My video card is on the way down

[Bob]

I have a computer that I built with the help of a tech.

The Asus EN9400GT HDMI (NVIDIA GeForce 9400 GT) video card fan has been doing it's death squeal and I'm looking for a new video card. I know how to pull the old one out and stick the new one in, but besides some very 'beginner' knowledge of computers.....well, that's why I'm here!

I pulled the video card out and tried to pry off the fan blades, and they wouldn't move, but 3 little black grains of 'something' (dirt, grease) fell out of the fan, so I put the video card back in and now it stopped it's squeal but the warning buzzer sounds if I play a video game. (Only when I load a game).

I found the same exact video card online (refurbished by Asus) for $45.

I'm running XP Prof (I'm happy with this OS for now)

Gigabyte motherboard GA-EP45-DSBL

Intel Core 2 Quad Processor - Processor-x86 Family 6 Model 23 Stepping 10 GenuineIntel ~2833 Mhz -

-Total Physical Memory 4,096.00 MB, Available Physical Memory 2.18 GB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB, Available Virtual Memory 1.95 GB


My question is this: do you think I should get the exact same video card for $45
or is there another (better) card that would work on this computer that you can recommend
for around $100-150 or so

I don't have to have the latest or greatest...

also...do you think I should put more memory in?

thanks!

[zburns]

Your cpu has the following, partial description: Intel Core 2 Quad Processor - Processor-x86 Family 6 Model 23 Stepping 10 GenuineIntel ~2833 Mhz - .

I have spent a lot of time trying to pin down the exact Intel cat # of the cpu. The 2833 Mhz freq helps a lot in the absence of the full 'cat #' for the cpu. I have been trying to figure out the cpu intel name and number based on the frequency -- so maybe have some data regards the 'full name of the cpu', ie Intel Core 2 Quad xx-xxxx.

Even knowing the name does not provide the critical information needed. That information, specifically, is how does this older and early Intel quad cpu, compare, software wise with a current Ivy Bridge Intel cpu as far as 'usability of all the cores, real and virtual'. What I am getting at is the usability of all cores because of the age of the cpu -- about 2010. Determining how many cores can actually be used may require a call to Intel to answer that question.

If only one core can be used, that, in effect, slows down the video card; the more cores that are compatible with the video card, the faster the video card will operate in the direction of the video card's maximum capability.

Regarding the video card, the Asus card is designed and built based on Invidia 9400 GT specifications.
Here is the URL for the Invidia 9400 GT card specifications: http://www.geforce.com/hardware/desk...specifications.

The first specification listed is the number of Cuda Cores and that is 16 which is a very low number. The more 'processing (cuda) cores' you can get in the video card, the better the performance. The EVGA equivalent gpu card to the Invidia 9400 GT has only 16 cuda or processing cores.

So it would be best to get a later model video card with as many processing cores as your budget allows. Here is a Newegg url strickly on EVGA but it is for Page 4 of the Newegg site on EVGA Video Cards: http://www.newegg.com/Desktop-Graphi...1402-48/Page-4

Pages 4, 5 and 6 have a decent number of EVGA pcie 2.0 video cards plus a number of 3.0 also. If you go back to page 1, you will find mostly pcie 3.0 cards, some 2.0. But starting on page 4, the number of Evga 2.0 cards is not bad. Look for the 'largest number' of Cuda cores on the Evga cards that will fit your budget. Make several choices and then we can check them out regards performance and availability, etc..

Regards memory, I also need to know if your cpu is 32 bit or 64 bit. When did you build this computer, month and year? Assuming I can pin down your cpu on my own, I will be able to tell 32 or 64 bit! If you can complete the Intel part # for the cpu, that will tell us 32 or 64 bit; however, if you already know which it is, please just post it.

Let me know any questions. Repeating myself, I need to pin down the cpu exact cat # ; when I can do that I will know whether 32 or 64 bit.

[zburns]

More than likely this is your cpu, Intel-Core2-Quad-Processor-Q9500 and the specs are at this URL: http://ark.intel.com/products/37159/Intel-Core2-Quad-Processor-Q9500-6M-Cache-2_83-GHz-1333-MHz-FSB

The cpu is a 64 bit cpu. It has 4 cores which is spelled out in the specs. The rational for choosing a particular cat # for the Intel cpu is your spec for the frequency of apx 2.8 Ghz (2833 Mhz).

One of specs for the existing motherboard is this: 'Supports 45nm Intel® Core 2™ multi-core processors with FSB 1600 MHz' This is the 'print' or lithography (spacing between components) size of the cpu.

For the video card, this is the spec for the largest of the expansion slots: 1 x PCI Express x16 slot, running at x16 (The PCI Express x16 slot conforms to PCI Express 2.0 standard)
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Here is the amount of memory that the motherboard will support (from the specs on the motherboard page): 4 x 1.8V DDR2 DIMM sockets supporting up to 16 GB of system memory

Here is the url for the motherboard: http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3013#sp

I will add some more comments tomorrow ref. the memory. According to the mobo specs (see the mobo url), the mobo will accept up to 16 Gb of memory. Here is the spec: 4 x 1.8V DDR2 DIMM sockets supporting up to 16 GB of system memory.
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Let me know any questions.

[Bob]

hi zburns
thanks for the quick replies! I've been digging around here for the cpu info but had not much luck...although i did find out my computer is 32 bit.

[Bob]

what do you think about this one? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130827

the 3.0 will work with my machine?

[Bob]

even more than any video games, I like to edit movies with Premiere Pro, if that is a consideration for what card to pick

[Bob]

this is the memory i have, 2 of them: Reaper HPC DDR2 (OCZ2RPR11504GK) there's room for 2 more - made by ocztechnology.com

[zburns]

If you do in fact have a 32 bit system (I would rather say a cpu that only operates at 32 bit), then apx 3.4 to 3.6 Gbs is the max memory you can utilize.

Your motherboard specs on memory supported is this amount:
4 x 1.8V DDR2 DIMM sockets supporting up to 16 GB of system memory. Again go to this url for the motherboard specs, then look at the memory specs on the same page: http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3013#sp

Regards using a new 3.0 card in your existing pcie2.0 motherboard, the new 3.0 card will be backward compatible with the motherboard but its max speed will be that afforded by the pcie x 16 slot, ie. pcie 2.0 speed.
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I like to edit movies with Premiere Pro, if that is a consideration for what card to pick Answer: you should call Evga, tell them what you plan to do with the Evga 3.0 card, and, or call Premier Pro, ask them the same. Your question is of the type that I would want a direct answer from one or both of the companies involved.
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I believe the video card handles itself from a 'processing viewpoint' and the impact on the Core 2 Quad cpu is minimal or should be. So I would like to verify this to get a feel that the cpu, although old, will still work with a current video card.

10:15pm: Definitely, the older cpu Core 2 Quad should work and have no effect on the pcie 3.0 video card with 384 Cuda Cores.

I did a post some months ago on this subject; I have to find that post and connect it to this post; main reason, it is very interesting reading and informative. Pretty sure I quoted a good tech article on the subject. It explains the operation of the cpu as essentially 'housekeeping' -- making everything work together in a coordinated manner. The video card is in effect a 'video production company' -- it can use 16 cuda cores to provide a adequate video, or it can use 384 cores or even a 1000 or more to produce 'excellent high quality, fast action video, etc., etc. Anyhow, the article I refer to will have good references and a better explanation than this brief explanation. So, hopefully, I will find it tomorrow and post it.

[zburns]

I have not been able to find the article I mention above. I will find it, just will take some time. I looked for an alternate verification of my comment that the cpu and the video card are essentially independent of each other other than for a few simple functions. Here is a quote for Wikipedia at this url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_card

Here is the quote (it is in the first paragraph)
A dedicated graphics card on the other hand has its own Random Access Memory or RAM and Processor specifically for processing video images, and thus offloads this work from the CPU and system RAM. Almost all of these motherboards allow (PCI-E) the disabling of the integrated graphics chip in BIOS, and have an AGP, PCI, or PCI Express(PCI-E) slot for adding a higher-performance graphics card in place of the integrated graphics.

The quote contains detail on a number of topics related to the cpu and graphics card. The reason I like the quote is that it specifically separates the 'CPU and system RAM' from the video card. This tells the reader (without saying it specifically) that the video card processor (s) and video card memory are independent of the cpu and the system RAM.

The key words in the quote are
thus offloads this work from the CPU and system RAM.

[Bob]

thanks for your help zburns! I contacted gigabyte and he suggested I get this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130808
love your forum, keep up the good work~!