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Geek Culture / Underperforming Computer

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Chris K
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Location: Lake Hylia
Posted: 16th Dec 2003 17:00 Edited at: 23rd Oct 2005 14:50
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I recently got a new computer.

I has pretty good specs:

- 2.5 GHz Celeron
- 512 MB RAM
- 64 MB Intel Graphics Controller

However, it seems to perform a lot worse than it should. It runs Max Payne 2 pretty much fine, but it completely fails at Alien vs. Predator 2, Unreal 2 and Call of Duty. It runs them jerkily even on their lowest settings.

What's up? I thought it was the 3d card but it seems OK, not amazing but 64 MB is what Unreal 2 recommends (32MB is required). Is there anything I can do to speed it up?

I have downloaded the new drivers but that hasn't really helped.

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Arrow
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Posted: 16th Dec 2003 17:02
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Just curious, what are the setting you use for those games?


I've lost 25lb playing Dance Dance Revolution, no really!
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the_winch
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Location: Oxford, UK
Posted: 16th Dec 2003 17:05
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What version of windows do you use?

I would guess the problem is the video card.

dbpro : p166mmx @ 233 : 256mb : sb 128pci : sis onboard
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Chris K
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Posted: 16th Dec 2003 17:08
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I tried all the settings. Most modern games runs jerkily. I'm running XP. The Intel website says it should run fine, I easily pass the system requirements.

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Sly D
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Posted: 16th Dec 2003 17:37
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Wonder why all games work smooth on nVidia's and ATI's cards?!

A cute looking koala with a WHAT!? THEY can't use Kalashnikovs, can they?
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Chris K
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Posted: 16th Dec 2003 17:47
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I've got a 128MB GeForce 4 but my computer doesn't have an AGP slot (D'oh!) Still, I really think things should be running faster. The 'Lots of Fast 3D' demo runs at 20FPS. I have just download the new DirectX and that didn't make any difference.

I guess I'll just have to get a PCI card.

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Eric T
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Posted: 16th Dec 2003 17:48 Edited at: 16th Dec 2003 17:48
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Quote: "
- 64 MB Intel Graphics Controller
"


Theres your problem right there, very cheap, slow Vid Controller. That one is designed for applications like MS Word an sh*t like that.

Best fix is to get a new Vid card ( buy a PCI Vid Card.)

I'm sick of Signatures
Former name : Liquidz_Snake
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CattleRustler
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Posted: 16th Dec 2003 17:51 Edited at: 16th Dec 2003 17:51
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pci?

Your problem is the vid card, get a decent agp card and you should be good to go

EDIT: Whoops didn't see the no AGP port thing....get a new motherboard too!!

-RUST-

VB.NET makes me all goose-pimply!
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Eric T
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Posted: 16th Dec 2003 17:52 Edited at: 16th Dec 2003 17:52
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Quote: "get a decent agp card and you should "


His motherboard don't have a AGP slot...

[edit] whoops you corrected yourself]

I'm sick of Signatures
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Chris K
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Posted: 16th Dec 2003 17:53 Edited at: 16th Dec 2003 17:57
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Ok. I thought it wasn't designed for games but I got the impression it would still be Ok at them.

http://www.intel.com/support/graphics/intel845g/feature.htm

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Eric T
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Posted: 16th Dec 2003 17:58
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Quote: "Intel® 82845G "


haha,

My Bro bought a compaq with this exact card, from that day (which was about 30 days ago..lol) given me 900$ to build him a good computer lol. It was even giving him sh*t while playin Counter-Strike.

If i ain't here, i'm probably playing DOA2 Hardcore on the PS2
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OSX Using Happy Dude
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Posted: 16th Dec 2003 17:58
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The Intel graphics card is pretty awful to start with. As you dont have an AGP slot, your best bet would be to get the fastest PCI graphics card you can - which would probably be around the GeForce2 MX or perhaps a GeForce3 (if you can find them).


Did you bring the cloak of invisibility ? Oh damn, I left it in the bag of forgetfulness...
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Chris K
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Posted: 16th Dec 2003 18:03 Edited at: 16th Dec 2003 18:03
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The most annoying thing is that, on my motherboard, where the AGP slot is meant to be, you can see the ends of the wires where the slots should be. It is like Dell deliberately took it off.

Is there any way of putting one in?

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CattleRustler
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Posted: 16th Dec 2003 18:08
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dude, it's not worth it. You can get kick arse Motherboards and video cards cheap...

-RUST-

VB.NET makes me all goose-pimply!
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Chris K
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Posted: 16th Dec 2003 18:18
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This is what I mean. You can't really see but there are actually screw holes there.

I'm sure it would be much easier to add an AGP slot than to fit a new motherboard. Right?

I don't really want to get a PCI vid card as I already have this one:



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the_winch
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Posted: 16th Dec 2003 19:01
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If you got an agp socket and the motherboard is capable of using it then soldering it on could work if other componants arn't missing.

I have never seen a dell without an agp slot before. Even saw one of the newer p4 with the black case the other day and it had an agp slot. Perhaps only the really cheap ones don't have them.

I don't think it's worth the effort of soldering on a slot. If the holes are filled in you would need to drill them all out, and I wouldn't personally use a cheap soldering iron with the joints so close together and on a motherboard.

Just buy a new mother board and don't buy another really cheap mass produced pc without fully checking the specs again.

If you are going to throw the mobo away it would be intresting to see what happens if you solder on a socket.

dbpro : p166mmx @ 233 : 256mb : sb 128pci : sis onboard
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CattleRustler
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Posted: 16th Dec 2003 20:38
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Well, I won't sit here and give a discertation about how to build a computer from scratch, but I will say Motherboards are just another pc component that is easily swapped out. Soldering an AGP card onto a motherboard...I wouldn't suggest it unless you have that level of experience. It would be fun to see if you got it working though, withut frying the rest of your components-heh heh. I would cough up the bucks for a new MB and Vid card, and then use the old MB as a test project like The Winch suggested.

-RUST-

VB.NET makes me all goose-pimply!
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Chris K
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Posted: 16th Dec 2003 20:47
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I don't think I would have to solder on the slot.
I looks like it could just clip/screw on.

There are other Dells, pretty much the same but with an AGP slot, so I guess they used the same motherboard but just didn't set my one up for an AGP slot.

I'll try adding in the slot (fingers crossed).
I'll just have to ask some computer guys for an AGP slot from some crappy old computer.

But hey, I'll have an Alienware one soon anyway

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CattleRustler
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Posted: 16th Dec 2003 21:22
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keep a fire extinguisher near by.
good luck.

keep in mind that one bad pin connection and you are risking frying the mother board and/or possibly every component on it (ie sound, nic, controllers, cpu, mem etc etc etc etc etc etc etc

-RUST-

VB.NET makes me all goose-pimply!
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Chris K
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Posted: 16th Dec 2003 22:51
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Are PCI cards more expensive?

I got my 128MB GeForce 4 for £40.

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OSX Using Happy Dude
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Posted: 16th Dec 2003 23:11
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They are unfortunately, although not by that much - if you can find them around...


Did you bring the cloak of invisibility ? Oh damn, I left it in the bag of forgetfulness...
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Dave J
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Posted: 16th Dec 2003 23:23
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If you are going to try putting in an AGP slot, remember to slim down almost everything else that's in your computer first. Ie, get rid of any extra RAM, HDD, and unnescessary components.


"Computers are useless they can only give you answers."
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HZence
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Posted: 16th Dec 2003 23:31
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Yeah man you really gotta be careful about this kind of thing. IE when I bough my Dell, I didn't realize that my case was so small that I wouldn't be able to fit a standard AGP graphics card inside of it. Right now I'm using a PCI

Just goes to show, the only reason Dell's America's #1 PC is because America knows nothing about computers, lol.


Team EOD :: Programmer/Storyboard Assistant
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Preston C
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Posted: 16th Dec 2003 23:43
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Quote: "Just goes to show, the only reason Dell's America's #1 PC is because America knows nothing about computers, lol."


And the few of us that do know about computers dont have the power to prove they arent. God, its like for every 1 person who's good with computers, there are 6 more that think you could make a computer run faster if you would move the mouse rapidly

America, Land of the Uneducated Future


Intel Celeron 1.3 Ghrz 512MB Ram NVIDIA GeForceFX 5200 128MB
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Scraggle
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Posted: 19th Dec 2003 17:25
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If you do plan on buying an new motherboard so that you can use you existing AGP graphics card, then I would suggest you test the card first before relying on it.

The reason ....? In your photo you have got it sitting on a carpet. You might have fried it with static electricity.

GOD exists and his name is Jonny Wilkinson

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Phaelax
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Posted: 19th Dec 2003 20:45
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Problem 1: integrated video
Problem 2: Celeron cpu


I have a 64mb GF3 TI200, and UT2k3 even runs a little choppy at some spots for me, even whent he settings are set at low quality.(which still looks good)
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Ronaldaveo
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Posted: 19th Dec 2003 21:29
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I always thought that dell uses custom power connecters for the motherboard in their machines? If this is so then a regular motherboard would not be compatable and therefore you would have to buy one from dell. If I'm wrong let me know.

RefuG

AMD Athlon XP 3000+ 200FSB ; 256MB PC3200 ; Radeon 9800SE AIW
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