memory upgrade

[Korky48]

I have an HP pavilion 2 years old and have recently upgraded the memory, I was advised to install 2 X 1GB modules in the 2 vacant slots. These are from Crucial PC2-5300-DDR2 667mhz as is the memory already installed. I have 2 problems, when I checked the status with PC doctor it states that I have removed the original memory which of course is incorrect. the bios setting states 4 times 1 GB, however when i used a program Balerc Adviser it states that i only have 3.5GB on board. any idea why there is this conflict? and the PC does not appear to be any faster, I have Vista installed with all updates so far.

My next question is that I want to install a better Graphics card as the PC has a GeForce 6150SE and i think this uses PC memory, if i install a 512 MB card do I have to disconnect anything as the monitor connection appears to be on the motherboard.

[DavidPK]

Hi,

The 3.5GB of ram showing is correct.  This is the physical limit of the amount of memory addressable by a 32 bit operating system, ie you could have 8GB of ram installed but a 32 bit OS will only be able to address about 3.5GB of it.

Regarding your graphics card, post back with the Model No. of your PC ( ie dv5-1130ea ).  As you already have a graphics card installed, you would need to open up your PC, remove the old card and replace it with the new one - which is easy to do.  You do have to make certain however that the new card will work with the Power Supply Unit you have in your PC (  ie it doesn't want more power than your PSU can deliver ).  You also need to know the type of graphics slot in your PC ( PCI, AGP, PCI Express x 16) as this will also dictate what type of card you can install.

Hope this helps.

Best wishes,

DP-K

[Korky48]

Hi thanks for the advice. the model number is a6202uk and i think the graphics is on the main board as the monitor connection is not on a separate board.

korky48

[Big_Dave]

Korky,

Unplug your PC and open it up. Read the label on the power supply (PSU).  What is the total wattage and the amperage on the 12+ volt bus?  The amount of 12+ volt amperage is important when selecting a video card.

If the PSU is not 300 watts or more then finding a decent video will be a problem.

Your PC has a PCI-E x16 video card slot that can be used for a descrite video card.

[DavidPK]

Hi,

You're correct that the graphics chip is on your Motherboard.  However looking at the specifications of this board it has a free PCI Express x16 slot which should allow you to install a better graphics adapter.  Installing a graphics card is not difficult.  Shut down the PC and unplug the mains power adapter then open up the computer.  Ground yourself or wear an antistatic wrist band before touching the inside of your PC.  To install the card, remove the metal blank plate in front of the PCI Express x16 slot, insert the card firmly and secure it to the surround where you removed the metal blank.  Close the PC and boot up.  The computer should automatically register the addition of the card and use it as your default graphics device.  Depending on the type of card you purchase, you may have to install driver software before installing the card though more usually the drivers are installed after the card.

Before purchasing a graphics card you will need to know the Wattage of the Power Supply Unit in your PC.  There is no point buying a card that requires 400Watts if your computer can only supply 250Watts - it just won't work.

If you are uncertain of the Wattage of your PSU, if you open the PC up ( after taking the precautions mentioned above ) you should see the rated output on a sticker on the PSU ( the writing may be very small!! ).

A brief video showing how to install a graphics card is on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ILrq7lMe-0

Hope this helps.

Best wishes,

DP-K

[Korky48]

thank you again for your help supply is 300watts i found this card here in the Uk at a great price will it be OK as I see no powere rating in the following specs,

• Product Description: ASUS EN8400GS/P - graphics adapter - GF 8400 GS - 512 MB

[DavidPK]

Hi,

The card you mentioned in your post will work perfectly.

This is a card I've often seen recommended on here for a 300W Power Supply and comes with 1GB of onboard memory.  The one on the link below has DDR3 memory, but you can get the same model with DDR5, although it costs more.

http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?q=GeForce+GT+240+Video+Card&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GBf...

Hope this helps.

Best wishes,

DP-K

[Korky48]

your a star great thank you very much for your help.

[DavidPK]

Hi,

You're welcome.

All the best,

DP-K