Graphics Cards...

[Guy]

and Win 7 Aero

arrrrgh!!! 

Right... I have a very old Dell Dimension 4500S (slimline) running win7 and 2gb RAM

I want to run Aero and also be capable of supporting games such as Sims3 which a small person might be getting from Father Christmas

It takes PCI (not PCI-express) cards.

The Dell website says that the following cards will work http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/category.aspx?c=us&category_id=6715&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&mfgpid=123627&chassisid=8209

although as I understand it from my various googlings the CPU will only support 128mb cards

can anyone answer these two questions please...

1. what is the minimum spec to run Aero and games etc
2. can you point me to a card on Amazon.co.uk that will work with my CPU please as I have tried this one...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/VTX3D-Radeon-Graphics-DirectX-Support/dp/B005N5KKHU/ref=sr_1_4?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1323634175&sr=1-4
and the CPU will not power up when the card is inserted into the machine.

many thanks in advance... please help me to stop tearing my hair out 

[DubFan]

If it's slimline you're gonna have problems finding a card to fit, unless it mounts them horizontally in the case.
The other problem is obviously the fact it's only PCI and that Windows 7 is unlikely to be able to use a PCI card very well.

Personally I would run Windows XP on a PC like that and then you could get a decent PCI card off ebay for peanuts.

Have a look at these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ATI-Sapphire-Radeon-9250-128Mb-PCI-Video-Card-/110792615328?pt=UK_Computing_Computer_Components_Graphics_Video_TV_Cards_TW&hash=item19cbc125a0

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/nVIDIA-GeForce-FX-5700-FX5700-256-MB-PCI-3D-Video-Card-/270757329364?pt=UK_Computing_Computer_Components_Graphics_Video_TV_Cards_TW&hash=item3f0a64f9d4

[Jay]

Well that sucks, is Aero absolutely needed? It'll open the search / availability a bit more if it's not 100% needed.

[Guy]

i'd prefer to have aero... and the minimum spec for sims 3 is i understand this...

http://gb.thesims3.com/game/systemreq

dubfan - thanks for your response..

The PCI fitment is a full size card as the mount is horizontal as you state

i upgraded to win7 after someone suggested it to me   

[Jay]

It's a worthwhile upgrade though, once you learn all the niceties of Win7, it's fan-dabi-dosi 

Bugger, found a 'suitable' card and drivers for Win7 32 bit - then reread the Sims3 specs at the bottom listing the compatible graphics card (missed that the first time) and although the other tech specs match, the card (fx5500) wasn't a listed supported card 

I think those may only be PCI-Express cards or have too much memory for your CPU

[Guy]

so whats the most I could get away with that my CPU will like?

PCI (full size)
amazon purchase (as that is where i will refund the other one)

tia 

[Guy]

I think this one will be supported - if only I could find it as a PCI (not PCI-E) card somewhere, pref amazon

http://www.amazon.co.uk/ATI-Radeon-HD3450-Videocard-PCI-Express/dp/B00465TYU2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323775964&sr=8-1

[Guy]

rang up dell... asked them what was compatible for my machine

they put me through to a company which took my service tag, then they told me what would work... 100% in their words.

then they told me the price

so i ordered the same thing elsewhere... fingers crossed!! 

[Guy]

i've only gone and got it working!! 

[Jay]

Sims3?