Which Vostro did you get, the mini tower or slim case system  ?

Alisher wrote:

It is mini Tower...I think.

 

 

The difference is striking. The slim case can only accept a half height or low profile video card, and the 8800 GTS is not on the list for it.

 

The mini tower is wider, taller and can accept some nice video cards, has the 300 watt power supply which may or may not be good enough for the 8800 GTS card. Not sure, since that is more of a business system and not one that is purchased for games.

 

Someone will have to weigh in on whether you can install a 8800 GTS card.  You can wait a few weeks and probably get the 8800 GT PCI-Express card coming out that is a single slot version I've heard and it should fit. Unknown if the stock power supply will be enough, but someone will come by this thread and tell you.

 

Link below will show the Vostro 200.  The mini tower is on the extreme left, than the thin case 200 next to it.  That should give you an idea what you have.

 

 

http://www.dell.com/content/products/category.aspx/vostrodt?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd

 

Ok. Thanks a lot. That helped.

So Vostro 200 mini tower can support other types of video cards, right?

I mean such video cards as x1950pro, x1600pro, 7600 GS, 7800 GS?

Well, I think I just need to wait till I recieve my desktop...

Thank you for info...

 

 

First off, the power supply may be a problem, especially if you have multiple drives or opticals due to the limit of its 300W output. I have not determined the limits of the 12V rail, which is usually the limiting factor when powering a medium to high-end video card. It needs to produce 20+amps of 12V and most PS will only deliver less than 18 and have only 1 12V rail. Upgraded power supplies can have an add additional 12V rail to power the high-end cards.  

 

Secondly, the power supply only has 4 power plugs and all are of the SATA type. So, you need to either replace the supply, buy some adapters to convert to the standard molex used by video cards, or get a video card that does not require external power (draws through the PCI-Express 16x slot) which limits the rendering power of the card. The high-end cards can require two molex power connectors on top of the PCI-e slot power to function, but I doubt you'll got that high.

 

Finally, I read a post that a full size card can fit, but because of the organization of the internal hard drives (vertically along the left side of the case, side by side), there are issues where the drive may prevent a large card from fitting; i.e. it hits the drive and won't install. If you use only one drive, then it could be moved to a clear spot or placed, which a frame, in the open 5.25" bay; if you have a free bay there.  

 

To sum up, carefully count your drives (hard and optical (they take a lot of power as well), current and expected) for both power consumption and fit of the new card, get the card dimensions (very difficult even from the site (online review site might be better)), check the requirements of the card in question to see if it requires a molex connector for power, and finally check to see if the current powersupply, or the new one if you so choose, has enough 12V rail amperage to support the video cards needs.

 

Well, my investigation turned up many questions and answer, most of which I have shared here. I'm trying to live with the integrated graphics, which actually plays games better than any integrated I've EVER seen (COH/COV runs well in medium to low quality at 1680x1050). If it only wouldn't crash when all four memory slots are filled. But that's another question that I've posted here.

 

I hope you get what you are hoping for. (sorry for the English travesty that is just to convenient)

  They have power supply in stock and do you prefer aftermarket power unit. The 300 wattage have molex and two rails but not all have them so very few have one rail power line in the computer retail and branding store such as Intel. The continuous switching power supply is better than combined power supply with buil-on switching. The 350 watts have molex and SATA power plug connector and heavy step-down power transformer. Some cheap power supply have none of heavy transformer/coil with iron core. Always, pick up it from local store so you can weight it by feel because heavy power supply is far better than lightweight power supply and both rated 350 watts but heavier is more durable and last longer. The load is what shorted the power supply called LIVE wire and that is called energizing. It is the wire that burn up when it is glowing red too hot. So all the power supply have the same gauge of the wire diameter. But the Chinese make are very bad coil maker. The Japanese are a top supplier in making the power (copper) with transformers so does the Archer Company in Global Work force. When the power is drawn to all the devices and cards inside the Dell PC it is easy to power up because the 120 voltages and few amperes can run them little load called Vostro desktop and the power supply is to reduce and regulate the high power otherwise the heavy desktop PC is blown up and deteriorate as well damage the wires but a smart power supply with its regulators and heat sink with 80 mm fan will keep the heat in maintain before any spike and surge can ruin it. The power supply might have too much filter and too small in size of the diodes to provide the high electricity power. So the power supply is dying is what we must face and when the power supply is getting dead soon then it only bring up more voltage and less in non-polarity capacities. The more in non-polarity the better the power supplies the DC current other if it is not enough of non-polarity then it is akward type of pwer supply. If the power supply have bridge retifier then it is good type of power supply for PC. And many of cheap power supply did not make with bridge rectifier. Let the power supply be 300 watts as long as there is molex connectors (a necessary components of common desktop Dell Products) and then it will get aged and no longer in excellent condition before replace it. Since power supply is the first one to die before the motherboard will die because it contains the highly contamination of radio active and the motherboard does not produce the radio active neither the video graphic adapter/card. The CRT is very durable along with very well made dimmer- variable resistor. The LCD from that the Hitachi did not do a good job in producing the dimmer, blackness control for the active-matrix TFT/VGA. Although, the radio active in the CRT is eventually growing but not in the law of the American Society of Engineers since it is manner and reason to put all the electricity concentration in the power supply unit not in the CRT's enclosure case. It is useful to use the Geiger measurement tool to trace of the unit in level of radio active so see if it is safeties thta pass or does not. It is what makes the power supply in need for a replace. If it works everything perfect, don't fix the power supply. Upgrade the power supply is the last thing because if there is not enough to power the motherboard and cards then it is time to call to have it replacing the step-down industrial/ production/ distribution transformer and remove the old coil away from the telephone/power pole. We just got a brand new dual transformers this year 2007 up in there T-pole for Energy and USA. Two years ago, I heard they replace and balance with blueprinting the turbine for Nuclear station located in Harris-Shearon site and it is running like new in N. Carolina.