I Need Help Finding The Right Video Card For Motherboard

[Dyna]

Hello,

Sorry If anything I say in this thread makes me sound foolish. I am a begginer at building computers, and I am bad with hardware...

Before I get into my question I would like to tell you that I am needing an upgrade on a graphics card for my motherboard that is old. I was thinking about upgrading motherboards, but got discouraged because of the prices. I will most likely need to buy a new computer at some point. But, for now I will stick with upgrading computer parts.

I need a graphic card that is able to support two monitors windows xp, vista, windows 7 aero effects. The current graphic card that my motherboard is using is called a Nvidia GeForce 4 MX 4000.

My motherboard is called a K8T800-A7A Mainboard that supports AMD processor. Also, the company who made that is Biostar.


I was wondering if someone with knowledge that knows how to upgrade computers, and knows how to do hardware, could possibly link me with a few newegg.com resources to a specific graphic card that would fit with my motherboard.

I just want you to remember that my motherboard is supporting a PCI-E slot, not anything larger then that. Best Buy doesn't even carry those type of botherboards anymore. They carry PCI-E (2.0), (3.0) (x16)+.

I really do appreciate those that are willing to help me out with my problem, I will sign up on this site when my internet installation guy gets here, at the moment I'm connected to my dad's internet on a x-box 360. Using a Logitech wireless keyboard to type, so I am unwilling to sign up on the forum. But, as soon as he comes to install my internet I will.

 

[Wolfshadw]

Based on the information I'm finding here, your motherboard does not support PCI-E graphic cards; only AGP 8x. Given that, here is a list of Newegg AGP 4x/8x graphic cards that will physically fit with your motherboard. What graphics card you get will also depend on what power supply you have installed.

Depending on what you're trying to accomplish with this system, I'd probably recommend going with a complete system build.

-Wolf sends

 

[Dyna]

Based on the information I'm finding here, your motherboard does not support PCI-E graphic cards; only AGP 8x. Given that, here is a list of Newegg AGP 4x/8x graphic cards that will physically fit with your motherboard. What graphics card you get will also depend on what power supply you have installed.

Depending on what you're trying to accomplish with this system, I'd probably recommend going with a complete system build.

-Wolf sends

Thank you Wolf,

Some of the list that you have given me has 128-bit, 64-bit in the title.. What does that mean? Do I need to get a certain "bit type", or do I pick any one of those for my motherboard? Sorry, I am being a nuisance with all my questions.

 

[Wolfshadw]

Forums exist so people who do not know can ask people who do know. You are, IN NO WAY, being a nuisance.

The bit rate of a given graphics card determines the amount of data that can be transferred in a single operation. In most (if not all) cases, the higher the value, the better. So you should only be looking at 128 bit graphi cards.

Again, what card you get is going to depend on what your needs are and what power supply (manufacturer and model number) you have installed in your system.

-Wolf sends

 

[Matthew Loyferman]

Dear Dyna,
I highly suggest you don't buy the motherboard that you listed. it is just too outdated. pick something newer, and from a good brand like: Gigabyte, or Asus. i highly recommend Asus. i personally have one.

 

[Dyna]

Thank you guys, Matthew I already bought it awhile ago. This motherboard is currently in my computer case now. For awhile now I have been dealing with windows xp, so I want to upgrade graphics cards to experience other versions of windows such as vista, and windows 7.

I will need to check my power supply, and get back to you Wolf. So, I will need one of those video cards in order to run windows 7 graphics, and run two monitors at once, and to do multi-tasking?

 

[Wolfshadw]

In order to run "Windows 7 graphics" you will need to purchase and install Windows 7. What version of DirectX (graphics) you run depends on a combination of what graphics card you run as well as what operating system you have installed. For instance, Windows XP will ONLY run up to DirectX 9.0c, regardless of what graphics card you have installed.

Also, given that you're limited to AGP graphic cards, what version of DirectX will additionally be limited by what graphics card you're able to install. And, of course, what graphics card you can install is going to also be limited by what power supply you have installed.

-Wolf sends

 

[Dyna]

In order to run "Windows 7 graphics" you will need to purchase and install Windows 7. What version of DirectX (graphics) you run depends on a combination of what graphics card you run as well as what operating system you have installed. For instance, Windows XP will ONLY run up to DirectX 9.0c, regardless of what graphics card you have installed.

Also, given that you're limited to AGP graphic cards, what version of DirectX will additionally be limited by what graphics card you're able to install. And, of course, what graphics card you can install is going to also be limited by what power supply you have installed.

-Wolf sends

Wow, by the liist that you have given me, what is my best bet to get without knowing the powersupply, and knowing the rest of the spec's that you know about my computer? I thank you for helping me Wolf!

 

[Wolfshadw]

Of the list I provided, this HIS Radeon HD4350 would be the best. There are better cards available, but those cards require knowing what power supply you have and whether or not you're able to upgrade it (if even possible).

-Wolf sends

 

[Dyna]

Alot of people on newegg that installed that graphic card say they experienced alot of problems running windows 7 on it? Could it be them.. or the computer that they have? Because I'm thinking about buying it. Just trying to expand my options, before I go spending money on something that I don't even know will work, Lol.

 

[Mahisse]

I'm not trying to be a partypooper here but you should seriously consider building a new rig. If you posted all yor specs we could help you find some goo cheap parts. In my honest opinion I can't imagine it would be a good idea to updgrade an AGP card.

 

[Wolfshadw]

Alot of people on newegg that installed that graphic card say they experienced alot of problems running windows 7 on it? Could it be them.. or the computer that they have? Because I'm thinking about buying it. Just trying to expand my options, before I go spending money on something that I don't even know will work, Lol.

Probably a combination of both. The other issue you may run into is actually finding Windows 7 drivers for any other card on that list. You need to realize that most of these cards came out when XP was relatively new.

-Wolf sends

 

[Dyna]

Hey guys, I went down the street from my house and picked up a 60.00 graphic card from asus. Here is the card that I got:

https://www.asus.com/Graphics_Cards/EAH3450DI256M/
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121273

I installed the card inside the computer, and installed the drivers but when I went to device manager it is showing multiple little yield signs and it says asus 3450 series. Then when I run the ati catalyst it says, the driver hasn't been installed properly. I tried to uninstall, and reinstall it is not working.. Any suggestions?

Also, thought when I upgrade my graphic card my vista will have aero for the windows.. it did not turn transparent... or do i need to properly install the drivers.

Any suggestions..

 

[Wolfshadw]

You will probably need to install the AGP Hotfix for your system: http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/CatalystAGPHotfix.aspx

Be sure to select the correct link for the hotfix download:

AMD Catalyst 12.6 Hotfix for Windows 7/Windows Vista® 32-bit Edition
or
AMD Catalyst 12.6 Hotfix for Windows 7/Windows Vista 64-bit Edition

-Wolf sends

 

[Dyna]

Well, I ended up taking it to a repair guy down the road. I bought a new motherboard with dual core processor. Which is like ok, but not as good as a quad core. He is also putting in a new cpu because the one I have is old. So, were see if he is able to run windows 7 with the new hardware that he put in.