Should I Upgrade

[sweetleaf]

I have a Compaq Presario sr1010v and was givin a geforce video card , but im confussed if i can use it or not ? Im playing WOW on my compaq and it runs but not the greatest would like to upgrade but dont really want to spend a LOT of money . Can i upgrade the video card ? and would that even help.

 

[sirheck]

need more info about your compaq.
does it have agp?

how much memory?
what cpu?

 

[sweetleaf]

Im sorry i dont know ? I spent 3 hours just trying to find out who made my motherboard . How would i find out about the AGP?

 

[sirheck]

you could use (cpu-z) download it.

it will give you info on most of your sys.

 

[sweetleaf]

This is all i know about my computer. I hope it can help someone to help me.




System chassis Micro ATX Compaq Presario SR-series chassis

Dimensions (H x W x D): 16 x 7.25 x 15.25 inches
Motherboard name MSI: MS-6577 M-ATX
HP: Giovani2-GL6
Chipset 845GV
Front-side-bus (processor dependent) 400 MHz
Power output wattage 250 Watt
Memory Memory slots: Two DIMMS-I have 512

Maximum memory: 1 GB (HP tested and recommended), 2 GB (motherboard specified)
Expansion slots Three PCI slots (two available, one is occupied by the modem)
Drive bays Two 5.25-inch external (one or two occupied by CD/DVD drives, depending on configuration)

One external 3.5-inch (occupied by floppy)

One 3.5-inch internal (occupied by hard drive)
I/O ports Front ports:

* Two USB (Choosing 7-1 media card reader reduces front USB ports to one)
* Line-in
* Headphone
* Microphone

Back ports:

* Four USB
* One PS/2 mouse
* One PS/2 keyboard
* One parallel
* One serial
* One VGA
* Audio: line-in, line-out, microphone (these ports are covered if audio card chosen; will be included on card)
Communications One high-speed 56K ready data/fax
One 10/100 Base-T Fast Ethernet interface
Processor
Intel Celeron D 335 (2.8 GHz)
Hard drive
160 GB 7200 rpm Ultra DMA
Graphic card Integrated graphics
Sound card Integrated 5.1 capable sound with front audio ports

 

[kaotao]

Unless the video card you were given is PCI (NOT PCI-E), you can't use it in that system. Since you're limited to PCI, I'd just save up your money and get a whole new set-up.

 

[sirheck]

well it looks like you are stuck with pci.

you could get a pci video card (which would be better)
than onboard video.
this would help your gaming experience.

and you could add another 512 stick of ram.
this would make your computer more peppy.

thats about it.

you could do this for about 100$

i wouldnt spend anymore than that for an upgrade.

other than that i reccomend a new computer.

 

[sweetleaf]

Im not sure if it is a PCI or PCI E ? it was taken out of a computer that was never used . I cant reach the person that gave it to me , and just looking at it doesnt really tell me anything other then it's a green board? It's looking like im going to saving some money for a new computer.

 

[sirheck]

Unless the video card you were given is PCI

oops forgot about that.

 

[sirheck]

what does the video card you have now look like?

 

[sweetleaf]

What would be a good video card that i could use ?

 

[sweetleaf]

The Geforce or the one in my computer ? I dont have a clue what the one in my computer looks like, I never look at it.

 

[sirheck]

The Geforce or the one in my computer ? I dont have a clue what the one in my computer looks like, I never look at it.

it looks like you are using onboard video.
which means no video card.

where does the video cable from your monitor go.
follow it to the back of your computer.

does it go into the motherboard?

hell can you post pictures?
do you have a camera?

 

[sweetleaf]

it plugs into the back of my computer. I dont know for sure if thats my mother board,,,lol,,,Im sorry i cant be that much help , I dont have a camera , wish i did, But im sure i'd have issues with that also.lol

 

[sirheck]

does the cable from the monitor plug in horizontal or vertical?

 

[sweetleaf]

vertical . That was an easy question that i could answer.

 

[sirheck]

sounds like onboard to me.



does the card you have now look something like this?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814139150

 

[sweetleaf]

No it doesnt look like that,,,and i called my brother in law and he said the geforce is a pci E . So thats out . can i use any other pci video card ?

 

[sirheck]

geforce can be pci,agp, and pci-e

does the connects on the card have a hook at the end?

 

[NamelessMC]

vertical . That was an easy question that i could answer.

Do you have a digital camera?

Take a picture of the inside of your case, and we can tell you what you can and can't do.

If anything, tough it out playing WoW on crappy settings until you can afford a fully fledged new desktop tower with all the bells and whistles!

 

[sirheck]

the top picture is a pci card.
the bottom pic is a pci-e card.

see the difference in the gold things at the bottom
of each picture.

if it has a hook then it is agp or pci-e.


oops the pci-e card is upside down so the gold thingy,s
are at the top.

 

[sweetleaf]

It looks like the first one.

 

[NamelessMC]

It looks like the first one.

Then it should work in your system.

But installing it isn't THAT simple. You have to uninstall and disable your on board video card, then turn off your system and install the other one, and hook up your monitor to it and then install the new drivers for it.

 

[sweetleaf]

Im not giving up WOW so i guess im sticking with this computer untill i can get a better one. But it sure would be nice to get this upgraded ,even if it is just a little.

 

[sweetleaf]

That doesnt sound like something you can walk me threw,,LOL,,But i can take it to my local rip off computer store , and pay more then it's worth. AT another web site some guy told me even if i get a new video card i would need a new power supply. Does that sound right, cause i dont want the computer store to really rip me off.