01.25.03

I just bought a T2200...
Anyways, I also bought a Radeon 8500, 64MB from Ebay for 65$ (not the light LE version but the one WITH dvi output and memory clocking at 300Mhz).
I just popped it in, ignored the new hardware detected windows, downloaded the latest drivers from Radeon and it all works.

marshywiggle

Disable On-board Video (WinXP)

03.28.03

There is actually no jumper on the motherboard for this, it is supposed to automatically detect a new card and look to it.

The process for disabling onboard video, (which is really just faking out windows.) goes as such. Before starting this process, go into BIOS and choose to load optimized defaults, then let it come up into windows and remove all display adapters regarding your new video card, this will temporarily involve taking out the new card.

1-Make sure that the new video card is out of the system, with your monitor on the built-in video.
 

2-Start the computer up, tapping the F8 repeatedly until you get to the windows advanced options menu. Choose the option for safe mode, press enter at the OS selection screen, and log in as the administrator.
 

3-Go to start->control panel. Then go into system, click on the hardware tab, then the device manager button.
 

4-Click on the + sign next to display adapters. Right-click on what pops out, and choose DISABLE. Close out, and shut down the computer so it turns off.
 

5-Insert your new video card, and hook up the monitor to it. Turn on the computer, and let it come up normally.
 

6-You can now install the drivers for the new card, and all of windows and your programs will not see the old card.

GeForce FX 5200 and More

09.13.03

I have recently purchased the E-machine S2485 and successfully applied the
following end-user upgrades:

Interage GeForce FX 5200 card in the AGP slot with no problems whatsoever.
I did not need to disable the onboard video through the operating system.
The AGP card was immediately recognized.  This card included a S-Video
output jack & cable which worked.

Belkin Firewire Card in the PCI slot with no problems whatsoever. This
included
(3) External Firewire Ports
(1) Internal Firewire Port
(1) Firewire Cable
I have used the Firewire card to connect to my mini-DV digital camcorder and
successfully captured video using Ulead software.

jkpiel

Aftermarket Mobo + Restore Disk = Successful Install!

05.14.05

I just wanted everyone to know that we did install a new motherboard [Biostar M7VIG] in her (T2200) and I told her that her restore discs would not work but guess what? They did!!!! It works perfectly now.

cowgirlinutah

07.05.05

It was the 4th of July project [T2341]. I bought the Chaintech 7VIF4 MOBO and AMD Duron 1.8 GHz combo (socket A) from Tiger Direct for $59 after rebate, and a stick of 512Mb RAM for $29. The reason I choose the socket A is that I don't have to buy new heat sink and cooling fan. After putting the new MOBO, CPU, RAM. The eeeh machine power up without any fire cracker pop this time. Then window XP comes to ask to activate the software. So basically my eeh machine is useless. I called the Microsoft number on the screen to activate the software. Several times using the automated phone system. It failed every time I give the last two digits of the gazilion number code given on the screen. I tried to talk to the live person (somewhere in India) twice and each time they said it is an emachine I have to talk to emachine support on how to reactivate it. I know I am being passed around between the two so I try to put the restore CD in and reboot the machine. Nothing happened. Then I went to the BIOS (hitting deleting key while rebooting) and changed the first boot disk from floppy to CD-ROM, leave the restore CD in the drive and reboot the machine. Voila, It booted from the CD and asked me to reinstall window XP and said the harddrive will be reformatted. I hit ok since I have nothing to loose in the hard drive anyway. After it asked for the second restore CD, window XP is successfully install without a trace of the eeh machine stuff that you got when bought the machine. Then there is a balloon that said I have 30 days to activate window XP. So I tried to activate by calling Microsoft again with the new activation number that it give me on the screen. Same thing happened when I entered the last two digits. I hooked up the phone line to the machine to try to active through the internet. The activation screen automatically dial Microsoft and said I have an invalid activation label. I checked it against the sticker on the back of the machine and it is different. I entered the number on the label and it reactivate my window XP in a blink.
Now my emachine is fully functional. I put the old 256 Mb RAM back in the machine and hold my breath while booting it up. No pop and 706 Mb RAM show up on the computer. I now know that my old CPU is the one that fried and killed my second board.
Looking back, I might be able to activate window from the beginning by hooking it up to the phone line so that I don't have to reformat the hard drive. But then I would not learn that the restore CD can be used to reload Window XP and activate it.
I think it reinstall XP in the full version. Hope this will be interest to anyone. Keep your restore CD.

kduong