Graphics Card Upgrade for old system.

ok i know this system is very very old. Infact it is 7 years old, but it does great for the internet, & my son's school work...... (Keeps him from junkin up my system.. Anyway todays internet sometimes requires better graphics than the 32 mb in this system. :cry
System Specs: Compaq 5bw131, Intel Celeron 667 MHz, upgraded: 512MB ram, Upgraded: Hard drive 120 Gig, Upgraded: Windows XP SP2. 1 PCI Slot available, no AGP slots.
Now I was talking to an HP service tech which told me that this system has a 145 watt power supply so the graphics card I am looking at will not work. The graphics card that I am looking at requires a 250 watt power supply, I am assuming that this is the top end Power, cause I hear that most Graphics cards normally run less power. Will this work with my system anyway? If not anyone know of a place where i can get a PCI Graphics card that will match my system?
Anyway thanks in advance, Killians

 

I think your quest is a difficult one, with the power supply you have in that computer. I really think you need to consider replacing the power supply if you want to upgrade the video. And, before you buy a power supply, I believe you need to verify that you're not limited to using only a Compaq proprietary power supply in your computer. In other words, will a standard ATX power supply fit in it or not? Sorry, I don't have the answer to that.

 

yeah figured as much.... according to the hp tech support the power supply isn't upgradeable....(of course not, it is a compcrap.) anyway thank you for your reply. do you happen to know of a web site or store that might have what i am looking for?

 

http://store.911forpcs.com/coprposufrsh.html
has a power supply for your model. Note: I haven't ordered from them. I'd do some research to see if they are dependable. I did order a power supply from a company to replace the ps in my HP desktop. I was very happy with the unit. Sorry, I don't remember the site I ordered from - it was several years ago.

 

Thanks for the info and the site... but i was just doing a little more research and came across this article.

http://home.comcast.net/~felispardalis/presupgd.html

Will some of you great computer builders explain to me.. Did this guy upgrade the power supply in this system? Cause the graphics card that he used a PNY Verto Geforce4 MX420 system requirements are 250 watt Power supply. If he didn't then i will just go ahead with my original idea of upgrading the graphics card.

P.S. the graphics card i am looking to buy is PNY - Verto GeForce FX 5200 Graphics Card

 

1. The guy upgraded his onboard chip. He went from a Celeron to a Pentium III; he also added an 80mm case fan to augment what was in the computer.
2. I can find no mention of what power supply he was/is using
3. I don't know where you got the idea that the card requires a 250watt power supply (maybe you can point to a link where you found this?)
If you look at the specs here
http://www.epinions.com/PNY_Electro...raphics_Cards_VCG4MX42APB/display_~full_specs
you will see that it requires an AGP slot, something that your computer lacks
He only says this

He doesn't say what card based on the Geforce 4MX420 he used; it wasn't a PNY because that is an AGP card.

As far as the PNY Verto GeForce FX 5200, I did see this.

and

so before you use that card, you'd probably have to upgrade the power supply and you would have to get a new CPU, removing the Celeron and putting in a Pentium III chip.

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My honest opinion: it isn't worth putting the time nor the money putting in a new cpu and fan, a new power supply, a new graphics card and adding a case fan to a 7 year old computer.

As an example
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2541471&sku=J156-4218
For $250, you can get a refurbed XP computer that operates at 2.6Ghz.
It only has a 40 gig hard drive but you can put the 120 gig hard drive in and use the 40 gig it comes with for storage.
Look around, that would be a better way to spend the money rather than trying to outfit a 7 year old slow operating computer.

 

I agree with that. However, I'd do some shopping on ebay in a case like this. A better CPU and graphics card could be obtained for rather small amounts of money.

Since the referenced article does not mention any upgrading of the power supply, I'd be tempted to get a PIII CPU on ebay first and try that with your current power supply and graphics card. Then, decide whether you want to get an older, but better, graphics card, such as the MX420 discussed in the article.

 

thanks guys i think i will just go out and buy him a new computer.
can any of u tell me is Acer a good brand? i am looking at this 1....
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8532581&productCategoryId=abcat0501004&type=product&tab=2&id=1186008216833#
productdetail

or this Compaq if they get anymore in stock.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8397335&productCategoryId=abcat0501001&type=product&tab=2&id=1179877039029#productdetail