Video Card Help Please!

S

Sundsvall

Joined
Jun 25, 2002
Messages
1,559
Hi Guys,

I have to upgrade the video card in my 2009 Dell desktop computer.

Long story short, my HD died. I bought and installed a new hard drive and reinstalled windows. The current video card is OEM and built into the motherboard.

Here's the rub.

:Dell wants me to pay $100 to get the drivers for it. That's total BS because I paid for the hardware and software when I bought the machine. Dell insists that I need "Dell Support" and since the machine is off warranty, I will have to pay for "support" to get my drivers.

The dell database for my machine does not include Video Card drivers. I've already checked and searched using the id code on the label on the case.

I am still running Windows XP Home Edition and have a 250 watt power supply; so I know it won't support the latest and greatest gadgets.


If I have to pay anyway, I would rather spend the money on a new video card.

Any suggestions on what to look for?

Thanx!


PS. Don't buy any Desktop computers from Dell. Their proprietary hardware platform is total BS. I am building my next computer with off the shelf parts. I should be able to make a better computer for less money.
 
I've worked on more Dells than I care to recall and have never ran into your problem. Are you sure you cant find the driver for it online anywhere else ? Is it an Intel video chipset ?
What slots do you have available on your pc ? You can still get a good AGP card for a lot cheaper now , but if your pc happens to have a PCIexpress slot then your really in luck. Another problem is say you have an AGP slot or a PCIexpress slot , then you are going to have to upgrade your power supply , moderncards , even made a few years ago are going to want more than your present PSU can supply , now , If all you have are regular pci slots then you are out of luck unless you can find an old pci card somewhere online.

Sound complicated ? :D

Are you able to swing a new pc ? That might be your overall best bet , you do NOT have to spend an arm and a leg to have a nice PC these days , they have dropped in price dramatically unles you want some intense Alienware machine or something.

My new pc cost me under $350 and that is with a good Nvidia video card ( pci-e) ,a good sound card , 500 watt PSU, dual core intel mainboard and cpu and two gb's of ram. I used my existing hard drive , case and dvd burner.

Lastly , I assume you lost the driver CD that originally came with your pc ? Dell is pluggin you hard for those drivers , that is not just regular BS , it is total BS !

Hope this helps.

Tostig
 
PS. Don't buy any Desktop computers from Dell. Their proprietary hardware platform is total BS. I am building my next computer with off the shelf parts. I should be able to make a better computer for less money.
Click to expand...

Everyone else figured that out about ten years ago. :D

Are you sure you cant find the driver for it online anywhere else ?
Click to expand...

I've had problems working on OEM computers before, where the manufacturer changed the component just enough to break the generic drivers. Still, there should be a driver out there somewhere that's compatible.

Exactly what sort of onboard graphics is it?

I assume you lost the driver CD that originally came with your pc ?
Click to expand...

Most computers don't come with backup CDs nowadays. A recovery partition is more common, but completely useless if the hard drive goes bad.

The potential problem I see is the 250 watt power supply. It may not be enough to run a real graphic card, depending on what else the computer has installed. And check this, Dell has been known to use non-standard power supplies so a regular off the shelf upgrade may not work. Regardless, if you have to upgrade the power supply and graphics, and hard drive, it'd be wise to invest in a new machine.


really, a 250 watt power supply in a new computer from 2009?!? C'mon, Dell​

If I have to pay anyway, I would rather spend the money on a new video card. Any suggestions on what to look for?
Click to expand...

What's the model number of your Dell? I can check the online specs and see what sort of slots are available on the motherboard.
 
I am looking for drivers for this card: Radeon HD3450 (256MB PCI-Express x16 RV620)

I found multiple versions of it on Dell's site: However, my graphics is running on 256 color mode.

The installation lamented for installing .net framework. I have tried installing it with no success.

I have a clean install of XP. I haven't patched it up yet, so I am going to try that first. Then a reinstallation of .net framework and then reinstallation of the video driver.
 
You're very welcome.

You should take the driver files that worked and burn them onto a CD for next time. Finding drivers for older hardware can be a nightmare.
 
Bob W said:
You're very welcome.

You should take the driver files that worked and burn them onto a CD for next time. Finding drivers for older hardware can be a nightmare.
Click to expand...

I have too drives now. So I backed up everything to the second drive. I am going to get another HD and clone the main drive weekly as a backup.

I can't write to my DVD-R right now because I lack the Roxio authoring software. The drive will do it but I need a program to run it.
 
I can't write to my DVD-R right now because I lack the Roxio authoring software. The drive will do it but I need a program to run it.
Click to expand...

Windows XP and newer can write to CD/DVD-RW drives without any additional software.
 
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