Graphics card for a desktop

halidogg

Hi

I have a Packard Bell Ixtreme 2712 desktop PC, about 4.5 years old and finally my graphics card is packing it in. Have red lines down my screen and windows device manager is stating my graphics card, a Nvida Gefoce 8600 GS is not working properly. I've updated the graphics card with the latest drivers, but no success. What I am looking for is someone with experience to have a look at my PC to check that my graphics card is on its last legs and to install a new one along with any other parts that may be required i.e greater power output unit. Think my PC is only 250w just now. Would anyone be able to recommend a business in the D15 area that would be able to help with my PC? I am hoping to avoid PC world as I think it will costly.

Thanks

Procrastastudy

To be honest you're better off doing it yourself. A PC that old (and dare I say of that ilk) is going to be pretty much done - try and get a cheap 8800 or 9800 off adverts.ie

You'll probably get an answer here but if not - ask a friendly mod to move your thread the the Building and Upgrading forum and someone there will talk you though it. Well as much as removing a screw - pulling on something, pushing in a new one and replacing a screw needs talking through. (oooh matron!)

Any link to spec (processor, memory) would be useful in suggesting a replacement beyond just getting something similar.

Torqay

Procrastastudy wrote: »

A PC that old (and dare I say of that ilk) is going to be pretty much done

Yeah, them auld Core 2 Quad processors are so utterly useless today...

If you're just looking for a cheap replacement, there is a ATI Radeon 5450 HD 1GB at Dabs going for 25 yoyos. This card supports Dx11 and is about 25% faster than your 8800 GS.

Procrastastudy

Torqay wrote: »

Yeah, them auld Core 2 Quad processors are so utterly useless today...

If you're just looking for a cheap replacement, there is a ATI Radeon 5450 HD 1GB at Dabs going for 25 yoyos. This card supports Dx11 and is about 25% faster than your 8800 GS.

I know you're being sarcy - but I couldn't be ar*ed to look up the spec :P Core 2 Quad would do if it wasnt in a Packard Bell

Torqay

Procrastastudy wrote: »

Core 2 Quad would do if it wasnt in a Packard Bell

Since it has survived the last 4.5 years, there is reason to believe that it has a few more years in it... and failing Geforce 8xxx/9xxx cards are not unheard of, I wouldn't blame that on PB.

Procrastastudy

Torqay wrote: »

Since it has survived the last 4.5 years, there is reason to believe that it has a few more years in it... and failing Geforce 8xxx/9xxx cards are not unheard of, I wouldn't blame that on PB.

I would blame the proprietary components, crap PSU and OEM operating system on them though.

Torqay

Procrastastudy wrote: »

I would blame the proprietary components, crap PSU and OEM operating system on them though.

I'm afraid you'll have to dig a bit deeper...

I don't see much of proprietary PB components in there. An off-the-rails Foxconn motherboard, PSU by FSP (a Taiwanese outfit also catering for the high-end market)... nothing that explains why the Geforce packed in after four years.

Although Vista (OEM or otherwise) is a terrible operating system, to the best of my knowledge, it doesn't have a reputation of killing graphics cards.

Procrastastudy

Torqay wrote: »

I'm afraid you'll have to dig a bit deeper...

I don't see much of proprietary PB components in there. An off-the-rails Foxconn motherboard, PSU by FSP (a Taiwanese outfit also catering for the high-end market)... nothing that explains why the Geforce packed in after four years.

Although Vista (OEM or otherwise) is a terrible operating system, to the best of my knowledge, it doesn't have a reputation of killing graphics cards.

I didn't say anything was to blame for the GPU failure - to be fair 4.5 years - thing is probably full of dust case wasn't the best to start with. Not bad going imo

250W though? My HTPC has more than that. You cant honestly tell me that this more expensive PB is going to be easier (or even as easy) to repair as a self build or even a build from a decent system builder.

Incidentally OP sorry for dragging this OT - we like to bicker but I will say Torq is right about the 5450 - should tide you over and should be easy to fit yourself.

Torqay

If you're not into gaming, a 250w PSU is more than sufficient. Why the folks at PB named this thing "Ixtreme" is beyond me though. An OK multimedia machine is all it is, and a rather poorly balanced one at that.

The CPU certainly is an overkill. The Q6600 is still good enough to play most games. If it was mine and I were in for a new GPU i'd replace the PSU as well.

ED E

Torqay wrote: »

The CPU certainly is an overkill. The Q6600 is still good enough to play most games

They are, with a bit of an OC(still stuck on one).

halidogg

Hi

Thank you for all the replys, much appreciated. After looking on the net and reading your replys I've decided to try upgrade the Graphics card and the PSU myself, which leads me on to my next question. Does anyone know, or could someone explain how I would know, if the following PSU and graphics card would be compatible with my computer? I don't want to be payign out money for equipment that won't work.

The PSU:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/550W-Gold-Silent-Power-Supply/dp/B000KND4M8/ref=pd_cp_computers_2

The graphics card:
http://www.pcworld.ie/Product/PNY-NVIDIA-GeForce-GT-430-PCIE-Graphics-Card-1GB/298001/146

Apart from RAM, I'm a bit of novice when it comes to changing components in my PC, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Procrastastudy

halidogg wrote: »

Hi

Thank you for all the replys, much appreciated. After looking on the net and reading your replys I've decided to try upgrade the Graphics card and the PSU myself, which leads me on to my next question. Does anyone know, or could someone explain how I would know, if the following PSU and graphics card would be compatible with my computer? I don't want to be payign out money for equipment that won't work.

The PSU:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/550W-Gold-Silent-Power-Supply/dp/B000KND4M8/ref=pd_cp_computers_2

The graphics card:
http://www.pcworld.ie/Product/PNY-NVIDIA-GeForce-GT-430-PCIE-Graphics-Card-1GB/298001/146

Apart from RAM, I'm a bit of novice when it comes to changing components in my PC, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Have a look at the sub forums - there's one called building and upgrading

Both those choices are terrible btw :P Ask in B&U - Monotype has written an essay on PSUs and there's more discussions about GPUs than is healthy over there.

Torqay

The graphics card is rubbish indeed... if you're looking for a good budget card, here's a Radeon 6670 (HD 2GB) for less than 70 yoyos at Dabs.