Re: Post your Computer Questions/Help
 

On the spectrum of graphics cards, where does the Nvidia GeForce4 MX 420 fall? This is the default card that came with our PC and it's fine for WarCraft 3 but Sims 2 isn't really looking too hot and it isn't moving as fluid as I would like it to be moving. Since the 512MB of memory and 2.0 GHz processor exceed the minimum requirements for this game, I'm left to assume that it's the grpahics card that needs to be upgraded. Can someone knowledgable give me a good reccommendation for a new card? I don't want the VERY best, but I'd like something that will at least make the Sims 2 look good. Currently, this and WarCraft our the only games I play on the PC but I might get more down the road. So a card that'll last a few years anyways as far as being able to handle the ever-improving quality of games.

Re: Post your Computer Questions/Help
 

A 9600Pro/9600XT is a good mid-range card for around $100-$150. It has enough performance for people like you who don't game heavily and don't need top of the line but wanna play current games smooth enough.

If you can spend around $200, a 9800Pro will do you well for current games and future games.

Re: Post your Computer Questions/Help
 

Thanks Jonbo, I knew you'd respond tonight :)

As long as I'm getting a new one, I think I'll just go with the 9800Pro. Will installing this be anymore difficult than installing memory? Also, I'm assuming I should buy this through newegg.com, right?

Edit: One more thing, there seem to be 3 different models: MSI, ATI, and Sapphire. What's the difference between these and which one should I get?

Re: Post your Computer Questions/Help
 

Newegg.com is good for 9800Pro's. Sapphire is a good brand. THis is the one I'd recommend. Just right under $200 and free shipping. http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...102-268&depa=1

FYI, don't get the $160 or around there 9800Pro's. They are crippled versions of the card and have bad naming.

Since you have an Nvidia card right now, before installing the 9800Pro, uninstall/remove any nvidia drivers. After that, you can turn off the computer, remove the old video card and install the new one. Boot up, get the latest drivers off www.ati.com (the cat 4.9's) and then go from there and should go smooth. And it isn't too much harder then installing memory. Pop the old one out, pop the new one in. Make sure old drivers gone, put in new drivers and your done.

And don't forget to touch metal on the case before touching the video card ;) One false touch of static and your done.

Re: Post your Computer Questions/Help
 

How I do I secure my wireless network so that my PC can still use it but neighbors can't. I'm not paranoid but I also don't want neighbors tapping my connection. I just ask because my computer is able to detect my neighbors and their's is unprotected so if I wanted I could just use theirs and mine's unprotected also so they could do the same thing.

Re: Post your Computer Questions/Help
 

Hey, I've got a pretty serious and troublesome monitor issue here...All the colors are very washed out to the point that GameTavern nearly looks like it's in grayscale or something. It's done this before, but it's usually reverted back very quickly and it hasn't done that yet. I'll post a screen shot so you know what I'm talking about it. I'm worried that this is one of those permanent things, but I don't see how this thing could be so fragile...Any help on what to do is appreciated.

Re: Post your Computer Questions/Help
 

Everything looks fine to me. Possibly a monitor or video card driver issue. Get either the newest Ati Catalyst drivers or if you have an Nvidia card, get the newest drivers for them.

And sorry for not getting back to GM. But I think what you may want to set up is a password for your network. Usually the software that comes with it, you can setup a password or I believe its called an SSID (correct me if I'm wrong),

Re: Post your Computer Questions/Help
 

Germy...it's your monitor, not your vid card...cause if it was your vid card, the SS would show some abnormalities (which it does not) so it's you're monitor, you may need to degauss (sp?) it which you can do with the buttons on the monitor, or unplug it completly for about 5-10 minutes and let it discharge (by unplug i mean from everything).

do those things and post here again.



as for you GM...you need to set a password for the network...the SSID which Jonbo has mentioned is the name of the network you are connecting to ("default" by default)...what u need to look for is a "WEP" or "WEP Encryption" and enable it on your router...set a password, then set up the connection with the password...and you're done.

Re: Post your Computer Questions/Help
 

Ah yes, WEP. That's what I was thinking of. I just couldn't remember the name :eyes:

Re: Post your Computer Questions/Help
 

Thanks man, I'll try those things tomorrow and report back. I've messed with the buttons already by the way.

EDIT: Hey, I did the unplugging method and it worked to perfection, everything is back to normal! :D Thanks again!

Re: Post your Computer Questions/Help
 

glad to help :)

Re: Post your Computer Questions/Help
 

Oi! Oi! Oi! I need help!!!!!!!!


i was playing Half Life 2, and at one point i got stuck, and really bored. I decided to see how well my computer would be able to handle all the settings on max. The game crashed and now i can't even get back in considering the main menu uses the game engine to produce the background!!

oh, and another thing, sometimes my computer will spontaniously reset while playing CSsource.. any help? I have an Athlon XP 2500+, i think it may be overheating...


please?

Re: Post your Computer Questions/Help
 

goto your settings folder and delete the config.
usually c:\program files\valve\steam\steamapps\[user-name]\half-life 2\hl2\cfg
delete config.cfg
start the game. - (you'll have to reset all your controls and whatnot tho)


2nd question....

Whats your powersupply? how much was it? brand? most importantly whats the wattage?


if you think its overheating tho, try taking the side of the case off so air can get into it. maybe point a house fan in its direction then see if it turns off on you like that.

Re: Post your Computer Questions/Help
 

If your comfortable, open the side of the case and check for dust underneath the CPU fan. Sometimes, if you get too much dust under the CPU fan, it can really start to heat up the CPU. Heck, recently I noticed my CPU getting hotter and hotter so I opened the case, removed fan, lots of dust. Got rid of it off the heatsink and dropped my cpu temp from around 50c to around 40-42c now. A pretty large drop.

And for the HL2 thing, go to the properties for HL2 (in Steam window thing by right clicking on HL2 and choose properties), and add -console. That should bypass the rendering of the background so you can change the video options.

Re: Post your Computer Questions/Help
 

hmm, ok, i did what null suggested, and now i have a different problem.

i didn't completely delete the config file, but anywyas, now the game says that the file is corrupt or something, and so it says the files will be replaced by steam, except the windows then disappears and the process restarts.
ahhh!