BleepingComputer.com: Video/Graphics Card Inquiry

Hello BC, long time no see..

I have recently had to replace a motherboard on one of our desktop computers(the one my wife uses) And the newer motherboard was kind of cheap as I was on a budget. I figured that it would at least be somewhat equal in performance to the one it was replacing as the PC is about 5 years old. (manufactured in 2004 or 5).

Since I don't want my wife and the whole family using my precious PC , I let them use this one.. Before the motherboard went out it was an Intel Celeron D 2.66Ghz CPU w/ 2GB RAM and intels own (built onto the mobo) graphics card. It worked fine fore her Sims 2 game and other high graphical games.

Now after replacing the motherboard.. playing the games is impossible. I recieved many, many errors at the end of installation(of the earlier mentioned games) referring to insufficient video card or something and we cannot install the game.. . Sorry, I'm not providing exact error messages.. But its not really relevant to my actual question.

(BY THE WAY, here are the specs to to NEW MOBO.. which is actually faster other than the Intel Celeron 2.66Ghz <-- other than the graphics)

AMD Sempron 3000+ 1.80Ghz with 2Gb RAM / ONBOARD GRAPHICS: SiS Mirage Graphics(SiS 761) Video Memory 32.0Mb


When I bought the mobo I didnt know how bad the graphics were...

Now, what I am wondering -

Is it possible to buy another (NICER) graphics card and install it in one of the PCI slots on the motherboard? If so, do I need to go with a certain brand or type of video card, or would Intels NVIDIA line work with my current chipset?

Any input on the type of video card I need to get would really be appreciated!!

Here is a photo of my motherboard incase it helps...
Thanks Bleepin' Community!!!

Also... Incase it helps in any diagnosis. Whenever we try to go into full screen mode with Windows Media Player, or perhaps, online flash(ie: VH1.com music videos) the full screen only shows an image.. No movement.

However, I can corrrect this by running "dxdiag" clicking the "display" tab, and clicking on " test direct draw". When that is done Full screen mode works in all video players. But I have to do this about 4-7 times per week. So the dxdiag fix isn't sticking... ? I'm not sure... Thanks anyone who can explain

is it possible that integrated video isnt as good as the previous intel set? or its also possible that the boards defective. could also be driver errors, did you uninstall all the old drivers and install the new ones? oh and yes they do make PCI video cards. :D

This post has been edited by the_patriot09: 12 January 2010 - 11:06 PM

1. We don't really need a pic of the mobo, give us the make/model number?
2. Yeah, there are some decent PCI graphic cards available.
3. I'm pretty sure the onboard graphics you had on the previous Intel board was better than the poor SiS chipset you now have.

So here's what I'm saying: A discrete graphics card will definitely make a difference while gaming but with the current processor and possibly an average 'generic' PSU you might have, your options and performance gains will be limited.

When I replaced the motherboard I also replaced the PSU with a TigerPro 400watt. I will look into PCI Graphics cards.

and YES, I uninstalled the old drivers and have completely updated all of the drivers for the AMD/SiS chipset.
motherboard: SiS 761Gx chipset.

I do not have access to a manual for this unit to get the specs on it, but I am hoping you can turn off the "on-board" video, because adding a PCI card is like having two monitors hooked up at the same time.
Both the exspansion card and the "on-board" graphics run at the same time, even if there is no monitor attached to the video port.
If the "on-board" card crashes, the other add-on card crashes with it!
I just wanted to add. Although there are options in a system BIOS setup to enable add-on AGP card/PCI card, the on board graphics chip still remains active.
I have no clue why any system manufacturer puts a permament video processor on the mainboard. You would think they would make it so the chip is easily replaceable with an upgraded chip with a faster graphics speed.
Any way best of luck to you!

This post has been edited by MrBruce1959: 13 January 2010 - 10:09 PM

MrBruce1959,

The onboard graphics chip might be removable & replaceable, I'm not sure.. I never thought about that option, I only thought about upgrading to a PCI/AGP vid card.

This is the mobo model:
AMD Sempron 3000+ 754 SiS 761 GX Micro ATX Motherboard

The product on Newegg

1. An onboard graphics chipset cannot be removed or replaced. This is why they provide expansion slots !
2. Can you confirm if you have the option to enable the PCI card/slot as your Primary Video Adapter in the BIOS?
3. If a PCI video card is supported by your motherboard, it's your best option !

This post has been edited by ReviverSoft: 14 January 2010 - 06:17 PM

Yes, the option to enable/disable a PCI slot as a primary video adapter is available in the BIOS menu.

ChrisMN, on Jan 15 2010, 01:55 AM, said:

Dang! you should have mentioned this in the beginning.

The ECS Goal3+(1.1C) has a PCI-e x16 slot !

Make use of the faster PCI-e slot by getting yourself a PCI-e GFX card.

This post has been edited by ReviverSoft: 14 January 2010 - 07:12 PM

Thanks!! Thats why I originally included a photo of the motherboard because there are more than just the usuall two PCI slots. Is the "PCI-e x16 slot" the orange slot or the darker brown one at the bottom of the mobo.

EDIT: When purchasing, do I just need to look for a "PCI-e x16 Graphics/Video Card" or am I going to need to get one that is compatible with my system(besides just fitting onto the motherboard).

Thanks reviversoft

This post has been edited by ChrisMN: 14 January 2010 - 07:24 PM

Hey!

Sorry mate but the photo you posted earlier wasn't really clear.

Yes, it is the bright orange slot that has "PCI-EX16" written right below it.

PCI-E 2.0 X16 is backwards compatible with PCI-E X16, so that shouldn't be a problem.

Well, give us the following details and we'll help you pick one:

1. Power Supply Unit (PSU) Make/Model No. ?
2. Type of PC case? If possible, how long a card you can fit into the slot ? (use a tape/ruler marked in inches, to measure from one end to the other)
3. Price Range for the GFX Card ?

This post has been edited by ReviverSoft: 15 January 2010 - 06:50 PM

Hey ReviverSoft, sorry for the delay in my response I have been busy.

Here is the info you requested about my system:

PSU: " TigerPro Version 2.03 / Model#: TP-350 12V / 350w MAX " <--- Actual label on PSU.

CASE: eMachines T3624: DIMENSIONS- 14inch long, 7inch wide, 14inch tall

PRICE RANGE: I don't even know what graphics cards go for... Are they usually under 100$ Can I get a decent one for under 100$?? I can go up to 200$ but thats pretty steep...

Thanks for your help!

This post has been edited by ChrisMN: 21 January 2010 - 07:08 PM

Just curious... does a gfx card pull that much power?