MODEL

8600GT rec
ATI 3870 rec

PCI-E

DDR

PCI
512 MB
Expre
ss x16
2.0

7900 rec min

X1900 rec min

BUS

PRET

256

200 250

Drivere 180.70

200

http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx?
id=20071026232802593&board_id=1&model=M2NPV-VM&page=1&SLanguage=enus
http://www.okazii.ro/catalog/52882900/placa-video-xfx-ge-force-7900-gt-256mb-256biti-mokazie.html
http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/AMD_AM2/M2NPVVM/#CPUS

Sapphire Radeon HD5450

BIOS versions 1301 and 1401

7600 gt
7600 gt merge sigur
4670 merge sau nu
9400gt
I resolved the problem with my M2NPV-VM motherboard and MSI GeForce 9400 GT
PCIE x16 video card. As best as I can remember, here are the steps:
1. In the BIOS setup, set Primary Display Adapter = Onboard
2. Start Windows and reduce the Windows display resolution to 800x600

3. Power off
4. Install the video card
5. Plug a second VGA-only monitor into the video card, leaving DVI from the first
monitor connected to the onboard video. Note: this step is crucial, because the BIOS
doesnt seem to detect the video card unless a monitor is connected to it, and switching a
single monitor back and forth doesnt seem to work.
6. Reboot
7. In the BIOS setup, set Advanced | Chipset | Both C51i GPU and PCIE VGA On =
Enabled. Note: I dont think that this option appears until the video card is installed and
detected.
8. Reboot
9. In Windows, go to Device Manager and make sure that video adapter is present
10. Reboot
11. In the BIOS, set Primary Display Adapter = PCIE
12. Startup Windows
13. Switch the DVI connector to the video card it should display on the DVI monitor
14. Reset the screen resolution
15. Reboot and make sure that the video card displays the boot sequence and Windows
startup

If you flashed in a new BIOS it will go back to the default settings sometimes. That
means it goes back to the onboard video. Some people have had problems installing new
video cards in the M2NPV-VM motherboards. I have not, but then again I make my
living as a Systems Engineer. I put a Radeon X1950 Pro in my PC last year and just put a
4850 in last week to replace it. No problems and I've been using the original bios 0303
till about 2 weeks ago when I upgraded to 0801. While I have the new 1401 on the FD
I'm leary due to reported issues with Logitech mice, since I use their USB mice and
keyboards.
You need to disable all the functionality of the onboard video in the BIOS, including TV
out, frame buffer memory and then switch it to PCI-E from Onboard in the BIOS.
Depending on the video board you may have to install the drivers before installing the
board or after. In the case of upgrading to a newer Radeon you have to remove all the old
Radeon drivers by going into the control panel and removing them from the "Add or
Remove Programs" list.
With this motherboard you can't use any of the onboard video components when using a
PCI-E video board.
You may want to print this out before you try it....
Before you install the new PCI-E card. Set your bios settings for it. Drivers for your OS
(Windows or other) are not necessary at this time. The first setting that everyone wants to
change is the "Onboard" to "PCI-E". DON'T DO THAT until you have disabled all of the
other functions of the onboard video card. Go into the "Advanced" tab then "Chipset". In
the chipset area you find several settings related to the onboard video.

Frame Buffer Size - Set to Disabled

RGB/TV Display - Set to Auto
TV Mode Support - Set to Disabled
Then set your video to PCI-E. My PCI-E maximum payload size is 4096. When these
settings are all set. Press F10, unplug your monitor from your onboard card, press Enter,
press or hold down Delete when the PC beeps to go into your BIOS settings. Press the
power button on your PC to shut off your PC. Open the case, install the new PCI-E
Card. Close the case, plug in your monitor to the NEW CARD, but don't screw it in, and
turn on Power. Press or hold down Delete as soon as the PC starts to go into BIOS
settings. If you have no video on your screen. Switch your monitor cable back to the
onboard. Make sure all of the settings above are correct. Switch the cable back to the
NEW CARD. Press F10, Press Enter, and press Delete when the PC Starts. If you still
have no video on the new card. Hold down CTRL + ALT and press Delete to restart your
pc. You should have video by this time. If you do not, chances are that your video card is
not compatible with the PCI Xpress 16 in this mobo.
The reason for all the resets is so that the mobo can detect a signal coming from your
monitor, just like your monitor has to detect a signal from your video card. This mobo
will automatically configure your video card to the onboard if a monitor is detected on
the onboard DVI or D-Sub ports. Make sure nothing is plugged in to those slots or if you
have the TV-Out card, make sure nothing is plugged in there. Actually, if you have the
TV-Out adapter, you can remove it, because once you install a PCI-X video card the TVOut adapter will no longer function. Once you get video on boot up, you can install your
Drivers for your OS. I know that a lot of times, you're told to install the drivers for a
video card before you physically install the card, and this will work, but it is not
necessary if you are running a PNP OS. If you're trying to set up dual monitors, work on
getting just a primary monitor set up first, then allow windows or your OS to setup the
second monitor later.

I resolved the problem with my M2NPV-VM motherboard and MSI GeForce 9400 GT
PCIE x16 video card. As best as I can remember, here are the steps that I took.
1. In the BIOS setup, set Primary Display Adapter = Onboard
2. Start Windows and reduce the Windows display resolution to 800x600
3. Power off
4. Install the video card
5. Plug a second VGA-only monitor into the video card's VGA, leaving DVI from the
first monitor connected to the onboard video's DVI. Note: this step is crucial, because the

BIOS doesnt seem to detect the video card unless a monitor is connected to it, and
switching a single monitor back and forth doesnt seem to work.
6. Reboot
7. In the BIOS setup, set Advanced | Chipset | Both C51i GPU and PCIE VGA On =
Enabled. Note: I dont think that this option appears until the video card is installed and
detected.
8. Start Windows
9. In Windows, go to Device Manager and make sure that video adapter is present
10. Reboot
11. In the BIOS, set Primary Display Adapter = PCIE
12. Startup Windows
13. Switch the DVI connector to the video card it should display on the DVI monitor
14. Reset the screen resolution
15. Reboot and make sure that the video card displays the boot sequence and Windows
startup
Has anyone tried Jim's two monitor solution with success?
I am considering replacing my ageing Radeon X1600 on an Asus M2NPV-VM
mainboard with a GeForce GT 240.
Benchmarks show that it has lower temperature and power consumption than Radeon HD
4650, the other GPU I had also been considering.