Hey everyone! I recently picked up a second-hand computer to set up my first home server, but I'm running into a problem: the system doesn't have integrated graphics. I tried using a couple of GPUs, starting with an ATI Radeon HD5450 1GB, which seems to be dead since it won't boot in my main PC. Then I tried an EVGA Host card HD02, but it doesn't provide any output. It is detected in my main build, but I can't find any drivers for it, and even if I could, installing it on the server would be a hassle.
I'm looking for a way to get video output from this server. Am I just having bad luck with my graphics card choices? My options are limited to PCIE x1 slots due to a fan obstruction, but I'm not aiming for high performance—just something functional. Here's a quick rundown of the build:
- Motherboard: Qiyada X99 E5 D4
- CPU: Xeon E5-2630 v4 (no integrated GPU)
- RAM: 32GB DDR4 ECC
- PSU: be quiet BQT L7-300W
- Storage: 256GB Samsung NVME (currently empty)
Thanks for your input!
6 Answers
I suggest getting a GTX 970 or something similar; I snagged a used one for about $35. However, keep in mind that the system itself is pretty ancient, so it might not be worth pushing it too hard.
The HD5450 is quite old and probably has some issues after all these years. The EVGA Host card is meant for remote access and won't give you a display; you definitely need a proper GPU. Since your board has two full PCIe slots, go for a standard GPU instead of a host card!
Honestly, that system might belong in a museum! But if you need it for real-time video transcoding, consider a low-profile Quadro. Just be aware, if you go for a Pascal or Maxwell card, driver support on Linux can be tricky.
I have the same motherboard in my file server. If you can, try to adjust your CPU fan orientation to access that PCIe x16 slot. I'm using a Quadro P400, which works fine, but a cheap option like a used GTX 1060 would also suffice!
Thanks for the tip! My cooler takes up a lot of space, but I’ll see if I can make it work.
If it's just for basic server tasks, you don't need a heavy duty gaming GPU like the GTX 970. A low-cost passive card like a GT 710 or 730 will do just fine for display output.
How do you know the system isn’t actually dead? You should’ve checked it more before buying. And for $80, I hope you didn’t spend too much on that X99 setup—it’s pretty old school!
I figured $80 was a decent deal for the whole setup!
Got it, I misunderstood the listing! Thanks for clarifying.