Which cards work with a 250w PSU?

[JAD453]

I am ready to upgrade the video card in my PC, but just discovered the PSU is just 250w !!! I have an HP a250n with a P4/2.6 and 1.5gig RAM installed. Will an nvidia 6600 256MB work for me with this power supply? Is this a good choice for a card? I really want a 6800 GT OC (no way, right?) Can I change the PSU? I was told by a store sales guy that the mother board is designed for this PSU and if I try to increase the power.... I could blow out the board. Is he right?

 

[DonNagual]

I'd have to say no. 250 just ain't going to cut it.

Here is a great calculator to tell you exactly how much you'll need.

https://www.techspot.com/vb/topic35497.html

Someone told you that if your power supply is TOO strong, you'll blow your motherboard? Just ain't true at all.

 

[JAD453]

Thanks for the link.... I'll go there now. Is the PSU hard to change?

 

[DonNagual]

Hard to change.... well, I'm tempted to say no, but it all depends on the person I suppose. Have you ever built a computer? Every part in your computer needs to be connected to the PSU. So replacing one means undoing all those connections, then after you put the new PSU in, you have to reconnect all the connections.

All in all, I'd say it is not the most difficult thing to do....

 

[sllewe]

Thanks for the link.... I'll go there now. Is the PSU hard to change?

Oh its very hard...takes about 3hours, and make sure you get the transfaser to power right, or it will catch on fire..


Actually relplacing a PSU is very easy.

 

[howard_hopkinso]

Apologies for going slightly off topic.

Oh its very hard...takes about 3hours, and make sure you get the transfaser to power right, or it will catch on fire..


Actually relplacing a PSU is very easy.

Hey Sean.

What`s a transfaser? Is it a like a small version of a discombobulator?

BTW do you ever check your voice mails?

Regards Howard :haha:

 

[DonNagual]

Is it a like a small version of a discombobulator?

Don't even get me started on discombobulators. The turbulence on the rapitulators is truely a nightmare, let alone trying to mess with those hifersagulators. Wow, I remember the first time I adjusted one of those!

Shhhh. I hear the off-topic police coming.....

 

[sllewe]

What`s a transfaser? Is it a like a small version of a discombobulator?

right agian howard. Just go ahead and right a book on PSU replacment.

BTW do you ever check your voice mails?

Can say i understand what you mean by that...but you know us Yanks and our Ed-u-ma-cation.

But didi you really call me (becuase i actually never check them. Na, that would be a expensive phone call..

Sean

wow now im offically off topic

 

[JAD453]

Hey guys.... Thanks for the chatter on my post but my Ramascopter HPN module is getting overheated so I gotta go....

 

[howard_hopkinso]

The voice mails I am refering to are sent and received in the new Yahoo messenger. No phone required.

Regards Howard

 

[howard_hopkinso]

Hey guys.... Thanks for the chatter on my post but my Ramascopter HPN module is getting overheated so I gotta go....

I know what you mean.

Sorry for hijacking your thread.

Good luck with the psu replacement.

BTW Welcome to Techspot

Regards Howard :wave: :wave:

 

[JAD453]

Thanks Howard... Looking forward to all the help I know you guys can give me.

 

[howard_hopkinso]

Just a word of caution.

Because your computer is an HP. It might not be advisable to just go and buy a new psu.

This is because some oem computers use a different configuration for the psu to mobo connectors.

So, what I`m saying is check first, before you go and buy a psu which could potentially damage your computer.

Regards Howard

 

[JAD453]

What is it I must check first? The PSU mfg? So I am sure to get a simular PSU? Or are there some other things I must be careful of if I change the PSU?

 

[howard_hopkinso]

I`d advise you to do some googling for HP PSU`s.

I`m not totally sure, but it runs in my mind that HP don`t use standard atx psu`s. This is what some oem manufacturers do in order to get customers to buy replacement parts.

Even if I`m wrong, it`s better to be safe than sorry.

Regards Howard