about PCI video cards...

[David Maynard]

whoaw... i woke up and checked my computer....and theres bunch of
replies on this topic... :-D THANKS all...

well first.. i checked my BIOS and i found this:

Onboard Video Memory: set to 8mb (options: 8mb and 1mb)
Primary Video Adapter: set to PCI (options: PCI and Onboard) (weird..
isnt this suppose to be set to onboard???)

That setting determines which adapter is "primary" when you have two but
makes no difference when you only have one.

ok.. so don't get 256mb pci video card because my comp can't handle
it...

Your computer can 'handle it' but the problem is that a complex game which
uses a lot of texture graphics has no direct access to memory through a
non-existent AGP slot.

The computer in general would see an improvement because it does not 'share
memory' with the processor. The on-board video, which does 'share', is
slowing the processor by hogging memory cycles just to refresh the display
even when you're not doing anything. How much it slows thing down depends
on the memory bandwidth.

 

[franciz3]

cool thanks..

 

[MixMasterJ]

No, his/her computer cannot handle 256mb video card. The performance will
drag. I bet his/her PSU is only 250 watts. He/she had better have at least
300 watts. I also bet he/she will not be able to make the necessary changes
in bios to get the thing working properly.

He/she is trying to do today's stuff on yesterday's computer. He/she is
trying to race the horse without feeding it grass, so to speak. But that is
going to be about $200. That is sinking money into an computer that is
already 3 generations behind.

It would be preferable if he/she could save another $600 and buy this, which
would cheaply take him/her into the future:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16883102228


Or for $500 he/she could get this one, which has an AGP slot, but an AGP
card would still have to be bought:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1428269&Tab=2&NoMapp=0

Is he/she is serious about getting a new MOBO, pci video card, and psu,
he/she ought to take it to a local shop and just pay their fee to set it up.

 

[MixMasterJ]

<<But that is going to be about $200.>>

When I said that, I meant if he/she bought a new psu, a new MOBO, an AGP
card, and paid someone at a local shop to put it altogether for him/her.

 

[franciz3]

i actually havnt bought nething yet... i am planning to... and if i do
get it... i will install it myself or probably ask my friends.....

happy new years.. btw

 

[spodosaurus]

whoaw... i woke up and checked my computer....and theres bunch of
replies on this topic... :-D THANKS all...

well first.. i checked my BIOS and i found this:

Onboard Video Memory: set to 8mb (options: 8mb and 1mb)
Primary Video Adapter: set to PCI (options: PCI and Onboard) (weird..
isnt this suppose to be set to onboard???)

ok.. so don't get 256mb pci video card because my comp can't handle
it

Why can't your computer handle it?

... and also... dont buy/install PCIe's... because they're new. and
my computer is old... ?

Your computer does not have a PCI-e slot, so it can't take those cards.

I know my computer sucks and it's not made for hardcore gaming.... once
i get my pci video card i am not expecting huge difference... but i am
expecting lil better performance than before... lil smoother world of
warcraft gameplay... hopefully.

You'll see that.

another question... is there a way for me to add a AGP slot on my
motherboard???
no

or am i gonna have to do buy a new motherboard for
that??

yes, assuming your case and PSU are not proprietary.


--
spammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply

I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my
neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in
hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone
marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow
transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor:
http://www.abmdr.org.au/
http://www.marrow.org/

 

[spodosaurus]

oh ya.. i'm thinking of replacing my 256 ram to another 512 to make it
a gig of ram... hehe.. i know this is off topic. but i'm a noob.

It's unlikely to help very much for WoW

--
spammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply

I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my
neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in
hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone
marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow
transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor:
http://www.abmdr.org.au/
http://www.marrow.org/

 

[spodosaurus]

No, his/her computer cannot handle 256mb video card. The performance will
drag.

Support this statement.

I bet his/her PSU is only 250 watts. He/she had better have at least
300 watts.

Unsubstantiated assumption.

I also bet he/she will not be able to make the necessary changes
in bios to get the thing working properly.

Incorrect assumption, considering he has already been into the bios and
found the proper settings.

He/she is trying to do today's stuff on yesterday's computer. He/she is
trying to race the horse without feeding it grass, so to speak. But that is
going to be about $200. That is sinking money into an computer that is
already 3 generations behind.

Most people do not need bleeding edge. Celeron 2.7GHz CPUs are still
being sold in new systems.

It would be preferable if he/she could save another $600 and buy this, which
would cheaply take him/her into the future:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16883102228


Or for $500 he/she could get this one, which has an AGP slot, but an AGP
card would still have to be bought:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1428269&Tab=2&NoMapp=0

Is he/she is serious about getting a new MOBO, pci video card, and psu,
he/she ought to take it to a local shop and just pay their fee to set it up.

An exhorbitant and unnecessary expense to play WoW


--
spammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply

I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my
neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in
hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone
marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow
transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor:
http://www.abmdr.org.au/
http://www.marrow.org/

 

[David Maynard]

No, his/her computer cannot handle 256mb video card.

And how did you arrive at that conclusion?

The performance will
drag.

Compared to what? On-board shared memory video?

I bet his/her PSU is only 250 watts. He/she had better have at least
300 watts.

Would depend on which video card.

I also bet he/she will not be able to make the necessary changes
in bios to get the thing working properly.

I'd bet otherwise.

He/she is trying to do today's stuff on yesterday's computer. He/she is
trying to race the horse without feeding it grass, so to speak. But that is
going to be about $200. That is sinking money into an computer that is
already 3 generations behind.

It would be preferable if he/she could save another $600 and buy this, which
would cheaply take him/her into the future:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16883102228

Another integrated video shared memory solution? You're kidding, right?

Or for $500 he/she could get this one, which has an AGP slot, but an AGP
card would still have to be bought:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1428269&Tab=2&NoMapp=0

Is he/she is serious about getting a new MOBO, pci video card, and psu,
he/she ought to take it to a local shop and just pay their fee to set it up.

Looks to me more like you're the one 'serious' about buying a whole new system.

 

[Bald Guy]

Hello Mr. Sensitivity! My HP came with a 250 watt psu. I put a 420 watt in
it. Before that, my 256mb ATI did nothing but slow things down. The
performance became so slow that the icons on the screen would take forever
to replace the default icons. Instead of their appearing instantly, I could
watch them appear one by one. And I could go on with other examples, but I
won't.

The OP is going backwards, so you don't need to try to get him to go forward
by using the same computer with a video card that cannot even be used to it
fullest potential on that old computer. The OP was talking about chaning out
motherboards, but some of the questions he asked strongly suggests that he
should not be fiddling inside his computer.

Buying a newer system might be the best way to go for the OP.

 

[spodosaurus]

Hello Mr. Sensitivity!

Why do you keep changing your posting handle, if not to try and
circumvent people's killfiles? That would seem to indicate to me that
you're trolling.

My HP came with a 250 watt psu. I put a 420 watt in
it. Before that, my 256mb ATI did nothing but slow things down.

Which 250mb ATi? really, generallising this to all graphics cards makes
you look like an idiot.

The
performance became so slow that the icons on the screen would take forever
to replace the default icons. Instead of their appearing instantly, I could
watch them appear one by one.

And when you fixed your software problem, you decided it wasn't your
moronic configuration, it was your power supply. Yeah, yeah, that's the
ticket!

And I could go on with other examples, but I
won't.

Yes, I'm sure you could make some shit up.

The OP is going backwards, so you don't need to try to get him to go forward
by using the same computer with a video card that cannot even be used to it
fullest potential on that old computer.

More unsubstantiated horseshit. A little ATi 9250 card will work fine in
that system, just like an equivalent NVidia based card. It matters not
if it has 128 or 256mb of memmory, just depends on whichever he can source.

The OP was talking about chaning out
motherboards, but some of the questions he asked strongly suggests that he
should not be fiddling inside his computer.

He wants to learn. We learn from experience. He's asking questions in
the right place.

Buying a newer system might be the best way to go for the OP.

Not if he wants to:

a) save money

and/or

b) learn how to upgrade/build/modify/repair his pc


--
spammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply

I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my
neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in
hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone
marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow
transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor:
http://www.abmdr.org.au/
http://www.marrow.org/

 

[David Maynard]

Hello Mr. Sensitivity!

Strikes me that the implied "dump your crap and buy a new computer"
approach is the insensitive one, not mine.

My HP came with a 250 watt psu.
Ok.

I put a 420 watt in
it.
Why?

Before that,

So it solved the problem without buying another whole computer?

my 256mb ATI did nothing but slow things down.

They make more than one, you know, and there are manufacturers other than
ATI. Point being, just because you had a problem with whatever the heck it
is you bought doesn't mean every kind of card in every kind of computer
will have the same problem.

The
performance became so slow that the icons on the screen would take forever
to replace the default icons. Instead of their appearing instantly, I could
watch them appear one by one.

That's certainly a problem. Got any idea what caused it and why? Because
there's nothing about using a PCI card, in general, or it having 256Meg of
memory that would just naturally lead to that.

And I could go on with other examples, but I
won't.

So far all I know is you had a problem but plenty of people use PCI video
cards, including me, with no trouble at all.

The OP is going backwards,

Your assessment of what constitutes forward and backward appears to be
based on a false conclusion derived from an unidentified problem you had
with unspecified equipment.

so you don't need to try to get him to go forward
by using the same computer with a video card that cannot even be used to it
fullest potential on that old computer.

A PCI card can be used to the fullest potential of a PCI card. That's what
they are and why they're made.

The OP was talking about chaning out
motherboards,

He talked about multiple solutions of which changing motherboards was one
but, clearly, his primary goal was to put in a PCI video card and his
modest expectations seem reasonable.

but some of the questions he asked strongly suggests that he
should not be fiddling inside his computer.

Lack of knowledge does not necessarily mean incompetence and everyone
started out ignorant.

Buying a newer system might be the best way to go for the OP.

It's certainly the easiest solution for those with money to burn.

The risk to a PCI upgrade is whether the improvement would be enough to
justify it and, personally, I wouldn't look at $200 cards.

 

[David Maynard]

Bald Guy wrote:

More unsubstantiated horseshit. A little ATi 9250 card will work fine in
that system, just like an equivalent NVidia based card. It matters not
if it has 128 or 256mb of memmory, just depends on whichever he can source.

That's the kind of thing I would consider, a decent but not overly pricey
PCI card.

Newegg has it even in the mentioned 256 Meg and the user reviews are
interesting because they address the OP situation precisely.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102527&CMP=OTC-pr1c3watch&ATT=14-102-527

"Makes a world of difference over integrated video (Intel). Mine was
installed into a Dell Dimension 3000 with 250W of power."

Their price is $59 plus 4 buck shipping.

 

[Ralph Wade Phillips]

Howdy!

whoaw... i woke up and checked my computer....and theres bunch of
replies on this topic... :-D THANKS all...

well first.. i checked my BIOS and i found this:

Onboard Video Memory: set to 8mb (options: 8mb and 1mb)
Primary Video Adapter: set to PCI (options: PCI and Onboard) (weird..
isnt this suppose to be set to onboard???)

No, you set Primary to PCI so that if you DO stick in a PCI card,
it'll boot off of that one instead of the onboard B)

But most 845 based boards won't disable the on-board video. This
gives you, with two monitors, a place to hang a monitor to put your controls
on while you do the game play on the fast video board.

ok.. so don't get 256mb pci video card because my comp can't handle
it... and also... dont buy/install PCIe's... because they're new. and
my computer is old... ?

Well, mostly becase they won't fit any better than an AGP card would
B)

I know my computer sucks and it's not made for hardcore gaming.... once
i get my pci video card i am not expecting huge difference... but i am
expecting lil better performance than before... lil smoother world of
warcraft gameplay... hopefully.

It'll be smoother with the right card. I've had fits with GeForce
PCI (not PCIe) cards being jerky also - but most of the Radeons PCI I've
used have worked fine. YMMV of course B)

If you're in the USA< be sure to check NewEgg - they have one of the
best selections in stock I've seen anywhere.

Hell, if you're NOT, check them anyway B) They DO ship
internationally. But check a local provider after you pick three or four to
work with.

Me? I like the 9200 family for PCI cards myself. Fairly
inexpensive, fast and potent enough to run SIMS II or DOOM III given enough
grunt under it, and TheyJustWork(tm) with XP.

another question... is there a way for me to add a AGP slot on my
motherboard??? or am i gonna have to do buy a new motherboard for
that??

New motherboard, new copy of Windows, might as well get a decent
case and PSU while you're at it, and if you're going that far, why not try
to go to an AMD 64 solution? They're not that much more (if any!) than a
Celeron-D solution, and run much nicer B)

RwP

 

[spodosaurus]

He was probably confusing you with me hehehe


--
spammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply

I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my
neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in
hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone
marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow
transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor:
http://www.abmdr.org.au/
http://www.marrow.org/

 

[Bald Guy]

Now you guys are just making stuff up. Funny that Sapphire says to have at
least a 300 watt psu. I guess you all know more than them though.

 

[Bald Guy]

If the OP is putting in 1gig of ram, why does he need a 256mb video card.
You clowns are steering the OP in the wrong direction just to satisfy your
egos and personality problems that flare up when someone disagrees with you.
Shame on you.

 

[spodosaurus]

If the OP is putting in 1gig of ram, why does he need a 256mb video card.
You clowns are steering the OP in the wrong direction just to satisfy your
egos and personality problems that flare up when someone disagrees with you.
Shame on you.

You're the type of guy that thinks it's funny to tell a newbie to use a
hacksaw to alter a video card so it'll fit in his motherboard without
the proper slot. Where's my can of troll-begone spray?


--
spammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply

I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my
neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in
hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone
marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow
transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor:
http://www.abmdr.org.au/
http://www.marrow.org/

 

[Bald Guy]

What are you talking about. It was me who told him that he did not even have
an AGP slot and it was me who first told him to check his PSU. You clowns
did not even think about that.

Quit changing your name so as not to mess up my filters please.

 

[franciz3]

how do i check my power supply information?? i went to power option and
i couldnt find any info about my PSU's wattage.....

yes.. i am a newbie to this hardware stuffs... and i dont care being
called a newbie... but i know how to follow instructions....
and yes i am from US... (but not a good english speaker if you having
notice)