pcie x1 network card won't work in pcie x16 slot

[Electric Wizard]

Hello, I have a peculiar problem (and one I'd never thought I'd encounter) that I could use some help with.

I'm trying to use a PCIe 1x D-link wireless network card in an old MSI 7184 motherboard (RS482, SB400) by using the PCIe x16 slot (it has no other PCIe slots). I took out the discrete graphics card already installed in the slot and switched the BIOS to boot from the integrated graphics chip (taking care of drivers etc correctly). The system works fine until I put the network card in the slot and try to boot-the fans spin up (but remain at full speed as they do at the beginning of a boot) but I can't progress any further.

I know PCIe 1x cards can be used in 16x slots but I think the mobo is recognising it as a graphic adapter attempting to use it as the primary graphics device, thus leading nowhere. Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas? I can't seem to find any options relating to it in the BIOS. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Gizmo]

Check and see if there is a newer BIOS update available for your computer.

The PCIe spec requires that all slots support the x1 configuration, but there are some buggy implementations out there that assume that the x16 slot is ALWAYS the video card.

Don't you have any other PCIe slots on that mobo that you can use?

[Electric Wizard]

Sadly no, it's an old socket 939 mobo and the newer BIOS didn't help. I ended up buying a cheap PCI network card instead, nice and easy.