# How do I know if my PC has PCI-Express?



## DntMssWthTx (Oct 3, 2008)

*I'm sure there is a way to find out, but I do not know how. I'm looking to get a new graphics card and I want to make sure if my PC supports PCI-E.

Thanks in advance.*


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## ghost101 (Oct 3, 2008)

What is the model of your PC? If it is custom built, what is the motherboard?

But otherwise, software like everest should tell you. Unfortunately that ain't free so the 2nd best is pc wizard

http://www.cpuid.com/pcwizard.php

edit: 

For example, with my board


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## infrared (Oct 3, 2008)

Just take the side panel off and look lol






^ The blue and black ones are pcie slots, the color isn't important though.


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## DntMssWthTx (Oct 3, 2008)

*I appreciate the prompt responses. I will look up my motherboard model and post back.

EDIT: Here are the results-

*


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## 3870x2 (Oct 3, 2008)

First of all, welcome to TPU forums, i hope your knowledge of your PC environment grows, which it will massively if you stick around.
Look inside of your computer:
will be a long slot, with a divider 1/2 inch from the back of the computer.
a regular PCI slot has the divider at the other end.

TIPS: usually the PCI-E slot is the closest to the cpu.
PCI-E is usually included on most computers from 2005 and on.


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## DntMssWthTx (Oct 3, 2008)

*Thanks for the welcome, here are the results-

I bought my PC in '04 so it's "aged." I'm looking to buy more RAM since it'd be a cheap upgrade that would improve performance noticeably. 
*


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## ghost101 (Oct 3, 2008)

DntMssWthTx said:


> *I appreciate the prompt responses. I will look up my motherboard model and post back.
> 
> EDIT: Here are the results-
> 
> *



Yes you have a PCI-Express slot as shown by that screenshot. But also I know that the 915g chipset does as well.

http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/915g/index.htm

If you want more details, click on the pci-express bus on that page within pc wizard. It will tell you what version it is as well as how many lanes it has electrically.


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## DntMssWthTx (Oct 3, 2008)

ghost101 said:


> Yes you have a PCI-Express slot as shown by that screenshot. But also I know that the 915g chipset does as well.
> 
> http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/915g/index.htm
> 
> If you want more details, click on the pci-express bus on that page within pc wizard. It will tell you what version it is as well as how many lanes it has electrically.



*
Thanks.

Now that I know my PC supports PCI-E, I can upgrade my video card and RAM to finally be able to play CoD4 on my PC.  I've been playing it on my PS3 for a while but have wanted to buy & play it on PC for a long time.
*


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## Deleted member 24505 (Oct 3, 2008)

Look at your board and make sure it has a physical pci-e slot,before you buy a card.The software says you have pci-e but it may be an onboard device using it,and not a physical slot.Best to be certain.


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## erocker (Oct 3, 2008)

tigger said:


> Look at your board and make sure it has a physical pci-e slot,before you buy a card.The software says you have pci-e but it may be an onboard device using it,and not a physical slot.Best to be certain.



I was about to say that even though the chipset supports it, the Asus Goldfish 2 board may not have a pci-e slot.  Deffinitely have a look inside.


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## ghost101 (Oct 3, 2008)

Just googled the board. Doesnt actually have it.  HP cutting costs. Sorry on getting your hopes up.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&docname=c00300057

Should be where I've put the red box. Double check just to be sure.


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## KainXS (Oct 3, 2008)

Yep the Aus Goldfish 2 motherboard does not have PCIEX16 or any PCIE period, it only has PCI

you could just replace the motherboard and with one that has PCIE though, its not as hard as it sounds

BTW thats a beautiful dog in your sig


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## newtekie1 (Oct 3, 2008)

tigger said:


> Look at your board and make sure it has a physical pci-e slot,before you buy a card.The software says you have pci-e but it may be an onboard device using it,and not a physical slot.Best to be certain.



Smart man here, definitely look at the board and make sure it physically has a PCI-E slot.  Even though the software detects a PCI-E Bus, you might not have a PCI-E graphics slot, it could be picking up a PCI-E x1 slot, or something onboard using the PCI-E Bus.  

Or it could be that the Bus it here, and the connectors for the slot are on the board, but the physical slot is not actually there.  A lot of pre-built manufactures do this.

Edit: Ghost101 already beat me to it.  This is exactly what HP has done here, the PCI-E bus is on the board, but the phsysical slot is not.  So software will pick up that you have PCI-E, but you really don't.


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## 3870x2 (Oct 3, 2008)

you could get an AGP 3850, that would run CoD4.
ive also got a gaming computer for sale, if you are interested.


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## ghost101 (Oct 3, 2008)

3870x2 said:


> you could get an AGP 3850, that would run CoD4.
> ive also got a gaming computer for sale, if you are interested.



Doesnt even have AGP if the above pic is correct. No mention of one in the pc wizard screenshot either. It's one of those PCs targetted at the office environment and hence graphics is crippled I think.


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## KBD (Oct 3, 2008)

hey, DntMssWthTx, sorry about your dog, he or she looks beutiful. what kind was it?


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## DntMssWthTx (Oct 3, 2008)

ghost101 said:


> Just googled the board. Doesnt actually have it.  HP cutting costs. Sorry on getting your hopes up.
> 
> http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&docname=c00300057
> 
> Should be where I've put the red box. Double check just to be sure.



*Thanks for the clarification, I'll be sure to look into upgrading my motherboard as well.*



KainXS said:


> Yep the Aus Goldfish 2 motherboard does not have PCIEX16 or any PCIE period, it only has PCI
> 
> you could just replace the motherboard and with one that has PCIE though, its not as hard as it sounds
> 
> BTW thats a beautiful dog in your sig



*Would replacing a motherboard be as easy as adding RAM? 

Thanks, she was my best friend in the world.*


ghost101 said:


> Doesnt even have AGP if the above pic is correct. No mention of one in the pc wizard screenshot either. It's one of those PCs targetted at the office environment and hence graphics is crippled I think.



*Yeah, my PC has a generic graphics card and I would assume all the other components would be for office/home use, not directly inclined to supporting games. *



KBD said:


> hey, DntMssWthTx, sorry about your dog, he or she looks beutiful. what kind was it?



*Black german shepherd, about 2 years old.

--------------------------

Thanks for the replies everyone, is there a certain motherboard I should look into getting? *


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## ghost101 (Oct 3, 2008)

It depends on whether the mounting holes are standard atx holes which they should be. BUT you also have to check if the PSU is standard ATX design. Some OEMs used to switch the the wires around in the 24 pin connector to stop you from replacing motherboards and PSUs easily. Don't know about HP, but Dell started using standard ATX PSUs and motherboards only after around 2004.


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## CDdude55 (Oct 4, 2008)

Thats an ugly mobo.


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## skamaster (Oct 4, 2008)

hehe GPU-Z


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## EiSFX (Oct 4, 2008)

Well according to that pic it looks like a slandered M-ATX board so i think if he gets a M-ATX board he should be fine the only thing that looks a little different is that little half circle cut out at the top right hand corner about an inch down don't know why its like that


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## Deleted member 24505 (Oct 4, 2008)

The screw pattern is standard though,so any m-atx board should fit.


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## DntMssWthTx (Oct 5, 2008)

*I really appreciate the replies everyone, gonna head on over to Fry's or ComputerUSA and see if I can find parts there, if not, Newegg it is.*


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