Dell Dimension Video card problem

gardnt1

Just bought an upgraded graphics card for daughter dimension 2400, Tried to install, but it keeps interferring with the wireless network card (both pci)

Relised after a bit that graphics card needs a 250 watt psu min and the 2400 has only a 200 w psu so assume this is the problem.............

Question is what now???

Do I

1. upgrade psu to 250 or as dell usa forum suggests a 410w psu costing $116 plus $35 delivery (approx £75)

2. try and source elsewhere even though it si probably not a standard atx fit?

3. Return graphics card and try a different one, although I assume all need a fairly decent power supply

4. Wish I had never bought sims2?

5. Purchase a dell dimension 1100 new with 1024gb memory, 250watt psu, 2.8 p4 for 211.00 install graphics card (£40) and hope all works fine, sell 2400 for say £75? total £ 175

6. Buy sims 2 on ps2!


Any advice please?

intel

PS2 Everday all day long and return the rest of the equipment.


Well thats what I would do as I see a PC for work kind off stuff and surfing
and if you wanna play games get a games console, but hey thats me.

Poppycat

My daughter has a Dimension 3000 with pci Nvidia graphic cards and works firn with sims 2. She also has a wirless network usb2 card we got from Argos Belkin fir about £20. Why not try one of those and get rid of the pci network card. You coudl alsways take it back the Belkin one from Argos it it doesnt work.

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/6768023.htm

Toxteth_OGrady

gardnt1 wrote:

but it keeps interferring with the wireless network card (both pci)

What do you mean by this? Do you have an IRQ conflict?

:cool:

TOG

gardnt1

My other daugter has the dimension 3000 too and thats fine with sims2 too, just the basic 2400 thats playing its face!!

gardnt1

What I mean by conflict..is that when wireless and graphic card both in pci slots, The wireless facility cant see the network, or wont connect at all. On removal of graphic card all is ok. I am presuming thet the graphics card is taking all the power from the pci slots and causing problems with the other cards...wireless being one of them.

Toxteth_OGrady

Sounds likely. In fact I never put anything less than a 300W psu in systems I build. You can get a 400W ATX compliant psu for a lot less than you quote but it sounds from your post as if Dell cases preclude this option. That's the problem with OEM systems.

:cool:

TOG

albertross_2

sounds more irq'y to me, have you checked device manager for any conflicts?

I wouldn't have thought that a wireless card would use much power..if you are overloading the psu, it will probably go bang, rather than stop things working

gardnt1

I am assuming that the psu is not going to be easy to obtain from other forums, but if anyone knows where to get at least the 250w supply at a reasonable price, that would be a start!

Cheers, GArdnt1

albertross_2

Check for device conflicts first..

but if you really want a new psu, try ebuyer.com 300 watt = £5.75+delivery..

(is it def not a std size AT psu?).

Poppycat

I am not sure a standard psu will work with Dell as they tend to use non standard parts