Topic: basic Dell PCI/motherboard question...

[Swampy]

I always preface my computer questions asking that you excuse my computer ignorance So someone let me borrow a Dell and I wanted to throw a firewire card in it so I open it up and realize that the slots are not PCI... I don't know what it is or what kind of firewire card I should look for...

[flipp]

I always preface my computer questions asking that you excuse my computer ignorance So someone let me borrow a Dell and I wanted to throw a firewire card in it so I open it up and realize that the slots are not PCI... I don't know what it is or what kind of firewire card I should look for...

Could you supply a little more information, like series and model number (Vostro, Inspiron, Latitude, etc). With that, someone might be able to make a meaningful recommendation rather than just a guess as to what might work.

[Swampy]

nope, I don't have it here. I was just thinking someone might throw out a suggestion or two so I could go poking around on the intarwebs for a little bit. I donno, maybe PCI isn't even the right word, are there different size PCI slots? Just looking for some basic info here...

[Brian Skalinder]

Depending on the PC's age and configuration, the expansion slots could be ISA, PCI, PCI-X, PCI-e (or PCI-Express).  Are there no PCI slots at all, or simply none available for use with a new card?  How about a picture of the slots?

This might help:  http://www.acme.com/build_a_pc/pci_types.html

[rjp]

PCI Express (aka PCIe) is the latest thing. Most (but not all) PCIe slots are either the x1 or x16 variety; the x16 slots are usually used for video cards. The x1 slots are very short.

As long as the motherboard maker didn't botch the implementation, you can put an x1 card into an x16 slot and it should work.

I have seen PCIe x1 FireWire cards, but they tend to be expensive compared to old-school PCI FireWire cards. I've also seen PCIe x1 network cards and at least one TV tuner card.

[Swampy]

Hey, thanks for the help so far. Here is a picture...

[fozzy]

i am pretty sure the open white slot is a 64bit pci slot.  a 32bit pci card shold fit/work in that slot.

Card slots in order left to right

AGP (empty), 32bit PCI (looks like a video card), PCI X4 slot(empty), Pci 64bit 3.3V(empty)

You could also slap in an agp video card to free up the 32bit pci card.

[H₂O]

Looks like a pretty nice Motherboard (i.e. Higher end workstation PC)

The long black is a PCI Express 16x
The middle black is a PCI Express 8x (may be electrically smaller (i.e. 4x) - typically used for RAID controllers - but should be able to accept 1x cards)
The long white is a 64 bit 66MHz PCI/PCI-X slot but should work fine with many standard PCI cards but not all (make sure it has both the front and rear Keys on the edge connector.

There is a 32bit 33MHz PCI slot that has a card in it - and looks to be a modem, etc something else ->  You may be able to yank this card if it is not in use (or possibly move it to the 64 bit PCI slot if it is key'd for it). 

From looking at the board you have onbourd Audio (there is an green I/O header visable), and Gigabit Ethernet (an intel RC 82545GM Controller ship is visable) - And I would think onboard video as the PCI card is way to small to be a video card and would not make sense to be in a system with open PCIe slots (unless someone swapped it).

[fozzy]

i'm thinking the card that is installed b/c of the blue looking blurry plug.  Although i don't see a GPU w/ heatsink or much else on the card that indicates it does much

I picture from another angle may be in order.

[Swampy]

Thanks for all the help everyone! The card that is in the PCI slot is the video card. I tried putting it in the 64bit slot so I could put my firewire in the 32 bit slot, but it won't slide in... Looks like it should fit though...