New Graphics Card

[SkippyBing]

Do you have more spare leads coming out of your power supply?

An alternative might be to re-arrange things a bit, e.g. take the power lead from the cd drive as the second power lead to the graphics card and then use a splitter to attach it to the same lead as a hard drive.

Actually before you do that find out what rating your power supply is, you may be asking a bit much of it if the gfx card needs two 12V supplies...

[PaulC]

It's 350W and I have only one spare power point.

Do I understand that instead of running two power sockets from one output, I should split another one to ease the load?

Sorry to be so dim, I've never done it before, in fact I've never opened a computer up before. Terrifying, isn't it!!

[DaveB]

Hi Paul..

Yes.. that's the ticket.. ease the load The card is asking for 2 x 12v connections and if you're running both off one spur, you may be asking too much, especially as it's only a 350w PSU (I didn't think such things still existed) If you can attach one to a dedicated supply and t'other to something drawing little pwr or not oft used.. it will help

ATB
DaveB

[SkippyBing]

Whoa! Had a look at the ATI webpage for the card and they recommend a minimum 500w PSU. The card takes two 75w feeds so a 350w PSU is probably going to fall over trying to run it and the rest of the system!


http://www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/ ... ments.aspx

[PaulC]

Sorted! New power supply of 600W, graphics card in and even with not a lot of time to experiment, a noticeable increase in frame rates is evident. This is even more obvious not with FSX but Rail Simulator which will now run seamlessly on the highest detail settings.

Looking at my windows experience scores, I now need more RAM!!!

Thanks for all the help chaps.

[DaveB]

Ah yes.. Windows experience scores.. bless em Glad you're up and running AND seeing there or thereabouts what you expect

ATB
DaveB

[Dev One]

All you now need to do is watch your temperatures.......I get crashes & blue screens now & again because something has tripped & got too hot! Seems to be about 10° cooler with the side panel off, & max seen so far is 65°, but with the side on some bits can get to 75°! Thats even with additional PCI slot fan ( my case not designed for a large extractor fan!)
Keith