Computer Woes

[blue3golf]

I want to upgrade my computers graphic card and also the RAM. Right now I have just a stock 64mb built in graphic card, I'm looking at a GeForce 5500 OC or a 5700 LE. What does the AGP on the cards stand for and is it something all computers have? As for the RAM I have 512 DDR SDRAM, I want to put another 512 in. Can I put in just 512 DDR or does it have to be 512 DDR SDRAM? I do know that I have an open DIMM slot for it so thats not a problem. I'm the furthest thing from computer literate so if this don't make sense I apologize. I'm lookin at this as a learning experience. Thanks in advance.

[TLAM Strike]

AGP is the slot the card fits in. PCI is the other common one.

Look at this image:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d1/AGP_slot.jpg/800px-AGP_slot.jpg
the two on the bottom are PCI the one on the top is AGP (althogh most AGP slots are brown.)

AGP vs PCI
As computers became increasingly graphically-oriented, the graphics card became far more important than other PCI devices, and, thus, the AGP slot was developed. AGP slots are superior to PCI for graphics cards because they provide a dedicated pathway between the slot and the processor, allowing for faster communication between the two. In addition, AGP uses sideband addressing, meaning that addressing for packets is carried outside of the packet, meaning that the entire packet does not need to be read to get addressing information. In addition, to load a texture, a PCI graphics card must copy it from the system's RAM into the card's framebuffer. An AGP card is capable of reading textures directly from system RAM using the Graphics Address Remapping Table (GART). GART reapportions main memory for texture storage, allowing the graphics card to access them directly.

The two main reasons graphics cards with the PCI interface are produced is that firstly they can be used in nearly any PC, as very few modern desktop PCs do not have PCI slots - though some motherboards with built-in graphics adaptors lack an AGP slot. Secondly, a user with an appropriate operating system can use several PCI graphics cards (or several PCI graphics cards in combination with one AGP card) simultaneously - to give many different video outputs (for the use of many screens). This cannot be done with AGP cards, as very few (if any) motherboards are equipped with more than one AGP slot.

[blue3golf]

Thanks TLAM. I looked at the specs for my system online, all I have is PCI slots so that narrows down my search. Hopefully I can find a good 256mb card. :up:

[Jesper]

I think its gonna be hard and expensive to get a PCI videocard with 256MB ram.

For system ram:
Open your manual see how much ram the motherboard supports, or simply tell us what name and model it is and we can look it up for you.

SD DDR RAM and DDR RAM is the same thing however SD RAM is different, seeing that your Motherboard doenst have a brown AGP slot it is unlikely that it uses DDR RAM.

For a better gaming experience you should consider a new Motherboard aswell as Video and RAM.
Not knowing what your CPU speed is, i am guessing its 1000-1600mhz ?? and is it amd or intel ?

[blue3golf]

I have a Pentium4 2.8ghz processer, 512mb PC2700 DDR SDRAM 184-pin at 333 speed. It supports 1gb Ram or two 512 cards (I still have one DIMM slot open). the computer is a HP pavilion a712n. I got this info from the hp site.
Here's the thread:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?cc=us&docname=c00288539&lc=en&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN

My computer is still stock.

[Gizzmoe]

I have a Pentium4 2.8ghz processer, 512mb PC2700 DDR SDRAM 184-pin at 333 speed. It supports 1gb Ram or two 512 cards (I still have one DIMM slot open). the computer is a HP pavilion a712n. I got this info from the hp site.
Here's the thread:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?cc=us&docname=c00288539&lc=en&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN

My computer is still stock.

Decent processor, crappy board. The best solution would be to replace your old board with a new Socket 478 board with AGP, cost about $30.

[Jesper]

As Gizz said, spend the $30 extra on a new motherboard too, it is worth it.

I think it is the first time i ever saw a PC with a Pentium4 CPU and no AGP slot...

[JSLTIGER]

I concur.

[blue3golf]

Even though it says on the specs only PCI slots I'm gonna check and make sure when I put this RAM in that I got on the way.

[Jesper]

Yeah, you are looking for a brown slot, it is the first slot closest to the CPU, if they are all white they are PCI.

[blue3golf]

I'll take a look, appreciate all the help.

[sonar732]

Make sure that you have compatible RAM. Where did you buy the RAM from and what are the stats for it?

[blue3golf]

I bought Kingston 512 PC2700 DDR RAM, 184-pin, runs at 333. Got it for $40 from Best Buy.

[sonar732]

I bought Kingston 512 PC2700 DDR RAM, 184-pin, runs at 333. Got it for $40 from Best Buy.

WOW!

You did good on that! :up:

Here are prices from Kingston's own website (2X the amount you paid(.

http://www.ec.kingston.com/ecom/configurator/partsinfo.asp?ktcpartno=KTC-D320/512

[blue3golf]

When I saw it I didnt believe it at first and had to ask a rep, sure enough it was that cheap. It's so popular that it's out of stock at all the stores close by and its backordered, so they say I gotta wait 1-2 weeks. Well worth it though.

[Terrax]

If you buy a new mother board, make sure you know if it has an AGP or PCI express slot. I bought my son a computer over the summer, and was going to put his AGP GeForce 5200 Ultra in it. I went to install the card and saw that the mother board had a PCI express slot in it. I should have done more research. Nothing like having a new computer and not being able to play games on it for another week, and hearing "is the cards here yet?" everyday unitl it arrived. :D