Please Help ATI VisionTek X 1550

[Jndani8]

I am in desperate need of some advice. I bought this graphics card just about a month ago to try to solve a problem I have been having with Sims 2freezing and crashing ( thread stuck in device driver ). But since I got this I have had new problems. Frezzing crashing and a blue screen that says my computer has been shut down to prevent damage, ant that it is caused by a file ati2dvag, stuck in an infinite loop. I have read through alot of the threads here to try to come up with a solution and something about finding CPU to AGP and switching it to standard PCI to PCI. Well I could not find the CPU thing, but as far as I can tell it is already set to standard PCI to PCI. I also bought a new sound card and just cannot afoord to sink any more money into this computer right now, considering I just bought this computer in October. I have less than 4 days to try to exchange this graphics card for something else, but do not know if i should or not. And if so, what ? Oh please help. I am so confused. I do not know if it is the graphics card or my computer, or just me.
this is what I have...
ATI Radeon VisionTek X1550 pci express 256 mb
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Gamer
My computer is a HP pavillion a1600n
AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core processor 3800 +
1024 MB

 

[raybay]

You may either have a power supply problem, or a memory problem, or both. A new video card combined with a high powered sound system may consume more power than you have available.
What power supply is in that Pavilion a1600n now? You appear to have adequate memory.

 

[Jndani8]

Sorry I forgot to add that, it is a 300 w. And it has a 200 GB Hard drive

 

[Jndani8]

So what kind of Power supply do I need ?

 

[raybay]

We need the measurements in millimeters of the current power supply in order to tell you what to get... but Sparkle is an excellent brand that manufacturers all the sizes that HP computers need.

 

[mica3speedy]

also try getting the latest drivers for the video card as well as the motherboard chipset.

 

[Jndani8]

How do I do that ? Do I need to open it up and actually measure it, or will it say the measurements on it?

 

[Jndani8]

I did try updating the driver for my graphics card and it only made things much worse, but have not tried update the motherboard chipset

 

[beef_jerky4104]

You could try using Omega Drivers.

www.omegadrivers.net

 

[kpo6969]

You probably have to upgrade your psu. Ati cards are power hogs. Check here:

http://www.power-on.com/hp.html