help with graphic card

firbyfred

My sons are wanting to get sims 2 game to play on this computer, I know it will not be capable to play it.
is it just a case of getting a suitable card and installing it?
how do I know if the rest of the computer is capable? it runs xp if that is any help. how do I find this information?
I have looked at a couple of sites showing how to install them, it looks straight forward, I have replaced a cd writer before, how does it compare in difficulty?

amd

Download and install Belarc Advisor

http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

It will tell you (in great detail hopefully!) what you have. Any questions, post back here and we'll try to help.

PS. Changing a graphics card is quite simple.

HalleluiahMan

If you're not scared of taking the case off your PC, then fitting a graphics card is really simple. It'll take two minutes, plus time for installing the drivers.

Do you know what card is currently fitted?
If not, for starters, check the Device Manager.
(Start > Control Panel > System > Hardware tab > Device Manager button > Click on the plus symbol next to "Display Adapters", then read the line below.)

Get back with that info', and we can take it from there.

firbyfred

amd wrote:

Download and install Belarc Advisor

http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

It will tell you (in great detail hopefully!) what you have. Any questions, post back here and we'll try to help.

PS. Changing a graphics card is quite simple.

I did the download, the boys are wanting to play sims 2 "pets" types of games on the computer, so any advice about a new graphics card etc from what I have copied below would be helpful. thanks




Operating System System Model
Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 (build 2600) MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD KM400-8235
Enclosure Type: Desktop
Processor a Main Circuit Board b
1.67 gigahertz AMD Sempron
128 kilobyte primary memory cache
256 kilobyte secondary memory cache Board: MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD MS-7061
Bus Clock: 167 megahertz
BIOS: Phoenix Technologies, LTD 6.00 PG 07/28/2004
Drives Memory Modules c,d
122.94 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
110.92 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space

DVDROM 1 0X [CD-ROM drive]
LITE-ON LTR-52246S [CD-ROM drive]
3.5" format removeable media [Floppy drive]

Maxtor 6Y120L0 [Hard drive] (122.94 GB) -- drive 0, s/n Y3P1JVPE, rev YAR41BW0, SMART Status: Healthy 448 Megabytes Installed Memory

Slot 'A0' has 512 MB
Slot 'A1' is Empty
Local Drive Volumes

c: (NTFS on drive 0) 66.72 GB 56.97 GB free
d: (NTFS on drive 0) 56.21 GB 53.95 GB free

Network Drives
None detected
Users (mouse over user name for details) Printers
local user accounts last logon
John
10/11/2006 06:26:14 (admin)
local system accounts
Administrator
never (admin)
Guest
never
HelpAssistant
never
SUPPORT_388945a0 never

Marks a disabled account; Marks a locked account hp deskjet 5600 series on USB001

Controllers Display
Standard floppy disk controller
Primary IDE Channel [Controller]
Secondary IDE Channel [Controller]
VIA Bus Master IDE Controller VIA/S3G UniChrome IGP [Display adapter]
AOC 7V [Monitor] (15.7"vis, August 2001)
Bus Adapters Multimedia
VIA SATA RAID Controller
Standard Enhanced PCI to USB Host Controller
VIA Rev 5 or later USB Universal Host Controller (4x) Unimodem Half-Duplex Audio Device
Vinyl AC'97 Codec Combo Driver (WDM)
Communications Other Devices
Intel(R) 536EP Modem

VIA Rhine II Fast Ethernet Adapter
primary Auto IP Address: 192.168.1.33 / 24
Gateway: 192.168.1.1
Dhcp Server: 192.168.1.1
Physical Address: 00:11:09:9E:5A:11

Networking Dns Server: 192.168.1.1
Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard
PS/2 Compatible Mouse
USB Printing Support
USB Root Hub (5x)
Patin Couffin engine
Virus Protection [Back to Top]

McAfee VirusScan Version 10.0.27
Scan Engine Version 5100
Virus Definitions Version 4892
Last Disk Scan on 04 November 2006 20:23:03
Realtime File Scanning On

navig8r

Mmm,this sounds like an onboard graphic adaptor.I think you need to take the case off to see but I am pretty sure it has an 8x agp slot so you can upgrade the adaptor.when you have installed the new one you may have to alter the bios to disable the onboard one.

Dave

firbyfred

navig8r wrote:

Mmm,this sounds like an onboard graphic adaptor.I think you need to take the case off to see but I am pretty sure it has an 8x agp slot so you can upgrade the adaptor.when you have installed the new one you may have to alter the bios to disable the onboard one.

Dave

doesn't sound straight forward as I thought.

navig8r

I have just found (I think )and read the manual for your Mobo ..Its very detailed so you should be OK...if you don't have one ...http://www-old.epox.nl/manuals/mu-8kmm3I&%2B10.pdf

Dave

symy@nufc

try this tells you what you can upgrade