Power supply and video cards 2

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I have contacted Compaq/HP to find out if I can get a larger power supply for
my computer than the 250 watt one that I currently have now. They have told
me that they strongly recommend not to get a bigger power supply, because my
computer is not designed for a bigger power supply. They said that if the
video card(FX5200) needs a bigger power supply, then it should not be used in
my computer, and the warranty will not cover any damage if third party
hardware is added. Does this mean that I have come to a dead end with my
computer as far as upgrading to a better video card goes? Is a whole new
computer the only thing I can look at doing now?
 
confused said:
I have contacted Compaq/HP to find out if I can get a larger power
supply for my computer than the 250 watt one that I currently have
now. They have told me that they strongly recommend not to get a
bigger power supply, because my computer is not designed for a bigger
power supply. They said that if the video card(FX5200) needs a bigger
power supply, then it should not be used in my computer, and the
warranty will not cover any damage if third party hardware is added.
Does this mean that I have come to a dead end with my computer as far
as upgrading to a better video card goes? Is a whole new computer the
only thing I can look at doing now?
Click to expand...

Yes and yes. I'm sorry, but you don't have a gaming machine there.
Compaqs are known for not being particularly upgradeable, particularly
the older models.

Malke
 
You have a proprietary machine, and the manufacturer will do anything to
make you get any upgrades from them - including voiding the warranty if you
add any 3rd party hardware.

If you want a truly upgradeable computer buy your next one from a custom
builder who uses standard "off the shelf" parts.

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
 
I had an HP Pavilion and installed a GeForce FX5200 Video card
with the standard 250W power supply. I experienced no problems
whatsoever.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User
Microsoft Community Newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com/

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:

| I have contacted Compaq/HP to find out if I can get a larger power supply for
| my computer than the 250 watt one that I currently have now. They have told
| me that they strongly recommend not to get a bigger power supply, because my
| computer is not designed for a bigger power supply. They said that if the
| video card(FX5200) needs a bigger power supply, then it should not be used in
| my computer, and the warranty will not cover any damage if third party
| hardware is added. Does this mean that I have come to a dead end with my
| computer as far as upgrading to a better video card goes? Is a whole new
| computer the only thing I can look at doing now?
 
Low end video adapter like that shouldn't need any power "upgrade". The
FX5200 isn't particularly well suited to anything other than filling an
AGP slot and being compatible with DX9.
 
Your power supply will hold up as long as you do not fit a really high
powered processor, two extra hard drives, silly illuminated case fans
powerful enough to double as a wind tunnel, silly strip lighting, commercial
water cooling, 4gb of RAM, a 12 volt cigarette lighter..
 
Using the calculater it worked out 247watts including the FX5200 card which
it says is 40 watts. It says that 1 stick of SDmemory is 12 watts. I only
have 1 stick of 256MB, and I can upgrade the memory with 2 more sticks of
memory I think. 2 sticks of memory would be 24 watts. The calculater says
that GeForce 4 MX series is 30 watts. The card that I currently have is a
64MB 128 bit Ge Force 2 MX 400 (MSI MX 400 Pro), but the calculater does not
say how many watts that is. If the Ge Force 2 card is say 20 watts(guessing),
it would mean that I would be needing 20 more watts for the FX5200, and 10
watts for a Ge Force 4 MX 440 card. It would take more power to put 2 more
sticks of memory (24watts), into the computer than it would be for a FX5200
or a MX440 card. I think that even a GeForce4 MX440 card would be a lot
better than the GeForce2MX400 card that I currently have, and I would need
at most only 10 more watts.The Compaq/HP guy said that my Presario 5630AU
computer only had 235 watts maximum power supply, but I have opened the
computer up and it says on the power supply itself that its maximum output is
250watts.Since it says on the power supply 250 watts maximum output then I am
going with the 250 watts output. What would happen if the power supply was
not really enough for the new card? Would it burn out the power supply or
something damaging like that? I would be prepared to risk loosing some money
 
Your system should "start" by shutting down and rebooting when the power
supply is "over tasked".
 
.... adding to Yves reply..

...........and the resultant impromptu shutdown may well cause impromptu file
corruption, which in turn would bring about the need for an impromptu
reloading session..

If you don't mind invalidating any warranty on your computer, you could
remove all of the parts and fit them into a case for which more powerful
power supplies are readily available.. then you wouldn't have to 'watt'
count each time you decide to upgrade..
 
So does this mean that it is only a situation of the case that I have being
too small for a bigger power supply to fit into it?
 
From what I have seen of HP and Compaq units, they have a power supply type
that does not have the standard fitting pattern of holding screws.. this
makes it difficult to change for anything other than an HP/Compaq supplied
unit..

The motherboard should be an ATX type and would, therefore fit into any ATX
case, as would a regular 350-550 watt power supply.. in fact, you can pick
up cases already fitted with a 350 watt power supply for around the same
amount as HP/Compaq would probably charge for a new 250 watt unit w/o case..
 
confused said:
So does this mean that it is only a situation of the case that I have
being
too small for a bigger power supply to fit into it?
Click to expand...
Hardly. Your machine is thoroughly proprietary. That is, far too many
hardware items in it are conducive to re-installing into a standard
off-the-shelf case. Forget that machine and buy or build one that is made up
of generic hardware and would therefore be upgradeable at some future date.
 
Are you sure about that?.. it has been a while since HP boards were
specifically made for their own unique cases.. the only device that may be
awkward is the diskette drive.. that and getting the pin out right for the
case lights and switches.. everything else will transfer over easily..
 
The last one I looked at, and I admit that I don't look at them often, had a
daughter board mounted on the motherboard. That all by itself made it a real
lemon for upgrading. The power supply was not standard either.
 
A free diagnostic tool that can help you to cut & past your system info as
you see fit, so you can add helpful info to your posts, see link..
http://www.lavalys.com/products/download.php?pid=1&lang=en

You could just get one stick of 512mb @ 12 watts and save 24 watts, if you
were going to add two sticks to the one you already have installed..? You
might also if you have two optical drives, get a combo drive and lose the
other drive to save some watts..? If you don't need a NIC/modem card, pull
it, saving 4-8 watts.? If you just want to have the computer for game playing
and have two HD's installed, just use one large HD, saving 25 watts..?
j;-j
 
Does this consider hard drive(s) spinup max current, aging of electronic
components? The latter affects the power supply itself as well. If not,
need to throw in some fluff. Most PC makers do add some, but not much when
engineering their PCs on paper.
 
I just started in to rebuilding my own, any tips on where to find the
locations of part on the motherboard like the video card and the processor
unit.
 
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