GPU upgrade for Dimension 8300 issues.

Question

Hey guys. If anyone could help me solve this I would be eternally grateful.

I purchased a Dell Dimension 8300 a few years back with a 250W PSU and a AGP 9800PRO Radeon video card. Recently the card began to die and so I decided to upgrade the GPU to an AGP Nvidia Galaxy 256mb 7600GT.

The 9800 would allow connection to the monitor, it just had massive graphical corruption all the time. The problem is that the new 7600 plugs into the AGP slot fine, powers up in the sense that the fan spins, but shows absolutely nothing on the monitor for me. I have switched back to and from the 9800 and the 7600 on multiple occasions and its always the same, the 9800 works, albeit terribly, and the 7600 spins but doesn't seem to connect to the monitor, even though I have re-seated the card many times and made sure the VGA plug was in right. The BIOS has 256mb AGP enabled so I don't think that's the problem (and this could only be checked/changed with the 9800, the 7600 doesn't even turn the monitor on for the BIOS sections).

One thing I don't understand is the power cables. In the 7600 box I was supplied a cable that has a power plug with pins coming out that is connected to a set of power plugs that have the holes for the plugs, like it splices into two as if to act as some sort of adapter. I don't get what this is for. My PSU has many free plugs available to use, but only has one plug with pins/teeth that is used as the adaptor for my hard drives, and even weirder, the 7600 only has one power input available anyway, so why give me the cable? Do I need it?

The vendor I purchased the item off would drive me to the wall if I had to challenge this with them so If I can fix it myself I would be ecstatic. Does anyone have any ideas as to how to resolve this?

Thanks!

SR45 · Answer

That card needs the Molex Y power cable in order for it to work. No connect, no workie

One end of the power cable goes into the card itself and the other end goes into a vacant ( Free ) 4 pin power input that can be found near the dvd or cdrw drive.

Proper way to install a video card:

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=965852

Step # 1

Download the most current driver for the video card, and have it placed on the desktop for later install. Try not to use the video card driver from the CD that comes with the card, since they are somewhat out of date. You still may if you wish.

If it’s an nVidia card, go to www.nvidia.com

ATI card, than go to www.ati.com

If you are going from an ATI video card to a NVIDIA or vs. versa, one should uninstall the old driver first, from Add/Remove program, than use a driver cleaner, to get all the old driver code completely off the system. Use the driver cleaner twice. If you are going from an nVidia card to another nVidia card (Same for the ATI card), you may not have to use the driver cleaner, but I do to be on the safe side, but many, including me, have not seen any issues with this procedure. Others may have.

1. Turn off the system, unplug the power cord, and push in on the systems power button for about 5 seconds to discharge the system further.

2. Remove the old card, and install the new card, firmly.

Now attach, if required, any power cable to the card and the other end to a power source, to get the video card to work. Your systems power supply may have this power 4 pin.

Some retail video card manufactures include the molex Y power cable and some do not. If not, they do not cost more than a couple of bucks.

http://www.drivercleaner.net/ Driver Cleaner Pro download site.

(Now they are charging $10 for the program, where it was free before. You can try to manually clean out the old driver if you wish, but this is still a good program to have around)

Driver Cleaner 1.5 free edition linked below...

http://drivers.softpedia.com/get/Other-DRIVERS-TOOLS/Others/Driver-Cleaner-Professional-15.shtml

3. Now disable your Anti Virus software, and disconnect the modem at this time

4. Install the newer video card driver from the desktop, than if necessary, go into the Display Properties to reset the monitor resolution after it reboots. You are almost done. Now restart the Anti Virus program, and connect the modem.

srothfuss · Answer

Just replying...  I can host a picture of my GS card / power connection on my 8300 when I get home from work if you still are stuck.

ff9master · Answer

Srothfuss, that would be absolutely perfect! Thanks. SR45, thanks heaps for that! You said that I need the Molex Y power cable in order for it to work. I am not sure what this power plug looks like, do you know where I can get an image of it (I tried to do a Google Image search but I wasn't sure which one it was)? So if one end of the power cable goes into the card itself and the other end goes into a vacant (Free) 4 pin power input that can be found near the dvd or cdrw drive, does that mean that I am supposed to use the spliced power cable provided in the box and even though the card's fan is spinning it isn't getting enough power for it to show an image on my monitor? I don't think my Dell 8300 PSU has the plugs it needs, or am I completely blind! Srothfuss if you can provide an image of your whole video card set-up and a few images of the actual power plugs you have in use for it, I would be really, really grateful!

srothfuss · Answer

This is the card you have correct? http://www.galaxytech.com/Product_Details.asp?class1=2&class2=41&id=111       I'll be home in about an hour and should be able to host some photos shortly there after.   Here's the molex Y cable:  http://microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0260708  Before you get it though, let me make sure this is the one I used on mine.  It's been about 1 year since I installed the card and seem to have forgotten how I got the power hooked up.  (The pictures will help!)

srothfuss · Answer

OK, up first is the Molex adaptor that I linked to you in the previous thread..  One end plugs in by the CD / DVD drives off of the main harness labeled P4.  Then the other end goes to the GPU.  One end remains capped and unused     Card in drive   So search your local computer store (possibly even the big box places) for that splitter and then plug the card in.  It won't work without...  Good luck!

ff9master · Answer

Thanks so much for that srothfuss! I really appreciate the effort!   I am at work at the moment but when I get home I will check this out.   Yep I did get that card, and thankfully the card came with a very similar molex splicer thing of which you linked a picture, so I should be all set.   I am sure I had at least once plugged it in the way you explained and it still didnt work, and what worries me is the manual says I need TWO hard drive power plugs...what does that mean? Am I supposed to somehow get the splicer to use two power inputs instead of just the one that you showed me (with the second, unused plug capped)?   If that is the case, in that it may need more power, how can I go about converting a normal plug, like the P4 into a plug that has teeth and can go into the second unused plug in the molex splicer thingie?   My 9800 worked fine without the splicer thingie, why do I need it now anyway? Wouldnt it make for less, rather than more power?   Youre help so far has been great, and you too SR45!

ff9master · Answer

I hope this is not a stupid question, but on your picture you have the power plug P5 connected to the graphics card, and strangely I cannot find a P4 power plug. Can I use P5 instead?

srothfuss · Answer

There are no silly questions.    P4 on my machine is the main bundle of wires leading from the Power Supply.  P5 is a header from P4 and you can use it.  I think (in the picture) that is the same lead I used.

ff9master · Answer

Thanks Srothfuss! Alright nothing seems to resolve this problem! Ill just have to take the plunge and replace the PSU. If I buy a new PSU, say a 500W one, do I need to look out for any specifications specifically or will all PSU's work and fit perfectly into my old Dimension 8300? Can anyone recommend a good PSU for under $120 that supports the AGP card I have now (the 7600GT) and 3 internal hard drives (1 EIDE, 2 SATA), 2 DVD drives, 3 PCI cards and like 8 USB devices? I've never done this before, any tips that I need before I do this? Thanks!

ff9master · Answer

Could the error be caused because the graphics card uses DDR3 memory and my computer motherboard is too old to support it?

ff9master · Answer

Wow...I managed to find some frightening forums on the Internet, such as: www.techspot.com/vb/topic55520.html forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=22697 As a start, they both prove that cards such as mine, even with a PSU upgrade do not work with the Dell 8300. Now that really upsets me. Some people say that ATI cards may work, but not Nvidia...is this possible?! Srothfuss how come your's works then? How hard would it be for me to try and get the company I bought the item off to take it back and give me a refund?

srothfuss · Answer

ff, I am very sorry to hear of your difficulties with this particular brand.  Here on the Dell forums, there were some discussions of which brands did and didn't work with the Dell motherboards.  I purchased and installed an XFX7600GS 512MB card and had no problems at all.  eVGA is also a known brand to operate correctly in our computers.    I'd stay away from BFG cards.    A few other cards have worked, but some people did report errors.  Couple of my old threads in relation to XFX / eVGA:   http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=dim_video&message.id=151631#M151631   http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=dim_video&message.id=157024#M157024   And just cause you wanted to know:  http://www.pcpower.com/products/viewproduct.php?show=S41D2   That link takes you to a drop in replacement powersupply.  It's 400W's and you don't need to hack up the back panel of the computer to make room for the ON/OFF switch of a standard PSU.

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GPU upgrade for Dimension 8300 issues.

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