a basic driver for generic displaying of 2d.

here is a guy who had problems trying to get Win7 using the 865 graphics working, but clearly got the chipset to work. Also, note that the recommended fix for the display problem was to get hold of an nvidia graphics card