Some help with a new video card.

Hi everyone, I've recently bought a new video card (off e-bay)to replace my older one in my dell inspiron 5100. A friend of mine took the laptop apart and installed it for me, but when we turned it back on my monitor wasn't working. We put back the old video card, and my monitor worked fine like before. The card is a 64 MB Nvidia fx go 5200. Anyone know what the problem could be? Is the card faulty or was there something that we missed?

 

Oh and from what I've been reading on some of these forums, the video card I'm installing seems to be Out of date already. But is it still good for casual gaming? Like as an example Doom 3 or World of Warcraft?

 

Will play at low settings possibly, but before putting in the cards, you could try installing software, bios updates, stuff like that may fix it. Like I said before, it won't perform top-of-the-line on games like Doom 3 but at low settings, you may be able to get something out of it.

 

But is there some explanation as to why my monitor won't even work with the new video card?? I have no problem to playing with lower graphic settings (on the new video card because my 32mb Radeon 7500C is just horrible) but that's if the monitor would work.

 

Did you uninstall the old video card drivers and then install the new drivers for the new card?

Dell Inspiron 8600:
* 1.6 Ghz Pentium M * 1024 MB DDR SDRAM * 60 GB 7200 RPM HD * 15.4" WSXGA+ * Internal Bluetooth * Intel Pro/Wireless 2200 * 4x CD/DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW) * ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 Pro Turbo 128 MB * Win XP Pro SP2 *

* Apple 17" PowerBook G4 * 14" Toshiba Tecra 8000 * Apple 14" iBook G4 *

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by andy2434

 

the best place to download video drivers for your laptop is from dell's support site.

i believe both nvidia and ati say on their web pages to go to the laptop manufacturer's site for drivers. it allows customization for the specific implementation of the chipset in that laptop. i've heard rumors of pulling together the right parts of a combined driver from nvidia/ati out for a particular laptop, but it sounded like a hack (unless you absolutely needed the newer driver)

 

Yes, thats what I meant, install the drivers and stuff first.

 

Hmm . . . On second thought, can someone confirm that the GeForce FX Go5200 is compatible with the i5100? Just a thought.

Dell Inspiron 8600:
* 1.6 Ghz Pentium M * 1024 MB DDR SDRAM * 60 GB 7200 RPM HD * 15.4" WSXGA+ * Internal Bluetooth * Intel Pro/Wireless 2200 * 4x CD/DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW) * ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 Pro Turbo 128 MB * Win XP Pro SP2 *

* Apple 17" PowerBook G4 * 14" Toshiba Tecra 8000 * Apple 14" iBook G4 *

 

no it's not.
The BIOS doesnt support it.

The only cards that are compatible are:

16/32/64 MB ati mr 7500 and

32/64 MB at mr 9000.

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Leo_s84

 

Well of course they vendor would state that on ebay. He doesnt care if it really works or not.
You better find out everything you need to know before buying something for a notebook.

 

Thanks, Leo_s84, I thought something didn't look right there. Sorry, Helios, the new Nvidia card, which you have, only fits the Inspiron 5150 and I8600, as I know it.

You may be able to resell it and recapture some of your cost.

Dell Inspiron 8600:
* 1.6 Ghz Pentium M * 1024 MB DDR SDRAM * 60 GB 7200 RPM HD * 15.4" WSXGA+ * Internal Bluetooth * Intel Pro/Wireless 2200 * 4x CD/DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW) * ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 Pro Turbo 128 MB * Win XP Pro SP2 *

* Apple 17" PowerBook G4 * 14" Toshiba Tecra 8000 * Apple 14" iBook G4 *

 

And the 5160 which i have [ ]

 

Bingo! . . . Yes, and the i5160, which you have.

Dell Inspiron 8600:
* 1.6 Ghz Pentium M * 1024 MB DDR SDRAM * 60 GB 7200 RPM HD * 15.4" WSXGA+ * Internal Bluetooth * Intel Pro/Wireless 2200 * 4x CD/DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW) * ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 Pro Turbo 128 MB * Win XP Pro SP2 *

* Apple 17" PowerBook G4 * 14" Toshiba Tecra 8000 * Apple 14" iBook G4 *

 

Alright, I'll take Leo's advice and first figure out what I need to buy. For a i5100, what would be a reasonably priced vid card powerful enough to handle some of the newer games out now and how could I get it.

 

As Leo has already mentioned, your only possible upgrade options will the 64mb ATI MR7500 & MR900 video cards. However,and this may be debatable, I would avoid the MR9000. It seems there have been some display issues with the said card on the Dells I51XX's.

I am assuming that you are currently running a 32mb MR7500. Thus the reason/need for upgrading to a 64mb card.

The 64mb video cards will afford you higher performance for gaming, but they still fall a bit short when playing the newer games. Doom3 will ultimately required low screen resolution settings. The other eye candy settings will either have to be set to low or turned off.



Dell Inspiron 8600:
* 1.6 Ghz Pentium M * 1024 MB DDR SDRAM * 100 Gb Seagate Momentus 5400 Rpm HD * 15.4" WSXGA+ * Internal Bluetooth * Intel Pro/Wireless 2200 * 4x CD/DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW) * ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 Pro Turbo 128 MB * Win XP Pro SP2 *

* Apple 17" PowerBook G4 * 14" Toshiba Tecra 8000 * Apple 14" iBook G4 *

 

Thanks for your help andy, and are the said video cards purchaseable on ATI.com? I'm guessing not but if anyone does happen to know where I could get one, I'd greatly appreciate a link or other information. Thanks alot.

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Helios

 

I'd say 64 mb Mobility Radeon 9000