Replacing/Adding a new Graphics card to a Toshiba A135-S4677

[ragmanme]

Hello,
I recently read an article in PC World about replacing a laptop graphics card, and one of the tips they gave was to look and see if the laptop was ever sold with a different graphics card. A similar model (in the A135 series), which uses AMD hardware, was shipped with an ATI Mobile Xpress 200M card. I'm just wondering if it would be possible to add a possibly newer Intel graphics card, as my system is built on Intel architecture.
Also something I found while looking to see if I could replace the card was the fact that I have a PCI Express slot which Intel says I can use for an additional graphics card slot.

Expand your view across two monitors for more workspace. Option requires Advanced Digital Display 2 (ADD) card for additional display connectors. PCI Express* x16 port available¹ to upgrade to higher performance graphics card if required for extreme gaming.



1. Available with the Intel 945G Express Chipset (further down the page)

Unfortunately, the only PCI Express slot I see on my computer is on the side, and there's no way I'm going to be able to fit a modern graphics card in that thing. If I were to find some sort of "extension cable" for this PCI slot, would it be a viable alternative to buy an slightly dated graphics card and use it instead of tearing apart my laptop?

Thanks,
ragmanme

[Midknyte]

You cannot upgrade the video card in that laptop.

A135s used several different chipsets. The Xpress 200M is an integrated GPU. Moreover, you said you have an AMD CPU. Toshiba wouldn't use an Intel chipset for an AMD CPU.

[ragmanme]

Just to clarify:

I'm just wondering if it would be possible to add a possibly newer Intel graphics card, as my system is built on Intel architecture.

I have an Intel 945GM chipset, not an AMD chipset. I only brought up the ATI card because the PC World article said one of the first steps finding out if your laptop's graphics card was replaceable was to look and see if it ever shipped with any other graphics cards. Though, now that I think about it, that laptop was built on AMD hardware.

Is the PCI Express still an option here?

[Midknyte]

No. You're stuck with whatever you have.

[Shinma]

Just to clarify,
The Intel chipset may support various features,
That does not mean that a manufacturer will actually implement any of the features.

[DropVista]

I have that exact model. It is an Intel Chipset (945 as already mentioned. and an T2080 CPU. It runs with Reattek Integrated Sound. The sound card can not be replaced.

I UPGRADED my A135 S4677 to XP but kept the Vista Hard drive. The Vista Hard drive will allow me to run Dragon Naturally Speaking. The XP Hard Drive will not allow a microphone to work (so no Dragon) but in Device Manager EVERYTHING shows as being fine???!!!???. (No unknown devices)

I used the Toshiba install list when putting in the drivers and everything I installed works great, but it still does not work with a microphone in XP, but does in Vista. Anyone have any ideas?