Video card question

[joycem10]

Im pretty computer illiterate.

I just got a new computer from my company, a Dell Dimension 2400. I havent picked up CIV IV yet but was thinking about giving it a try after its patched and the price drops. Given the problems alot of people are having with ATI video cards, I want to check and see what card is installed in my comp.

Can anyone tell me how to determine the type of card? Is it necessary to open it up and take a look at the card or is that info in the system somewhere?

 

[Cedric Greene]

Open "Run" and type "dxdiag" click on display tab and it should tell you the name.

 

[Speedo]

IIRC the dimension 2400 comes with an integrated intel graphics chip.... I doubt it will be adequate for Civ4.

 

[joycem10]

IIRC the dimension 2400 comes with an integrated intel graphics chip.... I doubt it will be adequate for Civ4.

Thanks for the bad news. When you say an "integrated graphics chip" does that mean I would be unable to pull and replace the video card?

Dont know if I want to spend another chunk of cash for a video card just to play civ4, but I would like to know if I have the option.

 

[The Person]

I had a 2400 once, and I can confirm that it has integrated graphics. What's worse is that it doesn't have any AGP or PCI-E expansion slots, so you can't upgrade your graphics at all. The only thing to do is to buy a new comp, as I doubt you can fit a standard motherboard into a Dell case.

 

[joycem10]

Thanks for the tip. Guess I'll stick to Civ3.

 

[Maniacal]

I have a 2350, I hate it. Dells are good for offices only.

 

[CruddyLeper]

What you COULD do is fit a PCI (not PCI express) nVidia 5700. That would work... just about.

Not sure what the equivalent ATI card is that's available in PCI format.

 

[joycem10]

What you COULD do is fit a PCI (not PCI express) nVidia 5700. That would work... just about.

Not sure what the equivalent ATI card is that's available in PCI format.

If the board does not have an expansion slot, where would I put the card?

 

[CruddyLeper]

Dell say it has PCI slots.

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/pro...00?c=us&cs=28&l=en&s=dfb&~tab=specstab#tabtop

Just to check, have a look inside - if it's got any slots they'll be PCI.

Not as fast as AGP, but the machine is displaying through a 5700, Civ 4 should work just fine.

To check it will take the card - the machine should have some sort of BIOS message when it starts up. "Press F10 to enter CMOS setup" or "Press Del to enter BIOS".

Press the relevant key, use the arrrow keys to move about, Enter to select and ESC to go back to the previous menu. Is there an option to turn off the onboard video card?

If there isn't, then Dell won't let you use anything but the onboard video card anyway. If there is, then it set it to use PCI video, ESC back to the front menu, and remember to EXIT SAVING changes.

The machine will reset. Turn if off before it starts loading Windows, fit your card, plug the monitor into the new graphics card, turn on, and install a driver for the card when it gets to Windows (nearly always included anyway, but you can download latest drivers from nVidia or ATI anyway).

 

[joycem10]

CL, thanks for the tips. I got around to opening it up and it does have a PCI slot and after playing around for a while it appears the machine will accept a PCI card.

I'll probably get around to doing it in a couple of months. Thanks again.