virgin needs help

watchtower7 · February 4th, 2003, 08:08 PM

Hey-my first new computer-need some help.
1. Should I boot it up and make sure it runs b4 I install some pci/agp cards?
2..Swapping out a 128 mb stick that came with it for a 512...does it go in the same slot?
3. I heard a 350 ups from belkin is not enough backup for a p4 2.4 and 2 monitors. Can I buy 2 of these ups (they are on sale for $25) using one for the computer and the other one for everything else(2 monitors, printer, 80 gig external)?
Any other do's and dont's gladly taken.
Going away for an hour to the chiropractor. Back at 1:15 gmt

Wizzard~Of~Ozz · February 4th, 2003, 08:14 PM

1. Nah, install all your cards, if it doesn't boot, then start removing them.

2. Don't you have another slot to give you 640Mb Mem?

3. monitors and printers on one, Computer and external HD on the other. Reson being if the one with the monitors runs out, you want the external 80Gig to still be working.

JimG · February 4th, 2003, 08:15 PM

Quote:

1. Should I boot it up and make sure it runs b4 I install some pci/agp cards?

Well, assuming you're using an AGP video card, you MUST install the video card prior to booting the system. At the minimum, I boot with 1 HD installed, 1 floppy drive, the video card, motherboard, CPU and RAM.

Quote:

2..Swapping out a 128 mb stick that came with it for a 512...does it go in the same slot?

AuraEdge · February 4th, 2003, 08:17 PM

1) Usually I plug everything in and go, and only take out cards if the computers giving me a fit and I need to troubleshoot as to what the problem is.

2) You can just put it in another slot, and end up with 640MB of RAM.

3) Not sure about the third question, but I dont think a UPS would work if you dont have it hooked up the serial port of a computer. I'm not sure if thats entirely true though. If you have both hooked up, I dont know if the software would be able to pick up both UPS's. My first inclanation was to say no, but the more I think about it, the more it seems possible, just unlikely.

EDIT - Just read the other simul-posts. Why even put the second monitor on a UPS? Just put the primary monitor and comp on UPS, and the rest on the non-battery plugs on the UPS. The comp will sitll survive any short outages, and still be able to save and shut down during any long outages. If the power goes out and your working on something on the second screen, just hit display props, quickly disble the second screen, which causes all apps to zip over to the first monitor. Then save them, and shut down. Long outages are rare enough to begin with, and them happening when your actually working on an app on the second screen should even be rarer, so you'll probably never even have to do this.

watchtower7 · February 4th, 2003, 08:20 PM

dell shipped the wrong ram (266 mhz) and I am putting in 333 mhz-out with the old, in with the new
taking crap agp card out and putting a matrox 550 millenium in
and I dont think you can just throw the 512 stick in any slot if you were keeping the 128-I think the ram must go in a most to least order-I might be wrong

AuraEdge · February 4th, 2003, 08:25 PM

266Mhz was the "wrong" ram? did it specifically say it was supposed to come with PC2700 DDR?

Anyways, if you want to run the RAM at 266Mhz, then you can use all 640MB. If you want to run at 333Mhz, then you need to take out the 128MB. The 512@333Mhz would probably be better for a P4 system

Next Q - Whats the "Crap AGP card" your swapping out?

watchtower7 · February 4th, 2003, 09:31 PM

4xagp-
the "wrong" ram was the default (no additional cost)/when the new dell deal went up the next day the system was shipping default with the 333-I called them and they are sending the 333 to replace the 266

AuraEdge · February 4th, 2003, 10:09 PM

I never heard of the Rage Ultra before, but I was just wondering because I wasn't sure if you were replacing a better performing card with a worse one. The G550 performs about a notch above the Rage 128 Pro, but so does the Rage Ultra (according to Dell, whos apparently the only one who's heard of it and offers any info on the card). Upping to the G550 didnt get you much if any performance gain, but nets you a boatload of new features, like DualHead and Headcast, but you probably knew that already if you bought it.

Anyways, since thats the case with the memory fill up the slots closest to the CPU first. I don't really have evidence of it, but it seems to be stablest when I overclock when I fill up the ones closest to the CPU first. When not OCing, it probably doesnt make a difference. In this case, put the 512 in DIMM Slot 1, and when the replacement 128MB comes, put it in DIMM2.

watchtower7 · February 5th, 2003, 03:39 AM

Everything apparently good to go-will be selling the 128 pc2100 266 mhz, the 128 pc2700 333 mhz and the video card very soon in the traders forum- if you want it, pm me.