Okay, so I've been trying to upgrade my pc a little to run World of Warcraft better. It runs okay but there is alot of jerkiness and lag. I've upgraded my memory to 1GB and it has since improved but the graphics are still not great so I've decided to buy a new graphics card, problem is.. I only have a PCI slot (I know I know.. crappy.). I have found a card that looks pretty okay but I'm wondering if anyone can tell me if its going to be any better than my current one.
The one I have now reads on the side: Geforce2 MX400 64mb PCI
The one I have been looking at is: Gecube Radeon 9250 PCI 256mb..
at this link http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produc...
Anyone tell me if it will make any difference to my game play?
Thanks.
Administrator
United StatesSorry I missed your post. PCI is very limiting for graphics upgrades,.
The ATI Radeon 9250 would give you a noticable improvement in WoW. If you wanted an alternative, you could also look at cards based on the GeForce FX 5200 or 5500 for right around 50 bucks. Both would definitely be better than what you currently have.
Mind Over Matt'er - Technology musings, opinion, and more straight from TechLore's head geek.
I had the same issue with a computer that my daughter wanted to play the newer sims game on plus a few others. It was an older machine with a PCI interface. The memory was PC100/133. I didn't realy want to buy a PCI card. I found a good deal on motherboard (Asus P4B-MX and P4 processor) on ebay for very reasonable and then bought a AGP video card. This requires a little more effort to replace the MB. Just something elso to cosider.
I need some computer assistance also. My daughter bought SeaWorld Tycoon 3D. My computer is 5 years old. It says I need a 32MB Graphics Card. If I can install one (HP Pavilion 531W), I want to upgrade a few other areas as well. The concern I have is, how do I select the correct pieces to upgrade? I found a spec sheet, but it shows SDRAM, DDR, RDRAM, EDODRAM, etc.
The areas I am considering an upgrade for include: a 2.0 USB, 512MB RAM, the 32MB graphics card and possibly either an additional internal hard drive or an external hard drive.
All this has to be less than a new computer, but I don't want to purchase the wrong pieces or, buy anything that cannot be easily added (plug in). I have installed an internal DVD, which was straight forward (and easy), but I'm not up to speed on much more than that.
Can anyone lend me some solid advice? It would be most appreciated!
Administrator
United States
February 12, 2007 2:10 PM
Flash said: I need some computer assistance also. My daughter bought SeaWorld Tycoon 3D. My computer is 5 years old. It says I need a 32MB Graphics Card. If I can install one (HP Pavilion 531W), I want to upgrade a few other areas as well. The concern I have is, how do I select the correct pieces to upgrade? I found a spec sheet, but it shows SDRAM, DDR, RDRAM, EDODRAM, etc. The areas I am considering an upgrade for include: a 2.0 USB, 512MB RAM, the 32MB graphics card and possibly either an additional internal hard drive or an external hard drive. All this has to be less than a new computer, but I don't want to purchase the wrong pieces or, buy anything that cannot be easily added (plug in). I have installed an internal DVD, which was straight forward (and easy), but I'm not up to speed on much more than that. Can anyone lend me some solid advice? It would be most appreciated!
Given that laundry list of upgrades, an inexpensive new computer would roughly be the same cost (probably a little more, but not by much).
If you do decide to upgrade your old one, you'll need to know exactly what kind of hardware you have in order to get the right upgrades.
In short, you're talking about throwing 150 to 300 bucks toward upgrading a 5 year old 1.3Ghz Celeron (not a rocket in its day either). You can pick up a newer, cheap PC on rebate from popular stores for 399 or so, which would get you a much newer platform to work with. Spend 500 to 600 bucks, and you'll be sitting pretty for a good while longer.
Mind Over Matt'er - Technology musings, opinion, and more straight from TechLore's head geek.
Matt,
Thanks for the advise and quick response with regard to my graphics card upgrade (etc.) question. Being in a specialized trade, I usually know when to recommend "repair or replace", but computers are tough. So much comes with a whole new package, that you're right to suggest replacing it. It's bothersome to think you have to trash one every 4 to 6 years, depending on how high up the ladder you went. With your advise in mind, can I ask if it's difficult to transfer files from old to new? This is the first 'new' computer I've owned. Are Mac's better for upgrades and longevity than PC's? I'm thinking of the difference between price you pay and cost of ownership, which can be very different.
Again, thank you for your time and advise AND for doing such a great job with TechLore. I'm so glad you exist!
Flash
Administrator
United States
February 12, 2007 9:11 PM
Hi Flash,
Thanks for the kind words. :-) I hope you tell everyone you know about the TechLore Community!
Both Macs and PCs have about the same expected lifespan, which is anywhere from 2.5 to 5 years. Of course, you're absolutely right that the better you go, the longer it will take you. Fortunately, we're in a time where the hardware performance greatly exceeds the needs of the software (unless you're in to cutting edge games), and though Microsoft's new Windows Vista operating system ups the stakes a bit, the hardware selling today is really great stuff for a low price.
About transferring old files, it's not particularly hard to do. If you get a computer with Windows Vista (and you have a home network), it's pretty painless. You'll still need to install your programs, but transferring files is easy. If you don't have a network, you can opt for the 40 dollar Easy Transfer Cable. Or, there's still lots of other ways to transfer files. You can burn CDs, use a USB flash drive to copy and paste folders back and forth, etc.
I'm not going to get in a PC versus Mac debate, but I will tell you that if you're looking for an easy transition, you'd be best served sticking with Windows. By getting a Mac, you're entering an entirely different world. Besides, SeaWorld Tycoon 3D only runs on a PC. Wasn't the point of all this to get the game working for your daughter? 
Since you're going to be looking at new PCs, you should check out Jeff Block's latest article we just put up that covers this topic pretty well. It's called the Beginner's Guide to Buying a New Computer
I can't agree with all his specific hardware recommendations (he's convinced a single core Pentium 4 is the right processor to buy, and I totally disagree), but it's a good read that's very informative, and will get you thinking in the right direction.
Mind Over Matt'er - Technology musings, opinion, and more straight from TechLore's head geek.
To continue this discussion just a bit, let me describe my background a bit so you all know where I'm coming from. I have beenworking with computer systems since programming them involved patch-cords. One of my more recent employment areas was providing performance testing and modeling for new machines. The questions being asked here (what should I get and why) are not easy to answer. I could go on for days and weeks about all of the options available and what would work best for certain situations. Most simply put, make a list of what you want to use the system for and base your purchases +/or upgrades on that. For example, adding more main memory (RAM) will help in overall system performance, but will only help marginally in graphics. Spending an equivalent amount of money on a more robust graphics card will give you more bang for the buck if your application is graphics heavy. This is due to the fact that what you see is represented as bytes of info in memory and displayed from there. The more that is resident on the card, the less time spent transfering info from RAM to the card. Less transfer = faster graphics as only the changes need to be transfered.
Start with the referenced article and post any additional questions and we'll be happy to advise.
Dan
Dan,
Thank you for adding your thoughts to my request for assistance! I believe TechLore is a fantastic concept and limitless opportunity for exchange of information and experiences. I am at wits end trying to figure out what to order for pieces to kick this old Pavilion into last years run of the mill specs. Although I know in my heart it's better to just buy a new one, I'd prefer to experiement with a low cost alternative (such as TigerDirect) as long as I'm not spitting into the wind. Adding up what I've found so far, less hard drive, I would have under a hundred bucks to upgrade. That should hold me for a year or so. Then I'll get what I want (for music and video) in a new package. As mentioned, my machine is showing SDRAM and DDR, etc. Are there any caveats I should consider when buying RAM, graphics or adding a 2.0 USB port (which is currently only 1.1)? I have room at the bottom back side to add at least two layers of something.
Best Regards,
Flash
Administrator
United StatesHi Flash,
Thanks again for the kind words. When you're up and running, we'd love for you to hang in the community and share your knowledge, experience, and opinion on all things tech. :-)
Onto your PC...
Tiger Direct is a great online store that I highly recommend and use personally for some things, but it's always good to do some comparison shopping. You should also check out NewEgg.com and MWave.com. I've had fantastic shopping experiences with all of them.
According to HP, your computer uses PC-100 SDRAM, which is not DDR. That's probably what's installed now, so you'll want to stick with that. Here's a link to 256 module on Mwave, Not sure how much you have now, but you'll want 512MB to 1GB by the time you're done.
Your PC does not have an AGP slot (like I mentioned in my post above), so you'll be limited to a PCI graphics solution. It doesn't make too much sense to go overboard in this department, so you'll probably want to look at two different types of GPU; the ATI Radeon 9250 or the NVidia GeForce FX5200. The FX5200 is DX9 capable, so I think that's the better deal, but it doesn't look like your daughter will be playing many "demanding games". Side question: You are on Windows XP right?
I found a FX5200 at Mwave with 256MB DDR Ram that looked like a pretty good deal: PNY Verto GeForce FX 5200 PCI
For comparison, NewEgg has some Radeon 9250 cards. Here's an example of one: SAPPHIRE 100114 LB Radeon 9250 256MB
You'll see 128 and 256MB options, but for the price difference isn't much. I'd go for the 256MB cards.
You've mentioned you'll have an extra PCI slot open after you add a graphics card, and a USB2.0 card should fit in there nicely. Here's a popular one at NewEgg: Zonet 4+1Port USB2.0 PCI Card
Follow up questions welcome. :-)
Mind Over Matt'er - Technology musings, opinion, and more straight from TechLore's head geek.
Hi Matt,
You really came through for me with that information! It was "funtastic". :^) If not too much of a bother I would like to ask some additional questions, but first, yes I'm running XP (home) 256MB RAM (and not enough hard drive remaining to store a letter to Mom).
You mentioned DDR on the graphics FX5200 PCI and SDRAM for the 256 module. Without concern to pride, I need to ask, what's the difference between the two and how do they work? Everything you mentioned is budgetary and should fly with my personal accountant (who's upstairs and couldn't care less). I'm quite positive with all this and found my visit most enlightening. Thank you, thank you! ...and I will be back.
Flash
You can also transfer your old hard drive to a new one with whats called a ghost program. I have used then a couple of times with no problems.
"Those who do not know their opponet's arguments, do not completely understand their own".
Administrator
United States
February 15, 2007 10:29 AM
Flash said: You mentioned DDR on the graphics FX5200 PCI and SDRAM for the 256 module. Without concern to pride, I need to ask, what's the difference between the two and how do they work?
Absolutely! I'd be happy to explain.
All computers have some amount of memory devoted to running graphics. In a computer with an integrated graphics adapter (such as how your computer is working now), a small amount of system RAM (the regular SDRAM in your case) is sectioned off and devoted to graphics; probably somewhere between 8 and 32MB in your case. This memory is unavailable to the computer to use for anything but graphics. The rest of the system RAM is for all other computer functions, like running windows and applications.
When you add a dedicated graphics board, you significantly increase graphics performance because modern day graphics adapters have dedicated graphics memory directly on the card separate from the system memory. It doesn't matter what kind of memory is on the card because the card has its own memory controller to manage it. In that card's case, it's DDR RAM. Other cards may have GDDR, GDDR2, or GDDR3 (on the most expensive models, the difference being speed and price). The more memory built on to the card, the more complex 3D models it can render, and the more detail it can show on the screen at one time. Best of all, when you have a dedicated graphics board, all the regular computer memory becomes useable for other things.
Keep in mind, adding a new graphics card isn't always a plug and play kind of operation. To do this right, you'll need to get into the computer's BIOS (more on what that means when you get ready to install the card), to disable the onboard graphics adapter. It's not too difficult, but you need to be careful when changing BIOS settings. You'll also need to install new display drivers to run the card, but fortunately, that's the easy part. :-)
As far as your new hard drive goes, make sure it's compatible with your PC. You'll see SATA and PATA IDE hard drives. Your computer doesn't have SATA support, so you'll need a PATA IDE drive. Larry is correct that ghosting a new hard drive is one way to completely transfer all the data (windows, installed applications, and all) to the new drive. It takes special software to do it, and can be a bit tricky for the novice user, but not impossible. Your other option is to install the new drive as a secondary, and just use it for storage. Or, take this opportuninity to give Windows a fresh install, which will take more time since you have to reinstall all your applications again, but will make sure you're starting from a fresh point free of viruses and spyware. The right choice depends on how old the existing drive is, what the size of it is, and how much time you have to invest in getting everything running again.
I'm loving this discussion! Feel free to follow up with additional questions.
Mind Over Matt'er - Technology musings, opinion, and more straight from TechLore's head geek.
Member
geneva, United States
I also have a questing that I would like answer about video cards. I just bought Frontline Fuel of War and I loaded it clicked play (it took a little to load) then the screen went black (should be good sign) then my mouse came back and an error message popped up that said "frontline has encountered an error and needs to shut down, we are sorry for the incontinence" (ha!) I have a Dell xps 400 modem and it runs on XP, sorry but I don't know what my video card is (I would like to know how to find out!) I also got Medal of Honor, Airborne for Christmas and it comes out and says video card is not new enough (or something like that.) the back of FFOW says nvidia 8600gtx or ATI x2600 w/ latest applicable video driver. Airborne says directX9.0c compatible and 128 MB or more memory, pixel shader 3.0 support, and ATI Radeon X1300 pro or grater; NVIDIA GeForce 6600GT or grater. PLEAS HELP ME! I WANT TO PLAY!
Q: How does Bill Gates screw in a light bulb?
A: He doesn't. He declares darkness the industry standard.
To find out what type of video card you have, right click on my computer, click the hardware button, then device manager, then click on display adaptors.
"Those who do not know their opponet's arguments, do not completely understand their own".
Member
geneva, United StatesThank you for that!
I have a RADEON X600 256mb hyper memory
And now I see a problem!
I would like to now know how to get a new video card and how to install it. i whould also like to know what would be the best card to buy and where to buy it from.
And thank you Larry Dillon! 
Q: How does Bill Gates screw in a light bulb?
A: He doesn't. He declares darkness the industry standard.
Get what the game recommends or better. I would go to a computer store like Best-buy or a local computer store and tell them what the game recommends and get a little bit better one. Best buy will also install and configure the new hardware for a small fee.
"Those who do not know their opponet's arguments, do not completely understand their own".
Member
geneva, United StatesThank you again Larry Dillon!
But both games say a different video card type, so I just get the best video card that they recommend and then get a little better?
Q: How does Bill Gates screw in a light bulb?
A: He doesn't. He declares darkness the industry standard.
Administrator
United Statescodify said: Thank you again Larry Dillon! But both games say a different video card type, so I just get the best video card that they recommend and then get a little better?Assuming your pc uses the PCI Express bus for your graphics adapter, the best bang for the buck I could possibly recommend would be the nVIDIA GeForce 9600GT graphics card. It gives you similar performance to the 8800GTS in some tests of last generation, but at a pretty low price. NewEgg has the XFX PVT94PYDF4 for 139 after mail in rebate. That's pretty tough to beat value wise, and should do a good job on your newer games and future titles for a little while anyway.
Mind Over Matt'er - Technology musings, opinion, and more straight from TechLore's head geek.
Member
geneva, United StatesI would now like to know if the video card would be compatible with my computer. I have an XPS 400 that runs on XP. If there is eny other information that is needed, pleas tell. Thanks.
Q: How does Bill Gates screw in a light bulb?
A: He doesn't. He declares darkness the industry standard.
Administrator
United StatesI'll need to look at your specific DELL configuration before I could make any guarantees (though the XPS 400 should have 1 PCI Express x16 slot). If so, then the card I mentioned in the post above will work just fine, as will most PCI Express cards that aren't complete power hogs. I'd still look in the 9600GT/GSO line of cards for the best value, but it really depends on what you want to play.
Mind Over Matt'er - Technology musings, opinion, and more straight from TechLore's head geek.
Member
geneva, United StatesThanks for the quick response
I have never heard of that card before, and also can you go into specifics about what brand of card it is. Also Â"though the XPS 400 should have 1 PCI Express x16 slotÂ" sounds like a lot of big words to me, can you describe it better. also i would like to play Frontline Fule of War, amtil of honor airborne, and eny other fighting games in the future.
Thanks Again!
(for Recomended Video card for the games look at above msg.)
Q: How does Bill Gates screw in a light bulb?
A: He doesn't. He declares darkness the industry standard.
Administrator
United States
June 19, 2008 4:30 PM
codify said: Thanks for the quick response I have never heard of that card before, and also can you go into specifics about what brand of card it is. Also Â"though the XPS 400 should have 1 PCI Express x16 slotÂ" sounds like a lot of big words to me, can you describe it better. also i would like to play Frontline Fule of War, amtil of honor airborne, and eny other fighting games in the future. Thanks Again! (for Recomended Video card for the games look at above msg.)
We've been wanting to start back up our Ask The Experts feature here at TechLore, so I took the opportunity to use your question for the first entry. You'll find a full answer with lots of info:
http://www.techlore.com/blog/entry/22924/What-do-I-need-to-know-to-upgrade-a-...
Enjoy!
Mind Over Matt'er - Technology musings, opinion, and more straight from TechLore's head geek.
Copyright © 2009
Capable Networks LLC.. All Rights Reserved.
RSS |
Privacy Policy |
Advertise With Us |
Terms of Use |
About Us |
Contact Us |
Site Map
Our Capable Community Network:
Drobo Space |
DVR playground |
MediaSmart Home |
MotoDash |
My DigitalEntertainer |
My Open Router |
Robo Community |
Sansa Community |
Sling Community |
TechLore |
TiVo Community |
TouchSmart Community
This Week: Has your gadget habit been affected by the financial crisis?
Did you forget your password?
You can also log in using OpenID.
Previous Thread
