Upgrade My Graphics Card

keroro · 12-20-2006, 06:02 PM

I've had enough of the Radeon X600XT.

It's time for an upgrade.

I want Vista to run on 64bit, and have a killer
performance for games.
Further advise on how else I could upgrade or improve
performance would be very appreciated too.
I've already ordered a new hard drive and an extra gig of RAM; otherwise, please let performance meet my hardcore gaming needs!!

Preferably the best mid-range priced and suited for my PC please.
Thanks

Windows XP Home Edition
Service Pack 2 (build 2600)
Sony Corporation VGC-RA204(CE)
Intel Pentium 4, 3.60 gigahertz
16 kilobyte primary memory cache
1024 kilobyte secondary memory cache
(Getting 2x512GB Crucial RAM)

Hard drive:
1)Samsung SpinPoint T HD401LJ 400GB
SATA-II 16MB Cache <<< OS in here
2)Deskstar K7400 400GB SATA-150 8 MB
<<< this drive has had issues. It used to run OS.
Should I chuck it, or keep using it as storage? (or turn it into a music box? hehe) Or even, buy another hardrive
and use this one as a backup drive??

Mobo: ASUSTeK Computer INC. PTGD2-VX Rev 1.xx
Bus Clock: 200 megahertz
BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. 2004 11/16/2004
RADEON X600/X550 Series [Display adapter]
Sony SDM-HX93 [Monitor] (19.1"vis, s/n 9314749, September 2004) (2x)

Also with my new Samsung hardrive,
will I need to buy an extra cooler?

milehile · 12-21-2006, 10:58 PM

I'm not going to answer most of your answers but the question of the thread title. I have had bad luck with ATI, and went nVidia. I love it. I have an evga 6600gt and i've had it for a good 9 months now and it works wonders. I'm usually running on average 40fps playing WoW with high settings, and Battlefield 2: Special Forces on medium settings with a framerate of about 35. I would suggest getting one yourself.

As for the hard drive situation. If the hard drive was faulty at one point it could screw things up if there is any threatening files on it (spyware, malware, adware, Trojans, etc) I would think that 400gb would be plenty. I have a 160gb and it's not quite full yet and I have an extensive collection of discographies, game emulators, movies, and many many programs. This decision is of course all yours to make.

crazijoe · 12-22-2006, 05:43 AM

If you plan to run 64bit Vista, make sure the CPU is capable of 64bit instructions. Not all P4s are.

As far as a graphics solution. Minimum should be 32MB card for Home basic and 128MB for Home Premium, Microsoft Vista Business, Microsoft Vista Enterprise, and Microsoft Vista Ultimate.
Also note taken from the MS website.

Quote:

Note A Windows Aero-capable graphics card is a graphics card that meets the following requirements:
• Supports a Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) driver
• Has a DirectX 9-class graphics processor unit (GPU) that supports Pixel Shader 2.0
• Supports 32 bits per pixel
• Passes the Windows Aero acceptance test in the Windows Driver Kit (WDK)

As far as you HDD issue, I would download hitachi's drive fitness test and run a diagnostic against the drive. You can find a link in my sig. If the drive is under warranty, have it RMA'd for a replacement.

keroro · 12-22-2006, 05:56 AM

Thank you. That was some really awesome advise you gave me.

So how do I check whether or not my pentium is capable of 64-bit?
Pentium 4/ 3.6ghz is relatively new, I mean my computer is only two years old......
Would the only way round it be getting another cpu?

crazijoe · 12-22-2006, 06:10 AM

Download this program CPU-Z. It will list out the Instruction sets that the CPU uses. You want to see EM64T listed.

keroro · 12-22-2006, 06:27 AM

Thanks.
Ran the program but I cant see EM64T anywhere

All I can see is:

Name: Intel Pentium 4 560
Code name: Prescott
Package: Socket 775 LGA
Technology: 90nm
Specification: Intel Pentium CPU 3.60GHz
Instructions: MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3

oh and I checked here:
http://indigo.intel.com/compare_cpu/default.aspx?familyID=1&culture=en-US

So would that mean if I wanted to run 64-bit I would need the latest cpu?
Do I replace my current cpu or add it on to the mobo?

What do you recommend?

crazijoe · 12-22-2006, 06:38 AM

You would see it listed here:

Quote:

Originally Posted by keroro

Name: Intel Pentium 4 560
Code name: Prescott
Package: Socket 775 LGA
Technology: 90nm
Specification: Intel Pentium CPU 3.60GHz
Instructions: MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3

Because the CPU is a 560, it does not support 64bit.
You would need to get like a 561, 660, 661, etc..
Check the Intel website for processors that support 64bit.
Most vendors will list in the descrtiption if the processor will support 64bit.

12-20-2006, 06:02 PM	#1 (permalink)
keroro Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 16 OS: Vista32	Upgrade My Graphics Card I've had enough of the Radeon X600XT. It's time for an upgrade. I want Vista to run on 64bit, and have a killer performance for games. Further advise on how else I could upgrade or improve performance would be very appreciated too. I've already ordered a new hard drive and an extra gig of RAM; otherwise, please let performance meet my hardcore gaming needs!! Preferably the best mid-range priced and suited for my PC please. Thanks Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2 (build 2600) Sony Corporation VGC-RA204(CE) Intel Pentium 4, 3.60 gigahertz 16 kilobyte primary memory cache 1024 kilobyte secondary memory cache (Getting 2x512GB Crucial RAM) Hard drive: 1)Samsung SpinPoint T HD401LJ 400GB SATA-II 16MB Cache <<< OS in here 2)Deskstar K7400 400GB SATA-150 8 MB <<< this drive has had issues. It used to run OS. Should I chuck it, or keep using it as storage? (or turn it into a music box? hehe) Or even, buy another hardrive and use this one as a backup drive?? Mobo: ASUSTeK Computer INC. PTGD2-VX Rev 1.xx Bus Clock: 200 megahertz BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. 2004 11/16/2004 RADEON X600/X550 Series [Display adapter] Sony SDM-HX93 [Monitor] (19.1"vis, s/n 9314749, September 2004) (2x) Also with my new Samsung hardrive, will I need to buy an extra cooler? Last edited by keroro; 12-20-2006 at 06:16 PM.

12-21-2006, 10:58 PM	#2 (permalink)
milehile Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 473 OS: Windows 7 RC My System	I'm not going to answer most of your answers but the question of the thread title. I have had bad luck with ATI, and went nVidia. I love it. I have an evga 6600gt and i've had it for a good 9 months now and it works wonders. I'm usually running on average 40fps playing WoW with high settings, and Battlefield 2: Special Forces on medium settings with a framerate of about 35. I would suggest getting one yourself. As for the hard drive situation. If the hard drive was faulty at one point it could screw things up if there is any threatening files on it (spyware, malware, adware, Trojans, etc) I would think that 400gb would be plenty. I have a 160gb and it's not quite full yet and I have an extensive collection of discographies, game emulators, movies, and many many programs. This decision is of course all yours to make. __________________ *When you don't do something right, how can you be sure you've done anything at all?*

12-22-2006, 06:10 AM	#5 (permalink)
crazijoe Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Omaha, The Center of the Universe Posts: 7,632 OS: WinXP, Win2K3 My System	Download this program CPU-Z. It will list out the Instruction sets that the CPU uses. You want to see EM64T listed. __________________ Microsoft MCSA + Messaging, MVP, A+, Network+ http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b3...other/Help.jpg Do you want a real Republican? HDD diagnostic tools / HDD data recovery software

12-22-2006, 06:27 AM	#6 (permalink)
keroro Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 16 OS: Vista32	Thanks. Ran the program but I cant see EM64T anywhere All I can see is: Name: Intel Pentium 4 560 Code name: Prescott Package: Socket 775 LGA Technology: 90nm Specification: Intel Pentium CPU 3.60GHz Instructions: MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3 oh and I checked here: http://indigo.intel.com/compare_cpu/default.aspx?familyID=1&culture=en-US So would that mean if I wanted to run 64-bit I would need the latest cpu? Do I replace my current cpu or add it on to the mobo? What do you recommend? Last edited by keroro; 12-22-2006 at 06:31 AM.

12-22-2006, 05:56 AM	#4 (permalink)
keroro Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 16 OS: Vista32	Thank you. That was some really awesome advise you gave me. So how do I check whether or not my pentium is capable of 64-bit? Pentium 4/ 3.6ghz is relatively new, I mean my computer is only two years old...... Would the only way round it be getting another cpu?