Upgrading Graphics Cards and RAM

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Alexyboy123

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My computers become a 'little' outdated for playing modern games and I am planning to upgrade the amount of RAM and upgrade the Graphics card to improve gaming performance; however I am unsure what components will work with my current Motherboard and PSU.

Here are my current specs

Motherboard: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. K8V
PSU: 360 watts
Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3000+ 792 MHz
Graphics Card: GeForce FX 5900 XT
RAM: 2 x 256MB (thats all the information have)
Sound Card: Auidgy 2 ZS
(Do you need any more information??? Its a MESH PC)

Can anyone recommend a better card or extra RAM that will be compatible with my system?

Thanks

Alex
 
According to the ASUS official site, your mobo can support memory speeds of up to PC3200 (400)DDR and a 8X AGP Video card.

You'll need to specify your approximate budget so it will be easier for us to recommend the best value option.
 
Yes, you need 184pin ddr pc3200 ram, be sure to NOT get ddr2 ram.
For example, you already have 512MB in two of your slots, so if you want 1gb, then you would need a 512mb stick, like this one.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Corsair_Value_Select.html
(go to 8th one down, which is "Corsair 512MB DDR Value Select PC3200 CAS2.5 (VS512MB400) (MY-042-CS)")

The Ram would be about 28 after VAT, so you could still get a 7800gs agp card, which is about 223 after VAT, like the ones on this page.
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/7800AGP_Series.html
If the 7800gs is too much, consider a 6800gs, like the ones at the top of this page.
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/6600AGP_Series.html
 
I can send you instructions on how to install everything, if you dont know how to.
 
OK for your video card:

1. Remove your video card from the box.
2. Take your new video card and place it the correct way into the motherboard's AGP or PCI slot, whichever is appropiate.
3. Plug your monitor into the new card and you should see your windows desktop.
4. Install drivers from CD or manufacturer website.

For your RAM:

1. Make sure there is an extra upgrade slot for RAM.
2. Unlock the latches so you can insert your RAm stick.
3. Insert the RAM and close the latches. Your RAM will be recognized on reboot.

This is all you need to install the video card and the ram. Also, for your video card, make sure that your video card is compatible with your motherboard, I would do this by calling AsusTek and asking them if your video card choice is compatible with your motherboard.

Best regards, sw123
 
uhm, for the video card, I dont suggest you literally pull out the old one, insert the new card and start installing drivers..
its good practice to uninstall prior video card drivers (even if you have nVidia and is upgrading to anotehr nVidia card) to make sure there are no driver conflicts. use DriverCleaner Pro. google it and install it. THEN go ahead and install the new card.

heres a comprehensive guide to installing/upgrade to a new video card:
http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=965852

here it is if u dont wanan go there:
1: go to add/remove progs and uninstal 'nvidia display driver' it might ask u to restart.
2: if it doesnt, then restart anyway and this time restart in Safe Mode. press F8 a few times before WinXP boots
3: open drivercleaner pro and on the drop list menu, go down to "nvidia" and select/add that to the list. and click clean button
4: turn off PC. install new card (make sure u ground urself) then boot up PC normally
5: wait for XP to do its autodetect thing and cancel everything. then start up the CD that came in the box and isntall the driver.
6. it may ask u to reboot one more.. do so, and ur set =]
 
ya dont rip out the old one. leave it in it will just be disabled and your new card will dominate :)
 
sw123 said:
ya dont rip out the old one. leave it in it will just be disabled and your new card will dominate :)
Click to expand...
what do you mean "leave it in"? wheres he gonna put the new card? He has an ASUS K8V and a GeForce FX 5900 XT currently on his AGP. he doesnt use on-board video that can be 'left' on.
 
If he's using a different graphics card, it doesn't really matter I don't think that you need to take out the old card. If he needs to take it out, he shouldn't rip it out. He should remove all the screws or nuts required, then he could gently take it out and put it in a safe place, if he somehow needs to use it again.
 
sw123 said:
If he's using a different graphics card, it doesn't really matter I don't think that you need to take out the old card.
Click to expand...
uhmm.. dude, seriously read what i said.. he IS using a graphics card called the FX5900XT.. do you know what that is? its an AGP8X card by nVidia under the GForce line.. and YES it does mattter than he takes this card out.. where would he put in his new card? right on top of his old one? UGH.. i KNOW you need to take out the old card.... ding dong
sw123 said:
If he needs to take it out, he shouldn't rip it out.
Click to expand...
DUUHHH!!!
sw123 said:
He should remove all the screws or nuts required
Click to expand...
what screws or nuts? is your PC a spaceship or something? as far as i know there are no screws (unless you have an old school case from like... 90's and if thats the case its jus a little flat thats held on by a screw or two.. there are no nuts.....)
 
I got an eMachine computer and it requires me to take out the screws so I was able to put my PCI card. I think maybe it is also required from other PC's to remove the screws to put in the new card.
 
Do not mix speeds , brands, types, or size of memory. RTFM of your motherboard to determine what it will take. Certain motherboards are very picky on RAM. Asus is one of them.
 
Sw I think I understand your confusion. You have PCI graphics and Alex has AGP graphics. The slots in the motherboard are entirely different. PCI has one screw but AGP only has a locking lever arm to secure the card.
 
Well, ok. If you read my computer's manual, you can see that it requires me to remove a screw or two. But really, if he has an onboard graphics card, he should NEVER take it out, as i believe all motherboards have onboard graphics. If you have he add on card as I do now, you should always remove it. Also, it may sound surprising, but i never uninstalled my old video card drivers(the intel card) All i did was put in my new card(not in safe mode) put in the CD, installed the drivers, rebooted, card worked great. Although it is not nessecary, I would leave the old video card's drvers in just in case the card goes bad and you have no motherboard drivers to install. This was, however, with a PCI card. AGP cards may be different.
 
Wow....I did not know that you could remove onboard graphics. Is that even possible? I thought it was a fixed part of the motherboard. If you had onboard graphics before you did not have to uninstall the drivers. You merely disable the onboard graphics. Some motherboards automatically do this for you, ex. Gigabyte. However, if you are replacing an add-on graphics card you should always uninstall the drivers first.
 
Greenmachine said:
Wow....I did not know that you could remove onboard graphics. Is that even possible? I thought it was a fixed part of the motherboard. If you had onboard graphics before you did not have to uninstall the drivers. You merely disable the onboard graphics. Some motherboards automatically do this for you, ex. Gigabyte. However, if you are replacing an add-on graphics card you should always uninstall the drivers first.
Click to expand...
Youre totally right. you CANNOT remove onboard. It IS a fixed part of the motherboard.

sw123 must be confused with something else. also not ALL motherboards have onboard graphics.
 
Use the Crucial.com site it will scan ur pc and tell u which ram is suitable also run the belarc advisor it will give u all ur system info.
 
crucial needs to update their database.. it doesnt have my board or its jetway counterpart.. the tech support didnt even know =[
i had to ask eVGA themselves heh
 
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