Adding a 3d card to me comp
TychoCelchuuu
Anememone Join Date: 2002-03-23 Member: 345Members
Anememone Join Date: 2002-03-23 Member: 345Members
in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">How hard exactly?</div>After what seemed as years of searching, I located instructions to installing 3d cards in a computer. It makes it sound easy enough, but my self esteem wouldn't pass the health inspector's test at a McDonalds. In short, how hard would it be to rip out my cobwebbed Voodoo3 3000 and replace it with something less, how do you say, craptacular?
Comments
Zcaliber, I don't know if he was trying to say that don't put TO much pressure. Or, maybe I'm just obscene. People with bad grammer these days.... blargh... <!--emo&:0--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':0'><!--endemo-->
2) look at the bottom of the card. if it's in a white slot, go to step 3. if it's in a brown slot, go to step 4.
3) remove the screw holding the card to the case. put the screw down somewhere where it won't get lost in a hurry. Grasp the card with both hands and pull straight up. It may be a little stuck. Just pull harder; don't wiggle it back and forth. Continue to step 5.
4) remove the screw holding the card to the case. put it down somewhere where it won't get lost. Now look around the back end of the brown slot (that's the end opposite from the back of the case), and see if you see a small white tab attached to it. if no, then remove the card like in step 3. if there is a small white tab, then grasp the card near the back of the case and pull up, so that it's partway out, and at an angle. now pull it the rest of the way out, still at that angle.
5)Put the old card down on the table, out of the way.
6)Get out your new card and read the manual. Then insert it into the brown slot, doing the reverse of what you did in step 4.
7)Boot your computer and install the software that came with the new video card.
8)Play some games.
The ultimate question: Replace my video card (Voodoo 4) Or replace my processor? (Pentium <!--emo&???--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='???'><!--endemo--> 335 mhrz)
Troubleshooting: The only prob I have every had is when i built my own computer recently, I got all the parts ad stuck em all together. My moniter wouldn't display when i booted up... Problem was you need to push the video card {if its on a AGP(brown slot)} down until you here a second click, and you gota push damn hard, I almost thought it would have broke mine <!--emo&:D--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':D'><!--endemo-->
Have fun
processor, definitely. With an upgrade, you can get much more mileage out of that voodoo.
Unfortunately, considering the age of that processor, you'll probably have to replace the motherboard too.
If you're pressed for cash, I'd recommend a motherboard based on the AMD 760/761 or VIA KT266/266A chipsets, and an Athlon, Duron or early Athlon XP processor. PM me for pricing/links if you want.
355 is a bit low and you prolly don't have a AGP port on it that works with the newest cards.
so you need to upgrad ur Mobo(motherboard) and the CPU and mem.
*Grabs a baseball bat* STUPID PEICE OF SUGAR COMPUTER! I'LL -
Edit: 8incomming transmission* I have 160 megs o' ram... Zophar my only real concern is my processor now and maybe my video card... I'm pressed for cash ATM, so I'll probebly have to deal with the framerate...
I can't think of any game besides Half-life where i can put the detail to above Low... <img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/Skin/SKIN-2/PostIcons/icon6.gif" border="0">
How big is your budget btw?
I'd recommend it to anyone. Just do your research. A simple search on the net for Build Your Own Computer or some such phrase should get you all you need. Also, if you're replacing your CPU, check the Pentium or AMD site for recommended motherboards. That should save some headaches <!--emo&:)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'><!--endemo-->
If you're gonna build your own system, you can cut costs down by
1) using the Cd-roms, HDs, Floppys, monitor, keyboard, and mouse from you rold computer (modem, LAN, Firewire, USB cards, etc too.)
2) You're going to need to find low-prices www.pricewatch.com is a good place, but... if you can find a computer warehouse that is within driving distance from your house, you can usually save anywhere from $30 to $100 (if every one of your parts come from a different supplier and they're located over seas or across the nation) in Shipping and handling
3) looking at used/barebones systems- I actually got my case used- it supports ATX MoBos and has a 350w power supply for all you case modding lights and xtra fans
When you're assembling your little beast it's good to have a friend there because:
1) it's ALWAYS a good idea to have an extra pair of hands
2) if they've build a computer from scratch before, then they can help you avoid mistakes
3) they're an extra set of hands
4) they will point and laugh when the computer explodes...
5) You'll have an extra set of hands to help out
6) it gives you something convienent to hit when 4 happens
7) did I mention it's useful to have another set of hands to give you the parts while you've got your face crammed in the case?
Also, it's a good idea to get your wires out of the way (especially on mini-towers that people build for tugging to LANs) for improved air-flow.
erm.. that's all my knowledge that I have from building my lil' beast (AMD 1800 XP, GeForce 2 overclocked, 256 megs DDR, CD-roms, HDs, Soundblaster Live! 5.1 Platinum, ub3r l337 case mod, super air flow (about 265 cfm in and 80cfm out...), and badassed lights)
Now... just to save up so that when the GeForce 5 comes out I'll have ub3r l337 fps to match my ub3r l337 case
From a Maximum PC article about the GeForce4: "We don't know [the next nVidia chip's] name yet, but nVidia tells us it won't be called GeForce 5."
pwned.
rizaped.
well whenever the new Nvida comes out that's what I'm gonna save up my money to buy.
becouse the GF4 is very sucessfull.
The only <b>really</b> fiddly bit of a computer is the CPU and attaching heat sinks to it. My advice would be to get someone at a computer shop to do this for you, not because they are more skilled but because you'll have someone to blame. The rest is pretty straightforward, just remember to push firmly and evenly along the top edge of the card until you can no longer see the copper contacts on the bottom of the card.
--Scythe--
<a href="mailto:the_only_scythe@subdimension.com">the_only_scythe@subdimension.com</a>
The card he's holding is in an AGP slot. Look closely and notice that the slot is brown. Then notice the other slots below it (and slightly offset) are white. The white slots are PCI slots. Most video cards now are for AGP slots. It's become common because of the increased speed. You can still buy PCI cards but you'll have to look a little harder to find them.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td><b>Quote</b> </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"><!--QuoteEBegin-->If you have a brown slot (AGP) closest to your power supply and the slot has a wee white tab on it. Snap this white tab off at the soonest opportunity, it will cause you nothing but grief at a later date.
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
see that?
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td><b>Quote</b> </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"><!--QuoteEBegin-->this <b>white tag</b> off...<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That white tab is a clip that appears to be a safety catch for the card (I guess). Maybe there have been reports of people trying to throw their monitors around and they wanted an extra clip to keep the video card in place <!--emo&;)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=';)'><!--endemo-->
From my experience, that clip hasn't been a very big problem. It just means you'll need a little more dexterity.
:-D
I worked for a while in my school's computer maintenance lab, most... <b>all</b> of the computers there don't have AGP slots. I've seen enough dud motherboards and fried power supplies to last me a lifetime.
There was a Mac Plus there we got to play around with. We had to hit it on the side with a bass drum hammer to encourage it to eject the floppy disk.
--Scythe--
<a href="mailto:the_only_scythe@subdimension.com">the_only_scythe@subdimension.com</a>
See now, that wasn't so hard <!--emo&;)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=';)'><!--endemo-->