a6244n

[DAJulin]

HP makes it as difficult as it can to find information on legacy hardware. IIt wont let me CHAT because the Serial Number MXX74205U is so old - it doesn't recognize it as an HP product.  I have a 25 years old A6244n Motherboard and can find NO WAY to get info on upgrading. I have a Nvidia 8400GS graphics card and want something with a Digital Graphics Port Output so I can upgrade my failing monitor!
I tried an AMD HD7570 but, it would only work in default VGA mode and wouldn't recognize the card or the Driver. It also wouldn't work with any of my Sims3 or its related editing software and gave me an incompatible warning, black screen,  and then refused to even start.
I need to know the exact specs of that PCIe slot and what works with it. Is it PCIe 0,1,2 - What is it! 

[NonSequitur777]

@DAJulin,

Welcome to our HP Community forum!

Information about your legacy HP Pavilion a6244n home PC (GN702AA) is indeed difficult aka nigh impossible to come by. What I did find out about your PC, is that this platform is obsolete: for example, maxing out on 4 x 1GB of DDR2 667 MHz RAM...

Your PC was released in late 2007, making it almost 18 years old.

Anyway, I believe it originally shipped with:

• Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 or Core 2 Duo E4500
• 3GB DDR2 RAM
• NVIDIA GeForce 8400 GS (256MB)
• Windows Vista Home Premium

Given its advanced age as legacy PCs go, it’s impressive that you are still trying to upgrade it!

Now the difficult part.

Your HP Pavilion a6244n (GN702AA) uses the Asus IPIBL-LB (Benicia) motherboard, which has a PCIe x16 slot (likely PCIe 2.0). Not surprisingly, many graphics cards will not work in your PC due to Legacy BIOS limitations and other compatibility factors.

 

Why the AMD HD 7570 Didn’t Work:

1. Legacy BIOS vs. UEFI BIOS – Your system has a Legacy BIOS, but many newer GPUs (even some older ones) require UEFI firmware to function. The HD 7570 you tried might be one of those.
2. Driver Issues – If the card only worked in VGA mode, the system likely failed to recognize it properly.
3. PCIe Compatibility – While PCIe is generally backward-compatible, some PCIe 3.0+ cards may not work properly in older PCIe 2.0 slots.

 

Best Graphics Card Upgrades (With Digital Output):

Since you need a better GPU with a digital output (DVI, HDMI, or DisplayPort), I recommend the following Legacy BIOS-compatible options:

✅Best Choices (Recommended):

1. NVIDIA GeForce GT 730 (GDDR5 version)

   • ✔ Fully compatible with Legacy BIOS
   • ✔ Available with HDMI + DVI outputs
   • ❌Avoid DDR3 models (slower performance)

2. NVIDIA GeForce GT 710

   • ✔ Legacy BIOS support
   • ✔ HDMI + DVI available
   • ❌Performance improvement over 8400 GS is minimal

 

⚡Higher Performance Option (If Found in Legacy BIOS Version):

1. NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 Ti (Maxwell, Legacy BIOS version only)
   • ✔ Much better performance than GT 730
   • ✔ DVI + HDMI + DisplayPort
   • ❌Some models require UEFI (check before buying!)

 

🚫Avoid These Cards (Known Compatibility Issues):

• GTX 1030 (GDDR5 version) – UEFI-only
• AMD Radeon HD 7570+ (Most require UEFI BIOS)
• Any RTX or newer GTX series (UEFI-only)

 

💡Power Supply Consideration:

Your HP Pavilion a6244n has a 300-watt PSU, so stick to low-power GPUs (30-50-watt max) that don’t require additional power connectors.

 

Conclusion:

For a simple upgrade with digital output, the best option is the GT 730 (GDDR5 model) or GT 710. If you can find a Legacy BIOS GTX 750 Ti, that would be an even better upgrade. And as a matter of fact, I believe I found just that as seen here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/297008234832?_skw=Legacy+BIOS+GTX+750+Ti&itmmeta=01JMS5VHQPWGKGC34VTZXZKPZR....  The challenge is this: there is, of course, no guarantee that this card would actually work in your PC.

Since this eBay Seller does not accept returns, you would risk $40 on this purchase.  That may be worth-it to you, you decide.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[DAJulin]

Unfortunately, by the time I got to it - that Video Card was already gone.
I am still looking for a "Legacy" Bios version of the 710 or 730...
They went obsolete some 15 years ago so very difficult to find. 

My main concern is it working with The Sims 3.

None of the other cards have so far but all have been UEFI... 

Could not get them out of VGA mode and loading a driver for it - disastrous. 

If someone comes across a Legacy card that will work for me... Please Email me.

[NonSequitur777]

@DAJulin,

Here you go -probably don't want to wait too long: https://www.ebay.com/itm/405569928372?_skw=Legacy+BIOS+GTX+750+Ti&itmmeta=01JN2EKB1PY2AP4R0RD2Q5DGKR....

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777