# What is the best PCI video card for Windows Vista's Aero effects?



## Outlier (Mar 5, 2007)

I just upgraded to Windows Vista which has new 3D effects with their program called Aero. Unfortunately my motherboard only has PCI slots (and I only bought this computer a year ago). So to appreciate the Aero effects that come with Vista, I bought the ATI Radeon X1300 video card (it's a PCI card, not PCI express). It was still too slow for Aero so I was thinking of exchanging it for a better card. After reading on a webpage somewhere, it says that this is the newest and best card for PCI slots. And I just downloaded their most recent software update, just released 2 weeks ago. Does anyone know if there's a better PCI video card for Windows Vista's Aero effects? Or is this truly the best one? (By the way, I know for sure it's the video card because my computer scores highly in the Windows Experience Index in the other categories - I have 3 GHz processor and 2 GB RAM) If this is truly the best video card for PCI, then it's still very slow for Aero - when you drag application windows to move them, they move very slowly. I need to know if there's a better card.

Here's a 2nd part to the question: Before I bought the card, my computer originally came with integrated graphics directly into the motherboard (by Intel). It gave the lowest possible Windows Experience Index score for graphics (perhaps it did not have the proper software drivers). However, there is now an optional software update to this (found in Windows Update). Could installing any new software for this Intel integrated graphics increase the speed faster than the PCI card? Or is it a wasted effort to even try? In other words, is there any way that integrated graphics (with the proper software) could be quicker and more compatible with Aero than a 256 MB PCI card?


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## Ralck (Dec 10, 2004)

I would expect the x1300 to be faster than the integrated graphics. I would also expect it to run Aero a bit better than you described.
Have you installed the drivers from ATi for the x1300?

You first have to uninstall the drivers for the Intel integrated, then boot into BIOS and disable the onboard graphics. Install the x1300 and then boot into VGA mode. Install the ATi drivers there. Once that's done you should be all set. Hopefully, Aero will run a bit better with this.

Cheers!


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## Outlier (Mar 5, 2007)

The ATI Radeon 1300 PCI card I just bought doesn’t have the words "Microsoft Corporation - WDDM" in Device Manager which indicates that it is not WDDM. However, my integrated graphics does say "Microsoft Corporation - XDDM" in Device Manager (not WDDM). I'm not sure what the difference between XDDM and WDDM is. I am wondering (or hoping) that the driver update changes the XDDM to WDDM. By the way, I installed the most updated driver for my PCI card at their website- it was released around 2 weeks ago. I am surprised that it doesn't show WDDM in Device Manager. When I installed the new software, I didn't do all those things that you said. I just installed the new software as if it were any other new software. I'm not much of a hardware guy so I didn't know all the things that you mentioned was necessary (going into the BIOS, etc.). Do you think this would make a difference? 

Do you know if the ATI Radeon X1300 PCI card should be WDDM? If it's supposed to be, then maybe I'm doing something wrong. 

Don't get me wrong, it runs fine now but without the Aero color theme. Once I change to the Aero color theme, then things start to slow down. For example, when I drag an application across the screen, it is significantly slower than when using a normal color theme. Most people can probably live with it, but I'm impatient and run lots of applications at the same time.

Anyway, the PCI card that I just bought is giving my Windows Experience Index score a 2.0. If I install the updated driver for the integrated graphics and it bumps up my score to a 2.0 (it used to give 1.0) then I can probably return the PCI card. If not, I'll just keep the card.


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## Outlier (Mar 5, 2007)

Ralck said:


> You first have to uninstall the drivers for the Intel integrated, then boot into BIOS and disable the onboard graphics. Install the x1300 and then boot into VGA mode. Install the ATi drivers there. Once that's done you should be all set. Hopefully, Aero will run a bit better with this.


I didn't uninstall the drivers for the Intel integrated graphics first before installing the ATI drivers. And I also didn't boot into BIOS to disable the onboard graphics. I just installed the new ATI drivers as I would any other new software. However, whenever I boot up my computer, I'm getting the following message: "Incompatible display adapter has been disabled: At least one display adapter on the system has been disabled because its driver is not compatible with the driver for the VGA adapter" 

I am suspecting that this message is referring to the Intel integrated graphics that has been disabled, do you agree? The reason I think this is because my monitor is plugging into the ATI video card right now and I can see fine. Also the Aero color scheme did not even appear before as an option (because the integrated graphics were so poor) and it is appearing now while the monitor is plugged into the ATI card. Also, there is a driver update available for the Intel integrated graphics but whenever I try to install it, the installation fails. So my guess is that the Intel integrated graphics has been disabled, as long as the ATI card is plugged in. Do you think I'm right? Or is it possible that the message is referring to the ATI card being disabled in some way?

Again in Device Manager, the Intel graphics has "Microsoft Corporation - XDDM" beside it and the ATI card has nothing beside it. So perhaps there is a problem with the ATI card driver? Please help, I only have about a week to return the card.

Even though I can see the monitor fine and clearly as it is plugged into the ATI video card, is it possible that somehow the card is still disabled due to a lack of a compatible driver?


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## Outlier (Mar 5, 2007)

I've just confirmed it. It was my Intel integrated graphics that were disabled. I plugged my monitor into it and it was completely black. I plugged it back into my ATI card and now it's fine. So I think the ATI card drivers have been installed correctly.

So anyway, I was thinking of removing the ATI card and trying to update the driver for the Intel integrated graphics and see if it's better for Aero. I've read somewhere that integrated graphics are quicker than PCI slots but then others have told me the exact opposite. 

My fear is that I might have screwed with some display settings so that even if I remove my ATI card, the integrated graphics might still be disabled. I might have to uninstall the ATI software as well. 

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.


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## 1 g0t 0wn3d (Jan 31, 2007)

can you preform a system reinstall with factory like conditions through the ati card? and backup discs


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## Outlier (Mar 5, 2007)

I'm not sure what you mean by system reinstall. Can you explain?

Anyhow, I ended up uninstalling all ATI software and disconnected the card from the motherboard. I then went to the Intel website and installed their latest driver for my particular integrated graphics chipset. After doing this, I re-evaluated my Windows Experience Index (this is a program in Windows Vista which evaluates how your hardware is performing with respect to Vista). This time the Graphics score got a 1.9 (it was a 2.0 with the ATI card). There's another category called "Gaming Graphics". This score went from 3.5 to 1.0 (the worst possible score). And now, with a Graphics score of 1.9 the Windows Aero color theme is not even available as an option. So the 2.0 score was probably the bare minimum for it.

I'm probably going to just return the card and use the integrated graphics since I don't do too much gaming anyway. I play CS mainly but that doesn't require too many fancy graphics. 

I guess the take-home lesson from this is: before you buy a computer, make sure it has the proper hardware configuration to take into account future changes. Man I wish my motherboard had a PCI express slot! It's a waste too because I just bought this computer last year.


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## Outlier (Mar 5, 2007)

The strangest thing just happened to me! As I wrote above, I uninstalled all the ATI software (they call it Catalyst software), I removed the card from the motherboard and was considering to return it. I then changed my mind and was deciding to keep it, so I re-connected the card and turned on my computer. I was about to install their CD for the driver again but for some reason the screen appeared to be clearer and quicker than I've ever seen it. So before installing any new software drivers, I decided to run the Windows Experience Index test and this time to my surprise my Graphics scored 2.8 (it used to be 2.0). And after switching to the Windows Aero theme with 3D effects and transparency, it is much quicker than before! Worthy of keeping! I cannot believe this. I don't know what happend! 

When I check Device Manager, the video card now says (Microsoft Corporation - WDDM) beside it and it didn't say that before. I'm wondering what the cause could be. The only thing I did prior to this was update my existing integrated Intel graphics driver at the Intel website without the card in the motherboard. Perhaps this could have something to do with it. Or it might have something to do with the ATI software slowing things down. I'm going to create a restore point and install their software just to see if it slows things down.

Anyway, I'm happy now and the Aero effects are great, quick, and do not interfere with anything. I'll be keeping it and the video card and I guess there's a happy ending to this after all. The video card again is the ATI Radeon Vision Tek X1300 series for those of you who only have PCI slots on your motherboards. If you get it, try installing their software and see how it goes. If it's too slow as was my case, then uninstall their software and see how it goes. No matter what, you should see "Microsoft Corporation - WDDM" beside the card in Device Manager for Aero to be running smoothly.


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## Outlier (Mar 5, 2007)

Ok, I've finally figured it out. The culprit is the ATI Catalyst software. If you have Windows Vista, and you have the ATI Radeon Vision Tek X1300 series PCI video card, then DO NOT install the software from their CD or from their website! Installing their software takes away the WDDM which is essential for Vista's Aero effects. I installed their software both from their CD software and the software driver update from their website (their software as of March 6, 2007). Hopefully someone will report this to them and they'll have another software update. 

Their software completely slows down the graphics with Aero so you can barely drag an application across the screen. It gives a Graphics score of 2.0 on the Windows Experience Index. It also eliminates the WDDM of the card when you check with Device Manager, which is essential for Aero.

After uninstalling their software, the speed and smoothness shot right up like night and day. The Graphics score becomes 2.8 for me. And Aero runs great so that it doesn't interfere or slow down other applications. What a difference! I hope this helps someone else who was stuck with buying a new PCI card because of a lack of PCI express slots.


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## koala (Mar 27, 2005)

Hi Outlier. It looks like there aren't too many Vista users with PCI cards available to help you with your problem. Thanks for providing such a detailed running commentary on your solution. I'm sure it will help others.


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## Outlier (Mar 5, 2007)

No problem. I hope my running commentary helped anyone else in my situation. By the way, it's running perfectly fine without the Catalyst software and I have no complaints as of yet. I called ATI just today to let them know. 

Here's the unbelievable part. My other computer is a dinosaur compared to my new one. I bought it in 1998 and it only had a 550 MHz processor (0.55 GHz) and 128 RAM. My wife used it right up until last week (yup, it lasted almost 10 years - it was a Compaq Presario). Anyway, when I checked out its motherboard just today, it had PCI slots, an AGP slot, and a PCIe slot! I can't believe a motherboard from 1998 had the PCIe slot but my new computer from 2006 did not! Unbelievable! My new computer by the way is also a Compaq Presario.


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## alabamaman79 (Mar 6, 2007)

I'm 100% positive that it did not have PCI-E slots. That was most likely an ISA slot, if it's that old.


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## Outlier (Mar 5, 2007)

Yes, you're right! After taking out the video card I see that it's actually an AGP slot. On the video card box, it says "AGP 4X/2X". I thought it was a PCIe slot because it's located exactly where the PCIe slot should be. 

For such an old computer, the video card, ATI All-in-Wonder 128 pro, served me really well. I was able to watch pictures, video clips, and full length movies from this old computer to a 62" big screen TV with excellent quality.


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