posted
I am taking classes in school that deal heavily in computer hardware, and i was wondering if anyone knew a program or website where i could check the compatability of upgrades with the other parts in my computer.
Such as a program where i could put in all the specs and parts of my computer, then see if certain parts are compatible with my computer. And see if i might need a new power supply if i try to upgrade my video card and other situations like that.
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posted
There probably are sites that do things like that, but I think it's a better idea for you to learn to identify the standards that apply and use those to determine whether parts are compatible.
It's pretty simple to determine whether a processor and a motherboard work together, for example.
Some computer building tutorials, such as this one, have information on how you determine parts are compatible.
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posted
Well in upcoming months we do learn how to better know what is compatable with what, and how to test that kind of thing. But for home use i wanted to be able to make sure i don't screw up my computer trying to make it perform better(My main goal is to play spore:}).
That said i have tried using the Google machine and have had no sucess.
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First is there a cmd line, or control panel option to get full specs of my computer? I can get this, Intel pentium processor 4 CPU 2.66 Ghz. (personally upgraded to) 768 Ram
I know thats not enough information, but i'm not sure how to get my other specs right yet.
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posted
Tom's Hardware is a good site you should familiarize yourself with if you are going to be working with hardware. Great articles and tools for anything hardware related.
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posted
Is this a name-brand computer? If you know the manufacturer and model number then the specs are probably available online.
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quote: Processor Type Intel Pentium 4 2.66 GHz Installed Qty 1 Max processors supported 1 Cache Memory Type L2 cache Installed Size 512 KB Cache Per Processor 512 KB Mainboard Chipset type Intel 845GV Data bus speed 533 MHz Graphics Controller Type Integrated Video Memory Shared video memory (UMA) RAM Installed Size 512 MB / 1 GB(max) Technology DDR SDRAM Memory speed 333 MHz Memory specification compliance PC2700 RAM form factor DIMM 184-pin Power Power device type Power supply Voltage Required AC 120/230 V ( 50/60 Hz) Power provided 250 Watt Expansion / Connectivity Expansion Bays Total (Free) 2 ( 0 ) x Front accessible - 5.25" x 1/2H, 1 ( 1 ) x Front accessible - 3.5" x 1/3H, 1 ( 0 ) x Internal - 3.5" x 1/3H Expansion Slots Total (Free) 2 ( 1 ) x Memory - DIMM 184-pin, 1 ( 0 ) x Processor - Socket 478, 3 ( 3 ) x PCI Interfaces 6 x Hi-Speed USB - 4 pin USB Type A, 1 x Headphones - Output - Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, 1 x Microphone - Input - Mini-phone 3.5 mm, 1 x Audio - Line-in - Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, 1 x Audio - Line-out - Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, 1 x Serial - RS-232C - 9 pin D-Sub (DB-9), 1 x Parallel - IEEE 1284 (EPP/ECP) - 25 pin D-Sub (DB-25), 1 x Keyboard - Generic - 6 pin mini-DIN (PS/2 style), 1 x Mouse - Generic - 6 pin mini-DIN (PS/2 style), 1 x Display / video - VGA - 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15), 1 x Network - Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX - RJ-45
Sorry if that is over-kill but i wanted to know what type of video cards would be compatible, and if i would have to change my power supply. This is the one i have been eyeing. POWERCOLOR AX3650 1GBD2 Radeon HD 3650 1GB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
posted
You can't add that video card to that motherboard. In fact, you'd only be able to add PCI (not PCI express or AGP) video cards, which probably wouldn't get you the performance you want - although it's possible that you could improve your graphics performance to some extent.
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posted
I'm not really sure - it depends on how much you want to spend on this rig vs. starting fresh. I'm not saying it can't be done, but it might require a significant overhaul. If you want that video card, you need a motherboard with PCI-Express x16 slot. I kind of doubt you can find a micro-ATX motherboard with this slot that supports your existing CPU. So you might need a new CPU too. At that point I might wonder if it makes sense to try to upgrade rather than replace.
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posted
Well I am supposed to make a computer eventually in the class i mentioned earlier so starting fresh is probably best. For now i'll upgrade my ram a bit and wait untill i have some more cash. I'll probably back asking more near chrismas, i'm going to get some fancy stocking stuffers this year!
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