Cool!

[Guest joshranwest]

Ok guys. Thanks for all of your help with the ATI issue I had there. I got the tested card back today, they said it was fine. Good deal! Well I just bought a 500 Watt power supply from the neighborhood super computer store. Only 100 bucks, not bad at all. Anyway, putting it in tonight. To replace my 160 watter. I read on the ATI9800XT box (somewhere) that it needs 300 watts. So my system will kick some major @$$ after this. I hope. If the ATI takes the full 300 watts, that still leaves 200 watts for the computer. And it can run on 160 watts. 40 extra watts to play with. Cool! Anyway I will post my frame rates after I get it all hooked up. I.T. guy here at work said they are all universal. So even though its a Gateway, it should pop right in. My DVD drive popped right in, no problems. Thanks again to ALL who helped me out with this, and offered advice. Josh

[Reset XPDR 1,271]

I'm sure that ATI doesn't mean that the 9800XT itself needs 300W, rather the video card AND the average PC hardware configuration it is going into needs at least 300W. Even the hottest CPUs only just cross over the 100W mark, hence I doubt that the 9800XT requires three times as much power.In any case, a 500W power supply will be PLENTY!Gary

[Guest vspeed]

Yeah I meant to say that, lol. Full config at least 300 watts. But I am 200 over that, so she should run great. I just put it in, and yes, gateway does not have a standard size, but I made it work. And it isnt going anywhere. So, off to try FS. It has cool LED's too. A feature I really didnt need or know was there. But when the fan is on you see a rainbow of color within the PC, kinda neat. Josh

[Guest Buck Bolduc]

Good man, Josh!Your PSU was definetly too small.When you reinstall your vid. card just make sure you go into the BIOS and make sure your running it at 8X. Set your graphics aperture to at least 128 MB. I hope your mobo/chipset is capable of doing that.I have a brand new Saphire ATI 9800 Pro sitting on the shelf. My A7v-333 mobo wont go to 8X. So I ordered a Athlon64 3400 and a new mobo, the new sucker will go 8X. Sometimes you gotta pry open your wallet and do the right thing.Good LuckRegards

[Guest vspeed]

Yeah its purring like a kitten now. I know a new PSU wont GIVE you better graphics, but it almost seems to. Runs a LITTLE smoother in the sim, and my golf game I bought. Im averaging about 30-40 on the ground and 50 or so in the air, pretty good frames. But I am not gonna jinx it right now. Mine is currently running at 4x AGP. I am not sure how to get it to 8x via the bios. I mean, I am very familiar with the bios screen, I just dont think I have ever seen the option to make it faster. Must me me though, not looking hard enough. Its an Intel board. I am lovin this PSU. I didnt realize how much importance they had on everything. Computer is running quiet and cooler as well. Nice investment.About your mobo and all. Sweet!! I saw some in the store today that were 300 bucks. I am sure those SMOKED. I bet you cant slap a new Mobo in an OEM though. Too bad. I need to get my other one I had Comp USA build, finished up, so I CAN add stuff like a new Mobo, etc. One of these days I guess!!Josh

[Guest Buck Bolduc]

Josh.I know it's a big step for some. But if your mechanicaly inclined and have a steady hand, and pay attentsion, I'd say allmost anyone can build a machine. My first one was built from plans. A hard wired job that used vacuem tubes. No keyboard, monitor or mouse. Just toggle switches and a led readout, 4 bits.The first decent machines were the XT class. Then came the AT class. Now it's the aTX form factor. They change every so many years. Now they are talking about the BTX form factor. In any event when you build your own machine you can dictate what it consists of. If you buy a decent Case, PSU (a little overpowered is great)you can upgrade for a hell of a lot less than buying a new one.Example: I had a A7m-266 in an Antec 6 bay tower. My grandaughters dell crapped out, it was getting old anyhowe. So I bought her a case and stuck the A7m-266,CPU,and memmory etc. in it and gave it to her. Now, the dell could not be upgraded except with dell parts, the power connector pinouts are not standard. That means you gotta replace the mobo with a dell mobo right? No, they changed things arround again so you can only put the old type board back in that case with that PSU.My Antec case has had 2 PSU's 4 different mobo's/proccesors. It cost me exactly $850.00 for the A64, new mobo, and 1GB of fast Corsair low latency ram. So in essence it cot the $850.00 for a hell of an upgrade.Cases dont wear out. Transfer the drives etc. over.Dell gets $2,800.00 for their extreme game rig,$3,300.00 if you want the LCD with it. Trouble is if you look under the hood i'll bet you find some non industrie standard parts.I paid a little more for the Antec and Super Micro cases I have arround here but I can use over and over, until they come out and make the BTX form factor standard.Regards