Recommended GPU upgrade

[nbadding]

Hello,

I have a p6774y with some upgrades. The motherboard is the original "H Alvorix RS880 uatx (aloe)".  The processor has been upgraded to an AMD Phenom II X6 1065T.  The power supply has been upgraded to a 600W unit. Originally it was running Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit.  I have upgraded to the November 2019 release of Windows 10 Pro 64-bit (1909).

When I was on Windows 7, I could use a program called SketchUp with some limitations caused by the integrated ATI Radeon HD4200 GPU.  Now that I have Windows 10, SketchUP will not launch and says the GPU needs hardware acceleration.  I have tried repeatedly to get a particular card I have to work, but never successfully.  The card I have tried is NVIDIA GTX 1050Ti.  SketchUp is a 3D modeling program by Trimble.

What I need is a recommendation for a new PCi-E x16 GPU.  The power supply has additional 4 & 6 pin supply connectors, so that is not a concern.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

If you would like to install a Nvidia graphics card, you cannot go beyond the GT 600 series, since your PC does not have a UEFI BIOS with a version 8.xx or higher.

[nbadding]

Thank you for your reply.  Please excuse my confusion.  According to the specs of the NVIDA GTX 1050Ti, it does NOT support UEFI.  When I check the BIOS MODE of my PC it says: Legacy.

If I am to buy a new GPU that DOES NOT have UEFI, isn't that what I already own?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

The NVIDIA GTX 1050Ti graphics adapter does support UEFI, and it cannot work in any BIOS, Legacy or UEFI with a BIOS revision lower than 8.xx, and yours only has a BIOS revision of 6.11 (latest update on the support page).

No Nvidia GT 7xx or newer GPU will work in your PC.

Yes, a Nvidia GT 6xx is considered a legacy graphics card and those are the only kind that will work in your PC.

The onboard Radeon 4200 graphics adapter is not supported for W10 anymore.

I think Microsoft quit supporting it after the 3rd or 4th update of W10.

[nbadding]

What is the step-by-step process for installing the new GPU?  I have purchased a NVIDIA GT640, gone to NVIDIA and d/l'd & installed the driver, deleted the Radeon HD4200 driver & installed the new GT640 card. The device manager cannot find my GPU, and activates the Microsoft Basic Display Adapter which does not support hardware acceleration.  The display has a large empty (black) boarder around it.

[DGroves]

SketchUp 2017 will not run if your graphics card's OpenGL version is less than version 3.0, this is mentioned in the manual and on the vendor's help forum the 2017 release has much higher hardware/software requirements than the previous release

i recommend you run their compatibility checker program on your current hardware config

http://help.sketchup.com/en/sucheck

in your case the 1050 TI card is a modern current gen video card which supports openGL v4.5 so this will not be a issue for you. I suspect the issue is videocard or driver/MB chipset related. try a earlier video driver if that fails the issue may be with your motherboards AMD 785G chipset

you can try a earlier version of the sketchup program,........  sketchup 2016

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, @nbadding 

I wouldn't know why the graphics driver isn't installing automatically, but see if this works...

Download and save the Nvidia graphics driver.  Do not run it.

https://www.nvidia.com/Download/driverResults.aspx/155644/en-us

Download and install this free file utility.  The 2nd link at the top of the page is for 64 bit.

https://www.7-zip.org/

After you install 7-Zip, right click on the Nvidia graphics driver file you downloaded.

Select 7-Zip from the list of items on the menu.

Have 7-Zip Extract to:  and let it extract the file into its folder name.

Once that is done, go to the device manager, click on the Microsoft Basic Display adapter needing the driver.

Click on the driver tab.  Click on Update Driver.

Select the Browse my computer for driver software option, and browse to the driver folder that 7-Zip created.

Make sure the Include Subfolders box is checked, and see if the driver installs that way.

Then restart the PC.

[nbadding]

Paul,

I already have that particular driver on my PC.  I went to NVIDIA and downloaded it.  After which, the NVIDIA program took over, verified there were no conflicts with my equipment, and installed the driver.  HOWEVER....I guess since the Device Manager cannot "see" the GT640, I have to "update" the Microsoft Basic Display Adapter with the already downloaded NVIDIA driver. I offer this idea (updating the Microsoft BDA), because I thought perhaps updating it as a "legacy" Display Adapter might work, but, again, the only display adapter showing is "standard display types".  As you can tell, I only know enough to be dangerous to myself and anyone within the blast radius.  My question is....If I am correct in my assumption of updating the Microsoft BDA with the NVIDIA driver, what is the file I tell the Device Manager to use to update?  

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

Since you have the location of the main driver folder, all you need to do is to follow the instructions I posted...

Go to the device manager and update the Microsoft Basic Display Adapter driver to the Nvidia driver by browsing to the main driver folder.  You have gone too far if you clicked on the Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer.

You just select the Browse my computer for driver software option.

Windows should do all the work for you if you make sure to check the Include subfolders box.

You do not need to search for the specific driver file yourself.

[nbadding]

Paul,

Thank you for your help.  I had Microsoft BDA update itself with the NVIDIA drivers.  They were installed, and when instructed a second time (because it still isn't seeing the NVIDIA GPU), it says it already has the most current drivers for the NVIDIA GT640.  Yet, it still doesn't show the NVIDIA, it only shows the Microsoft BDA.  And even though SketchUP requires an OpenGL of 3.0 or greater, and the GT640 has an OpenGL of 4.3, SketchUp still will not launch because "hardware acceleration is either disabled or not supported".  AND....I still have a large (greater than 1 inch), black "boarder" around my screen.