I'm in terrible trouble Internodians!

[somesortofgamingnerd]

Greetings " "

I have two concerns at the moment.

1) Since I've installed this new hard drive I get the blue screen of death when trying to shut down (90% of time) then my computer restarts without shutting down. I then turn the computer off at the back switch - nothing has fried yet. I'm thinking hardware issue - motherboard - done the disk check 5 times now it doesnt even bother asking for one on start up.

2) I recently bought a GTX460 and I think it is too big for my motherboard and am almost certain my PSU, and I think it may be even too big for my case. I was slightly intoxicated and I felt like having a bidding war on ebay. I was also looking at the Wikipedia page for graphics cards on the same day and that induced me for whatever reason to upgrade (when there is no point I can finally see, SaNe told me otherwise). The options are 1) Try putting it in, if it at all works (doubtful) 2) Re-selling it to someone else, making a small loss 3) Leave it here in my room and admire it. I think the 2nd would be the best option but I could try the first,but not sure where the extra power connectors go on mobo.

[Nightstaar]

1) So the new HDD is the one in your signature? Is it your main HDD? If so, did you do a fresh install?

2) I'm assuming your current card is a PCI-E variety? If so, the 460 should fit on the motherboard, although I doubt it would give much of a performance improvement considering your other specs. Fitting in your case is another matter and having the right/enough connectors from your PSU depends on what kind it is.

[ChainsawMcP]

I think the 2nd would be the best option but I could try the first,but not sure where the extra power connectors go on mobo.

Wow - I've heard of 4 pin Molex power OUT of a motherboard - but I've never seen it. I wouldn't use it...

Your motherboard has a 20 pin power connector and a separate 4 pin power connector - both of these are connected from the PSU

Your GTX460 probably has two 6 pin connectors - your PSU is probably old enough that it has none - you can use adapters but you'll probably run out of connections (each 6 pin should be connected to two Molex/4 pin)

Trying to upgrade a PC of this age is fraught with problems - usually better to save for a while - you can probably buy a complete low end PC that's considerably more powerful, for not much more than you would spend on any components.

[somesortofgamingnerd]

Yes the HDD was a fresh install.

[Long John]

Greetings " "

I have two concerns at the moment.

1) Since I've installed this new hard drive I get the blue screen of death when trying to shut down (90% of time) then my computer restarts without shutting down. I then turn the computer off at the back switch - nothing has fried yet. I'm thinking hardware issue - motherboard - done the disk check 5 times now it doesnt even bother asking for one on start up.

2) I recently bought a GTX460 and I think it is too big for my motherboard and am almost certain my PSU, and I think it may be even too big for my case. I was slightly intoxicated and I felt like having a bidding war on ebay. I was also looking at the Wikipedia page for graphics cards on the same day and that induced me for whatever reason to upgrade (when there is no point I can finally see, SaNe told me otherwise). The options are 1) Try putting it in, if it at all works (doubtful) 2) Re-selling it to someone else, making a small loss 3) Leave it here in my room and admire it. I think the 2nd would be the best option but I could try the first,but not sure where the extra power connectors go on mobo.

For Q's 1 - Might not have anything remotely to do with the HDD. Could be a application, driver or hardware. Event viewer often has some useful info that may help if you post some screenshots up.

For Q's 2 - The extra 4-pin you have is probably be for motherboards that have 24-pin connections - Yours probably uses 20 + the CPU 4-pin. It wont work for a PCI-E power.

Im going to take a hunch that the PSU is as old as your other parts but it would help if you supplied the detail on the side of your PSU. The card will work on your system if you get a new 450w+ PSU and requires 2 x 6-pin PCI-E power (most budget PSU's have 1, so you'll need a 4-pin molex converter for the other), but your CPU will bottleneck it bad - You'll see an improvement, but nowhere near what the 460 can do on a faster dual/quad CPU.

AMD offer better un-powered GPU's then Nvidia. You can get a budget HD6670 for a sing-song now or a HD7750 - Id recommend one of these if you chose to sell it.

[Bek]

Maybe you should have followed the advice given last time you posted here and upgraded your archaic rig instead of ignoring everything suggested and trying to patch up your leaking boat, hoping something wouldn't bugger up.

[ashman1991]

Maybe you should have followed the advice given last time you posted here and upgraded your archaic rig instead of ignoring everything suggested and trying to patch up your leaking boat, hoping something wouldn't bugger up.

Wait for it...

[Instinx]

Maybe you should have followed the advice given last time you posted here and upgraded your archaic rig instead of ignoring everything suggested and trying to patch up your leaking boat, hoping something wouldn't bugger up.

haha

He is gonna need a bigger boat...

[Clontarf[X]]

And a rather large paddle.

[Treloar]

For Number 1 - the HDD issue, I've had a pc do similar due to a dodgy data cable to the sata HDD, try another cable and tell us if it still does it

For Number 2 - I assume ChainsawMCP wants you to use something like the following image to accommodate your card:


I looked your motherboard up, assuming the one in your sig is the motherboard in question, and the extra connection on the motherboard that would fit a molex connection from your PSU is a SLI/XFIRE Power Connector to provide extra power when you have two graphics cards in.

It may be a possibility that slotting in a graphics card with demanding power requirements may need this attached, but I wouldnt think so.

[ChainsawMcP]

For Number 2 - I assume ChainsawMCP wants you to use something like the following image to accommodate your card:

I'm actually suggesting he not even try - because he will probably need TWO of those - which would take up FOUR Molex connectors from the PSU... If the PSU is as old as the rest of the rig would suggest then it probably only HAS four Molex connectors...

I wouldn't use the mobo Molex - it routes power through the board that doesn't need to be there - without really helping the connector count in any way - the graphics card will fail boot without power through the six pin connectors

[somesortofgamingnerd]

So I ended up getting outside help for this one. I may as well ease everyone's suspense as I know you're dying to fing out what happened. Listen. This is what happened:

1) Needed to remove CD drive as it was in way of new graphics card. Had to get smaller drive - SSD I think they call themselves

2) PSU was apparently a good one - TruePower so it could handle it

3) Motherboard decides not to be able to recognise new hardware

4) Man insists being able to fix the problem through Windows 7 upgrade, I say not dual core processor and not designed for Windows 7, motherboard.

5) Insists further

6) Agreed to install new operating system but PCI Express slot still not recognising hardware even though recognises GT430 fine

7) Insists on new motherboard, presumably as to not waste a WIN7 license

8) Insists further

9) New specs:

1) MB: G41M-Combo
CPU: Pentium D 820
RAM: 2GB of my old DDR2 ram (will need to upgrade to much faster DDR3 in future)
GRAPHICS: THE ALMIGHTY GTX 460.

Also new CD drive as mentioned, and new power supply 750 watt as apparently inside the old one it was having problems.

Basically a new computer. Cost wise with the new HD and gfx card it was probably worth holding back but yeah I've been a bit swindled. Still below 400 (formatted everything as well as license key, genuine office as well) and should be able to recoup a tiny bit by selling off old GFX and ram.

Positives: Screen clarity looks much better even on my 940N. Maybe Win7 helps out. System is much quieter. General applications faster., Win 7 runs fine

Negatives: Given an old processor - it's a 775 socket but not even on the compatible list on the MB's Gigabyte site. It doesn't even have HT like my old one! Ran CS:GO with new, higher default graphics settings, laggyer than before - must be the dodgy 2gb DDR2 ram - or must update my GFX drivers - installed ones from 2010 for some reason. These can be upgraded to quad core and DDR3 if I can stop the bottleneck from leaking even more.

My main issue now is that when I go to my Realtek HD audio and set up 5.1 surround sound, it works fine in the app but when I play music or anything else, sound only comes out of my 2 side speakers (**** quality). He had it on 2.1 stereo before and it seemed to come out nice quality with sub, but I fiddled with it to 5.1 and now for some reason it refuses to 5.1 in programs like iTunes or anything else. It only has 3 back panel audio jacks this MB which I don't like as I now don't have a spare mic one so I can't converse with all my mates on CS (case is the same as before). Settings maybe wrong though...

So there you ave it - the perfect upgrade, minus a few bottlenecks for the next upgrade! Thoughts, comments, questions?

[Auld]

Should have listened to the various people on here who advised you of cheap upgrades. Sounds like the one you got has various issues and old/out of warranty parts.

$400 down the drain.

[ChainsawMcP]

1) MB: G41M-Combo
CPU: Pentium D 820
RAM: 2GB of my old DDR2 ram (will need to upgrade to much faster DDR3 in future)

Thoughts, comments, questions?

And here you have the reason we told you to do a complete system instead of a bits and pieces approach... ...

You CAN'T put DDR3 in that motherboard - when you do decide to upgrade to DDR3 you'll need ANOTHER new motherboard...


New - current tech - low end - but would defecate from a great height on your existing system

Mobo $70
CPU $200
RAM (4Gb) $25
Win7 OEM licence - less than $100

Those along with your existing parts (PSU, case, HDD) would give you a system that was only limited by the GPU... ... the not so almighty GTX 460...

1) Needed to remove CD drive as it was in way of new graphics card. Had to get smaller drive - SSD I think they call themselves


yeah I've been a bit swindled. Still below 400


System is much quieter.


the perfect upgrade, minus a few bottlenecks for the next upgrade!

You didn't get an SSD (Solid State Drive) for that price - you may have a SFF (Small Form Factor) CD drive

You didn't get swindled - you chose to ignore good advice and then paid reasonable market rates to try to give you what YOU asked for

Must have been a very noisy CD drive - since that's the only noise making part that was replaced (apparently)

Far from perfect - and no upgrade path... you asked for directions - ignored them - went to the very end of a dead end path - and then went off the path and got yourself even further off the upgrade track

[Ashigaru]

You have just made my day. Your utter lack of understanding when it comes to computers boggles the mind. For someone who seems to happy to dive in and buy separate pieces to a system you don't even understand is laughable.

Unless you're some kind of troll, I have no idea why you would ask multiple times for assistance in getting a PC repaired that should have been led out to pasture 3 years ago.

Best way to upgrade a PC more than 3 years old is to start from scratch. Anything you spend to keep it going at ALL is a waste of money. Hope you enjoyed a drunken bidding war that's led you to piss away $400.

EDIT: In light of the fact you did ask for some genuine feedback, my honest to god feedback would be this:

Spend some time before you decide to upgrade or purchase new bits and bobs for your computer. Actually sit down and read what Ram goes in what motherboard, and what harddrive size windows can handle. Most importantly listen. You had a lot of good replies in this thread alone (not to mention the last one) advising you on what you should do to upgrade or fix your ageing PC. Use them next time.