Windows 7 - Mboard RC415ST-HM : Pls Help determine PCI-e x16 spec..

compaq/hp sr2170nx uses the RC415ST-HM 'Alhena5' motherboard with some version of the ATI Xpress 1100-for-intel-processors chipset. I have not succeeded in discovering the northbridge and southbridge in use [would SIW reveal that?]
At any rate, I have not succeeded in finding a add-in graphics card that will actually work so I'm trying to nail down exactly which PCI-e x16 spec the chipset supports, and what slot/connector spec is on the board. It seems the answer to the latter is "2.0" but I fear the onboard logic is supportive of 1.x .

can anyone help me out here?

What's the exact make and model of the PC in question?

Check this out...

Motherboard Specifications, RC415ST-HM (Alhena5) - HP Customer Care (United States - English)

already did. incomplete

model is sr2170nx

At that link the sr2170nx is the model of the computer. The motherboard is a RC415ST-HM 'Alhena5' that you listed in your first post. If this is your motherboard below, it only has 1 pcie X16 slot. This link will give more specs on it. It was made by ECS and is their model # ECS RC415ST-HM.

they don't answer the question: pci x16 version ??which?? I'm trying to nail down exactly which PCI-e x16 spec the chipset supports, and what slot/connector spec is on the board - my original question

does "x16" suggest anything about the version of PCI-e that the mainboard supports?
It wouldn't be shocking to find a 2.x-spec physical interface on the board but a chipset combo that only supports 1.x spec. My understanding is that many well-implemented 2.0 spec cards are backward-compatible to 1.x spec [reduced bandwidth], but beginning with 2.1 that is not a given - depends on the design. Its expensive to just buy cards at random and plug-in to see if they work

maybe I could get at it by running SIW, get the southbridge part and try looking up the spec of it.