Newbee question.buying video card.

Hi

I have a Dell computer that I was told doesn't have a video card. I love to play adventure games, and the one I want to play has these specs.

Windows 98/Me/2000/XP.
For Windows® PC CD-ROM
Minimum System
Requirements: 1 GHz or greater Pentium or equivalent class CPU,
128 MB of RAM,
650 MB or more of hard drive space,
32 MB DirectX compatible video card,
16 bit DirectX compatible sound card,
24X CD-ROM drive, mouse, and speakers

I am looking at a video card

MSI NX6200TC-TD64ESLF Geforce 6200TC supporting 256MB (64MB On board) 64-bit DDR PCI Express x16 Low Profile Video

It says it's a support card (64MB on board) I have no idea what that means.
Will this work for me?

Thanks for helping me

Susan

 

hey susan, can u post ur pc specs please? so we can tell u wat card to get...

 

my spec. Hope you can read this.

PROCESSOR, 80547, PENTIUM 4 PRESCOTT DT, 520, SKT-T

KIT, MOUSE, PERSONAL SYSTEM 2, 2BTN, WHEEL, LOGITECH
MODEM, V.92, DATA FAX, INTERNAL, PC INTERFACE, DELL AMERICAS ORGANIZATION
ASSEMBLY, DIGITAL VIDEO DISK DRIVE, 16X, HALF HEIGHT, SAMSUNG, CHASSIS 2005
HARD DRIVE, 80GB, S, 7.2K, 8MB, WD-XL80SD-2
KIT, SOFTWARE, WP-PRDCT-STE12, ENGLAND/ENGLISH, V2
KIT, SOFTWARE, OVERPACK, WXPHSP2, COMPACT DISKETTE W/DOCUMENTATION, ENGLAND/ENGLISH
KIT, DOCUMENTATON ON FLOPPY DISK, SOFTWARE, POWERDVD, 5.3.1012
DISPLAY, FLAT PANEL DISPLAY, 19, DUAL VOLTAGE, E193FPP, MIDNIGHT GRAY, DELL AMERICAS ORGANIZATION
DUAL IN-LINE MEMORY MODULE, 256, 400, 32X64, 8, 240, 1RX16

Thanks.

Susan

 

in english? lol

 

yea sorry kitty but er......

anyways, lol, looks like ur comp is a dell comp. try n find ur pc on dell's site and post the link here....

 

Can you tell me what you are looking for?

It's a Dell Dimension 4700. I can go into the system and pull out information. And there is alot of it.

Is a video card the same as a display driver? I found this

Video: Intel 82915G/GV/910GL Express Chipset Family, Driver

If you can tell me what to look for, I will try to find it.
I am so sorry I am so clueless about what I'm doing.

Thanks
Susan

 

If you are looking for a PCI Express X16 or even a VGA u are way above your head.

if its like all the dells I've seen you needs a plain PCI video card.

Unless you have a gamer that has a VGA or PciExpress port.

but if its like the dells I work on you are looking for something like this Geforce FX5500 256MB 128-bit DDR PCI Video Card.

if you need any help please feel free to ask or write me a Private Message.

 

Susan, Can you tell us the model number? I doubt you have a PCI-Express slot. I'm guessing that you do have an AGP slot and that would be a better card than a standard PCI. You can pick up a basic AGP video card for under $50 bucks.

You could also download this and it should tell you (us) what you have...
http://majorgeeks.com/EVEREST_Free_Edition_d4181.html

 

According to Dells spec sheet it does have a pci-express video card slot

http://support.euro.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim4700/sm/specs.htm#wp1043338

but follow jerkys advice and post an everest report

 

I feel like all those ppl who need help from the computer guy on Saturday Night Live!!! I always tell my students( I sub) to get a job repairing computers!

I will download the Everest Report.


All I want to do is play the newest Nancy Drew Game....

Dell Demension 4700, bought 1/2005.

I will get back to you when I'm finish the download.

Thanks for taking the time to help me.

Susan

 

Ok, I have downloaded Everest. I did a wizard report on hardware.

What do you want me to look at?

I'll check back tomorrow.


Thanks

Susan

 

Susan, post an Everest log here (as an attachment only, please don't copy and paste).

Or, if you know where to look, check the log and see if it says AGP or PCI Xpress as an expansion slot.

If not, you don't have one, meaning you can't put a card in. (post a log anyway so someone can double check for you)

 

View attachment Report.txt

Did this work?

 

Yes it worked, but sadly it doesn't appear that you have an AGP or PCI Xpress slot.

You only have PCI available.

You can get PCI video cards, but they are nowhere near as fast as AGP or PCI Xpress, are usually more expensive and there is less of a range.

 

Thanks for looking.

So what do you suggest I get for my computer?

The site Newegg.com has been suggested to me.

Thanks for taking the time to research this for me.


Susan

 

Just to elaborate, you do have a PCI Xpress slot available, but it's only a PCI Xpress x1.

PCI Xpress video cards need x16 (has 16 lanes), which have much higher bandwith to transmit the data faster.


Usually, you can fit PCI Xpress x1 cards in a PCI Xpress x16 slot, but not the other way around.

Not sure if they even make PCI Xpress x1 video cards. From memory, Matrix might make them, but they wouldn't be very fast.

 

Either leave it, and install more RAM, or consider a PCI video card.

Read my earlier posts on the drawbacks though.

 

Hi

I just looked at Newegg and they had some w/Geforce. Any brand you suggest, and should I get 128 or 256?

I will track down your post on PCI.

My 1st post stated what the game required. Would a pci work for it?

Thanks again
Susan

 

I don't think you're understanding what I'm saying.

You only have PCI and PCI x1 slots, so that's what the video card has to be.


You can't use PCI Xpress (x16) or AGP (which the vast majority of cards are). The video card has to be specifically for PCI or PCI Xpress x1 (if it doesn't state that, forget it)

If all you want to do is play the game in question, then yes a PCI video card will be OK.

It won't however, play (very well at least) demanding and graphically intense games.

And as I said, there aren't very many cards designed for your system, so the choice is limited.

 

You are right. I feel like I'm learning a whole new language. Which I guess it is.

Since I am limited on my choices, what do I look for to know if the video card with work for my computer? Obviously it must be a pci, but anything else?

Newegg.com had about 40 pci listed, so there must be more I need to look for to make sure it works for my computer. Or should I just call Dell, and get one from them?

Susan

 

I'll had a quick look at newegg, and the best PCI card I could see was the GeForce 6200.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814143058

The price is a shock though, it seems awfully cheap.

 

ATI and nVidia use their own numbering systems, but basically, the higher the number, the more powerful.

For example, the 6200 GeForce is faster than the 4000 or 5700 GeForce (nVidia).

In ATI, the 9250 is faster than the 7000, and so on. (You can't compare numbering between ATI and nVidia though)

Ones with LE or SE stand for Limited Edition and Special Edition, and aren't as fast.

 

Susan, Have you tried loading the game you want to play? Your onboard video has 128 MB and the game you wish to play is only calling for 32 Meg. I didn't see any requirements about vertex pixel shaders.... or DirectX 9. You maybe able to run it without buying a video card.
What game is it? See if its listed here: http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/referrer/srtest and run a test on what you have.

 

You ppl are great. You don't how many ways I tried to get information for my computer from other sources.

I have tried many times to load the game. It keeps coming up is "Dirt Rect". Their website said it had to do with outdated display driver.

So I just checked out the sys req lab, and said to update my video driver, so went to web site and am now downloading a intel chipset graphics driver .

Hope this works.

Thanks to all of you. will let you know how it went.

Susan

 

Contact Dell before you buy a PCI card. As Rikky already noted, Dell's specs show a 16x PCI-e slot and a 1x PCI-e slot in addition to two standard PCI slots.

http://support.euro.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim4700/sm/parts104.jpg

http://support.euro.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim4700/sm/parts.htm#wp1053279

 

That's a good idea Susan. Double check with Dell, or get someone who knows what they are doing to look, as Everest isn't always right (if you still want to buy a video card).

 

If all you want to do is play the Nancy Drew game. just install and see if it will play. it should. you can play Call of Duty fine on Intel Intregated Graphics. Nancy Drew should work

 

Sorry to take in getting back,but I've been playing the game!!!

Thanks so much for all the advice, and saving me money. Always good for a teacher.

Susan

 

Cool, glad you let us know things worked out. I think we overlooked the initial goal of you being able to play your game vs. what video card would would be best. Thanks for letting us know.