Video Card Problem?

[RyanLP]

When I click to start Fallout 3, a message pops up that says, "Failed to initialize renderer. Hardware T&L required, but not supported by adapter."

 

I'm guessing this has to do with the vertex shader and HW Transform & Lightening, which aren't supported by my graphics card.

So now I'm looking into a new graphics card, but I really am clueless about computers. So could someone be as kind as to telling me how to check which graphics cards my computer is compatible with? I have an intel core 2 duo processor and my computer is a dell optiplex 745. Right now I'm using a GMA 3000 graphics card, which is apparently integrated.

 

Some kind gentlemen have taken the time to find me some nicely priced graphics cards, however I'm not sure if my computer is compatible with them. So please help me out!

 

Graphics cards...

 

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?sk...d=1218071137169

 

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16814150416

[gsmanners]

Your links are 404'd.

 

Can't really help without more information. If you have a desktop model, then you may be in luck. Otherwise, you're stuck with that video, I think.

 

The X1300 Pro (which the Dell site suggests) should be a sufficient upgrade for Fallout 3, provided you have the PCIe slot to put it in.

[RyanLP]

Sorry bout the links, I'll Search up the names for you...

Thanks a lot by the way man, I know I suck at computers and I appreciate you taking the time to help me.

 

1.) PNY - NVIDIA GeForce 9400 GT 1GB DDR2 PCI Express Graphics Card

 

2.) XFX PVT96OZDFA GeForce 9600 GSO 1GB 128-bit DDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail

[Gishank]

By far, get the 9600. It's the best card out of the two, and will run Fallout 3 at its highest settings with ease, assuming you have a decent processor.

[bben46]

Before grabbing any video card do some research.

Be sure your motherboard supports that type - PCIE is the latest style, and many older boards do not have the proper slot for it - Check first.

 

Size - many replacement video cards take up more than one slot (not physically, as in 2 pcie slots), but as in they are wide and block access to the slot next to them. Be sure you can live without that particular slot

 

Length, some cards will be significantly longer than the current board. be sure it will fit, and that it will not block access to some other feature on your motherboard, such as the SATA connectors, RAM slots or processor heat sinks or fans.

 

Power. very important - does the new card need more power than your current power supply? and does your current supply have any needed special connectors for the new Video card?

 

If your stock power supply is 300 watts, and your new video card requires 250 Watts, that only leaves 50 watts to run everything else. Something will fry, hopefully not something too expensive.

 

A failing power supply can destroy everything in you computer, and most stock supplies are not powerful enough to power new video cards.

 

Signs your power supply is too small -

random restarting - the 5 volts is being loaded down

Video anomalies such as flickering colors, odd colors, things in the game change colors, sudden changes in video resolution, video freezes. screen shrinks, then returns to original size.

You hear the fan change speeds - the 12 volts is being loaded down.

[nosisab]

Sorry bout the links, I'll Search up the names for you...

Thanks a lot by the way man, I know I suck at computers and I appreciate you taking the time to help me.

 

1.) PNY - NVIDIA GeForce 9400 GT 1GB DDR2 PCI Express Graphics Card

 

2.) XFX PVT96OZDFA GeForce 9600 GSO 1GB 128-bit DDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail

Follow bben46 advices, they may spare you from sorry, everything under 450 W (RMS) is bad news, don't rely on manufacturers that boost high potency 'under certain circumstances' like occurs in audio industry.

 

both cards are under the ideal specs, again that 1gb VRAM may be misleading, for a small amount more (or even the same) you can get the 9600 GT or GTS DDR3 256 bits that will be a MUCH better card even if boosting only 512 MB VRAM. Actually these cards can rival the bigger brother 8800 GT or 9600 GT for having a higher clock (the GTX are the ones that have the same clock as the 9600 GT). But this is valid only for the 9600 series, the 8800GT is way better than the 8600GT.

 

Finally, you can get even the 250, that are the 9x series with the new technology used in the 2xx series, what implies less power hungry and 'cool' cards and have the same, maybe a bit higher performance than the 9800GTX.

 

As you can see, those suffix are very important and the series 'GS' normally are crippled cards, something like having less shader processors or the likes.

[RyanLP]

Before grabbing any video card do some research.

Be sure your motherboard supports that type - PCIE is the latest style, and many older boards do not have the proper slot for it - Check first.

 

Size - many replacement video cards take up more than one slot (not physically, as in 2 pcie slots), but as in they are wide and block access to the slot next to them. Be sure you can live without that particular slot

 

Length, some cards will be significantly longer than the current board. be sure it will fit, and that it will not block access to some other feature on your motherboard, such as the SATA connectors, RAM slots or processor heat sinks or fans.

 

Power. very important - does the new card need more power than your current power supply? and does your current supply have any needed special connectors for the new Video card?

 

If your stock power supply is 300 watts, and your new video card requires 250 Watts, that only leaves 50 watts to run everything else. Something will fry, hopefully not something too expensive.

 

A failing power supply can destroy everything in you computer, and most stock supplies are not powerful enough to power new video cards.

 

Signs your power supply is too small -

random restarting - the 5 volts is being loaded down

Video anomalies such as flickering colors, odd colors, things in the game change colors, sudden changes in video resolution, video freezes. screen shrinks, then returns to original size.

You hear the fan change speeds - the 12 volts is being loaded down.

 

This is so hard for me to check haha. How do I check the size and stuff?

I can't find ANY info on my card online, but I have the other one right there.

Thanks for the help though, I think I'm having someone check out that info for me so I can compare it to those two.

 

But in the mean time, does anyone know where I can find that info on my graphics card?

 

Scratch that, I just found some stuff, but I don't know how useful it is. I'm not getting some of this computer stuff.

Here's the link if you want to take a look. http://www.neeyik.info/3dspecs/3dspecs_dx9sm2.html#intel

 

(Edit) Alright, the size and everything checks out as far as I can tell. My computer does have PCI express unit, now all I need to know is where can I find out anything about the power supply?

[Skotte]

info on the power supply is typically on the side of it, I'd look for a box inside the the computer case where the cord plugs in

 

Card size:

 

generally in the description or specs of a card for sale they usually list how long a card is, you should measure the inside of the computer case inline with the PCI-E to see how long you could go if you needed

[gsmanners]

You really need to know the version of PCIe you have, as well. For example, the 9600 you listed above is intended for a PCIe 2.0 slot. An ordinary PCIe slot will not do in that case.

[JimboUK]

Have a look in the other thread you started, we found your PC and if it's the minitower then you do have PCI-E. However you also only have a 305w power supply, that will need to be upgraded.