Oblivion on Vista ?

[myrmaad]

Thanks Dezi. :)

 

 

Unfortunately that video card is pretty beat.

 

It looks like you have the latest version of the driver, but you can create a Dell account at the Dell website, and put in your service tag number (it's probably on the back of your PC) and all the specs for your system will show up, as well as any updates for your drivers.

 

I would first try to find an update for the driver, but then I'd call Dell and ask them what video card upgrade they'd recommend. I wouldn't buy it from them, though. Write down the name and model of the Card they recommend, and then do some google searches to see if you can get one cheaper than their price. If you can't, call them back and buy it from them, they are pretty fast shippers, after all.

 

It's not terribly difficult to install a new video card, your manual should have details on how to do it.

 

First though, try to find a new driver.

 

Looks a bit doubtful..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_GMA

 

Optionally, I'd definitely look into recommendations, such as the ATI card Pedantic recommended.

[ubercookie]

Thank you so much, you're so helpful!

[pedantic]

Thanks for the mention Myrmaad, I um, one of my PC's is also a Dell (dez) :biggrin:

The cards I listed are the available options from Dell when you pre-order/configure your PC.

 

My Dell has been robbed of most of it's guts (which I re-used in another home built) and is now working with a celeron D inserted in it from some old heap I had. I even gave it a lobotomy. The Dell is robust, if nothing else, and has served me well. ( I think I frighten it) :whistling:

[catmagnet]

If you don't like the choices offered by Dell for whatever reasons one thing to mind will be power consumption of the desired new gfx-card. Many manufacturers tend to sacrifice not so obvious things as decent power supply units in favor of sexy cpus and such, esspecially if they are using chipset grafics for the system. You wouldn't believe what kind of weird issues stem from insufficent PSUs. Taking a look at available connections is also a smart thing to do. Smartest of all is of course to ignore me as I have that thing going with dells.

[pedantic]

If you don't like the choices offered by Dell for whatever reasons one thing to mind will be power consumption of the desired new gfx-card. Many manufacturers tend to sacrifice not so obvious things as decent power supply units in favor of sexy cpus and such, esspecially if they are using chipset grafics for the system. You wouldn't believe what kind of weird issues stem from insufficent PSUs. Taking a look at available connections is also a smart thing to do. Smartest of all is of course to ignore me as I have that thing going with dells.

 

 

You are quite right Catmagnet ... That's why my Dell got cannibalised. I should have bought the more expensive XPS was it? When I upgraded the memory, and added just a single simple floppy drive, the thing started overheating and ... even just playing cards in might and magic was enough ... displaying the dreaded BSOD. (yes, it was multi-boot XP SP3 + W98 OSR2 - both FAT32)

 

I still swear by Dell though, they offer a range of builds (from WP to the ultimate gamer) with good reason. They're blinkin' expensive for what they are though - but they do look good :biggrin:

[catmagnet]

As you asked for my opinion: No, you shouldn't have thrown more money at them. I've yet to see a readymade system that can compete with a custom build. Of course, it involves some research, but if you can spare the time you won't regret it. And in my opiinion that time is well invested as you'll know your machne inside out and back and forth, so the initial amount of time is usually more than compensated later on by the time you don't have to waste on finding out what the heck the inerts of the thing are and waiting for support to react. But again, this is just my opinion and maybe I'm showing my age here as some might consider that kind of approach a bit old-school. For me it always worked best and was way cheaper too, as it's my decision what goes in and I can plan an upgrade path over the whole lifespan of the machine. I won't deny that takes some experience though. But you seem halfways down that road anyway, so I'd encourage you to also do the last steps.

[pedantic]

Yes I've always built my own PC's as a rule. On this occassion though I just wanted a rig to revisit my old DOS games, heck - some aren't even that old. I'm guessing you're an old git like me, stuck in his ways. But, age is making me lazy as far as simple tasks are concerned. So, you'll hopefully understand why - for a no brainer rig - I thought a ready made Dell would be adequate. (cough) Even though this was a false assumption. It run's ok without the floppy drive and by using just 512 MB ram (and a pen drive) it's stable again. It's a great little surfer in fact but hopeless for anything any more strenuous than Arx Fatalis games wise.

 

As you seem to be a bit of a ferret, can you name a relatively up to date MB that would still support a multi-boot OS? All I could find was the Asrock P4VM800 Socket 478 which still claims to support W98 OSR2 - and it does( I put one in my off-line games rig, the Oblivion Machine). But it's nearly Xmas, and time for a new baby. Bigger, better, faster, stronger... you know how it is...

[myrmaad]

Yes I've always built my own PC's as a rule. On this occassion though I just wanted a rig to revisit my old DOS games, heck - some aren't even that old. I'm guessing you're an old git like me, stuck in his ways. But, age is making me lazy as far as simple tasks are concerned. So, you'll hopefully understand why - for a no brainer rig - I thought a ready made Dell would be adequate. (cough) Even though this was a false assumption. It run's ok without the floppy drive and by using just 512 MB ram (and a pen drive) it's stable again. It's a great little surfer in fact but hopeless for anything any more strenuous than Arx Fatalis games wise.

 

As you seem to be a bit of a ferret, can you name a relatively up to date MB that would still support a multi-boot OS? All I could find was the Asrock P4VM800 Socket 478 which still claims to support W98 OSR2 - and it does( I put one in my off-line games rig, the Oblivion Machine). But it's nearly Xmas, and time for a new baby. Bigger, better, faster, stronger... you know how it is...

 

 

I've bought many Dells for myself and for family members. I've always upgraded the Video card as a rule.

 

I've built my own custom PCs, too, from the mobo up. I bought this HP last september because it wasn't a bad system and they knocked a big chunk off of it (it was a floor model at Sam's Club) and it was less than I could have built one for, and I didn't have to go through the PIA. My eyes aren't what they used to be, and convenience is king these days.

 

You could do worse, and that one will probably work out fine if you put a halfway decent video card in it.

[pedantic]

Aw .. don't tell me you're getting old too, myrmaad. You look so young, and adorably cute, in that sig of yours .. :biggrin: