Here' s there thing,I got a piece of shit computer for $400 and now I wanna start putting some power into it. Problem is I dont know where to start and I have a low budget.

Here' s the current specs or at least what i know about it. Hell I mso computer illiterate Im not even sure what counts as specs.

512mb Memory
AMD 64 Athlon 3500 Processor
160gb Hard Drive
Nvidia GeForce 6150 LE
The OS is Windows XP media Center addition.

Im not looking for playing the newest of games in the highest of quality or anything. Just pretty basic stuff really.

Games that I currently have but cant really run to well include:
Vampire Masquarade:Bloodlines
Garry' s Mod (which required getting a source powered game so I picked up Counterstrike)
The Movies

The first one I cant run for shit. the 2nd runs well enough but does take time to load up and its a bit jumpy every so often. The Movies well enough on medium settings. I would like to run Oblivion just so I can mod the fuck out of it since that seems to be all I end up doing with a PC game anyhow. But Im guessing It aint gonna be easy to achive that huh? But like I said I dont need high end visuals.

So where should I start?

It would help if we knew what motherboard you have(at least wheather it 929 or AM2), as well as what power supply. The thing is, the power supplies that come with pre built computers, aren' t usually meant for gamers who want to add in a beefy videocard. Even a 7900 series card will probably mean a new power supply as well.

If it was my computer and I could change 2 things it would be ram and the videocard. 1gb is the standard these days, 512mb is holding your system back. The second thing is to obviously replace onboard video.

Two excellent places to check out are NewEgg and NCIX, both have anything you' re looking for as well as the best possible prices.

http://www.ncix.com/
http://www.newegg.com/

Here I found a full specs sheet...dunno if it' ll help anymore or less...

Thanks tho. So far Newegg has been very helpful.

Product Specifications

POS? Heh, we' re on a completely different level here.

Moving on update your vidcard, boost the ram, other than that, I' m not sure what else you could do. Least, not in the gaming department.

Newegg is a dream. Free shipping FTW.

RAM-Your mobo supports non-ECC at PC2-4200 (and possibly PC2-5300), 1gb of ram is considered the minimum with XP but 2gb is a really good idea. If you' re lucky you might be able to just add in your new ram with your old and have 1.5gb or 2.5gb. Regardless before you upgrade your ram make sure to read some instructions online first on instalation. RAM is the most fragile component in a computer due to static. Also they only fit one way, if you try to put them in backwards it' s easy to destroy your new ram.
Examples of RAM that should work:

1GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820146573
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820227075
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820141200

2GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820141224
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145527


As for your videocard it really depends on your budget. You edited your post and I can' t remember how much you wanted to spend on your videocard but I think it was around 160$ right?

EVGA 7900GS (EVGA is the best Nvidia manufacturer)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130056


You might need a new power supply for the 7900GS, I' m not sure.

How much do power supplies go for?

For the extra memory and the new videocard I was hoping to try and keep it within the $350 range (combined).

Will I have to worry about my processor?

Nevermind about the powersupply question now I just need help picking one just incase I do need one.

Ok here' s where Im at as of right now.

Im gonna go with that video card you suggested. Im gonna get 1 gig of RAM and couple it with the 512 I have already. The only thing I need to know now is about the power supply.
What should I look for?
Do I even need it?
How can I find out?
Etc Etc...

Thanks for the great help thus far.

O yeah just to make sure Im not making a mistake here' s the Ram im getting:
Newegg

And speaking of power supply I shoudl really consider getting a better power protection thing...seriously. I have my 360, HDTV, PC, Modem, and cable box running from this thin old power strip that is connected to a plug socket that once shot out flames...we fixed it since but still. I try to keep as few things running as possible since it makes me kinda nervous.

EDIT: AH SHIT I DONT THINK I CAN WAIT FOR AN ANSWER SINCE I WANNA HAVE THIS ALL BY WEDNESDAY (which is why Im using overnite shipping....hmmm tough choce here and it looks like Im alone on it...shoudl I get the power supply and what kind should I get....)

So I decided to open the ol POS to get better aqquainted with the inner workings of this growing little feller. I found the power supply (a measly 250W) but I couldnt figure out the video card at all.

I took some pics (very low quality so a very big apology in adavcne I can only find my webcam). think you can explai a few things to me here...

Wait a sec...holfy fuckn shit no fuckn way bull fuckn shit god fuckn dammit! They sent me the wrong fuckn computer!

This is the SR2010NX not the SR2020NX. FUCK! Thos mother fuckers!

EDIT: Wait maybe sort of not but also yes... Ok the pics I was and the box I have is the SR2020NX I went searching around HP' s site and came across the SR2010NX. Mine looks like the fuckn 2010. Which explains the missing card readers and various other things. However it has some of the features that are list as in thre SR2020NX...I havent slept for at least 36 hours can somone help me here...

You currently have onboard which means it' s built into the motherboard (you don' t remove it when adding the new videocard).


I don' t like that choice in RAM as it' s only one stick as opposed to two sticks running in dual channel (meaning with one stick of a 1gb you get half the bandwidth you' d get with two 512mb sticks)it would run slower but it should work if your PC has the mobo you originally showed me. EDIT: I found out your mobo only has two slots, meaning you can' t put new ram with the old, you have to replace your old ram completely. Anyways this would be much better as it' s two sticks running in " dual channel" (fuck I' m a nerd):

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820141225

As for a power supply, you want a 400-450watt powersupply with a PCI-E connector. Something like this should be ok, although I' m not an expert with powersupplies in this price range. With that videocard you' ll want to replace that junk power supply, your stock power supply probably doesn' t even have the PCI-E connector for the videocard. The higher the efficiency the less electricity it will waste. You could get one for around 50$ but that might last a few months before it blows up. Spending a bit more will keep your blood pressure down. This is the best one I could find at NewEgg in that price range.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817194012

As for your proccessor, you don' t have the athlon 64 cpu that you were supposed to get with the pc you wanted but instead you have a shitty sempron. I guess you' ll survive with it for now but you' ll want to replace that within two years with a dual core, but for now don' t worry about it.

The 1gb of ram will make everything go faster as 512 mb with XP really is gimped, while the videocard is beyond decent. I have a 7600gt and I can play any game comfortably at 1280x1024 often with max settings, a 7900GS kills my card.


PS: I' ve also been up for more then 40 hours so I apologize if my post is incomprehensible. I' m at school now and I have phys. Ed next and I can' t miss a class. I swear I' m going to black out playing floor hockey.

RAM is the most fragile component in a computer due to static. Also they only fit one way, if you try to put them in backwards it' s easy to destroy your new ram.

Is that like the guy who' s GeForce card didn' t fit, so he just cut it to the right slot configuration?

Oh, & yeah, sleep deprivation FTW! I' m only at a measly day & a lhalf.

Is that like the guy who' s GeForce card didn' t fit, so he just cut it to the right slot configuration?

The kid that spent all his money on a new 500$ PCI-E GPU when he had an old AGP MOBO asked for help online and he was told he had to cut up the card as you said to have it fit in the AGP slot. I almost felt sorry for the kid because after he shows the pictures and he still hasn' t figured it out yet. He actually stated that it didn' t work and he asked if he did it right. LOL (I' ll try to find it, I saw it on PSU, just a bunch of dumbass kids on that site)

As for the ram, you could accidentally damage them even when you know what you' re doing, that' s how sensitive they can be. (although it' s unlikely that you would have trouble with them).

Ok life is good now as I now got the one that I was supposed to get.. Ok Most is pretty much the same except the Athlon 64 is there now. snd do on and so on and so forth.

So yes I shall pretty much go with your recomendations. Hopefully I can get it by tomarrow is not then by Monday. Then yay for some hapy days for me. This should all hold me over til the day I can truly afford a decent PC.

SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!

Ariiiite:
A new power supply, a new video card, 1 gig (2x512mb) of RAM = $316. Yaaaaay! Plus I got paid today yaaaaay so i can afford this plus pay next weeks rent and still have money to waste YAAAAAAY! But wait I can use the BILL ME LATER FEATURE YAAAAAY!!!!!!

Let us know how it turns out. I think you' ll be surprised at the difference though. You' ll have a respectable gaming rig.

512 MB of RAM and onboard video
VS.
1536mb of RAM and a 7900GS

The difference is huge.

The kid that spent all his money on a new 500$ PCI-E GPU when he had an old AGP MOBO asked for help online and he was told he had to cut up the card as you said to have it fit in the AGP slot. I almost felt sorry for the kid because after he shows the pictures and he still hasn' t figured it out yet. He actually stated that it didn' t work and he asked if he did it right. LOL (I' ll try to find it, I saw it on PSU, just a bunch of dumbass kids on that site)

Yeah, I had heard about it from somebody who Dugg it, so I' m not sure how accurate my version was. But even still... what an idiot.
Ghost' s right about the RAM thing though, my room is practically lined with stat-bags.

As a side note, throwing those at a recently turned-on TV, & poking them is a REALLY bad idea. One of my worse ideas at least.

I...DID...IT!

My very first ever computer hardware upgrade! Yay!

Wires were a bit cramped at first but I managed to space them out from the fans and what not. And now Im re-downloading games and reinstalling programs i got rid of in my haste to return the computer. Only thne will I see if all this paid off.

Encountered my first problem and hoepfully last...

I cant get vidoe of any kind to show. The sounds there but thats all. And there doesnt seem to be a answer to this anywhere online or in the guide sooo I come to you fellow kikizo users for answers.

EDIT: It only seems to be WMP and Quicktime as Flash Player works fine. I also tried playing a DVD but it was a no shwo as well. As I said before audio is coming thru but thats all...

Nevemrind problem solved and holy fuckn wow is the video nic elooking...cant wait to see the friggin games now!

Make sure you have the latest drivers, and not just the ones that came on the CD.

http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_93.71.aspx

have money to waste YAAAAAAY

tsk tsk you should save that money and buy a house.