removing graphics card

Applications Filesystems, Disks and Memory
1

I have a SuSE8.1 Linux box running as a testing webserver to my small network. It's administered through ssh and webmin entirely, and doesn't have a monitor.

I could really do with the graphics card for another machine, but if I take it out, I can't start the machine up.

Any ideas how I can do this?

2

there is a company that sells a PCI card to enable PC's to run 'headless'

heres the link : http://www.realweasel.com/

--From Linux Buyers Guide:
"The PC Weasel PCI provides a serial console for PC based servers, and allows these machines
to run headless, as the card emulates all video and keyboard behaviour. The device requires
no drivers or software, and is O/S independent. The PC Weasel PCI gives you remote access
to the BIOS (including POST codes) and permits the user to administer a "hard" reset to the
system remotely."

3

looks like a fab product, but its out of my budget at the moment.

So won't a normal PC start up w/out a graphics card at all then? dang.

4

You can read this page for more info if you're curious, but if the BIOS realizes there is no video card, it gives you a series of error tones and won't proceed.

5

oh well. worth a try. Just that my sons win98 PC seems to be havibg trouble with its onboard graphics. My linux box has a perfectly ok ati card just sitting there in the slot to keep it happy! Think I'll prob just buy a cheapo card & stick it in just for peace & quiet.:wink:
d'you think changing the gfx card will cause any problems with linux?
I'm not running x.

6

Hello

I've been in this situation a while ago, and I found that:

  • the BIOS POST sequence complains that there's no gfx card and beeps 3 or 4 times
  • if the bios is set-up to ignore the absence of the gfx card it simply boots the sistem and everithing works fine.
    The BIOS manufacturer for that system was Award, don't remember exactly what version , maybe 4,6 (i'm not sure, but 4.51 should work fine). I don't know if other os-es (non unix) can boot without gfx :smiley:

The only disadvantage is that if you have some trouble with this "blind" computer, it is possible to be forced to shut it down, plug a gfx card and power-on again. Sometimes this is not desirable.

7

Thanks. I ended up getting a gfx card from a friend cheap! (�5)