Help with Graphics Card

[tantum4]

Hi,

Can anyone help me with my issue? I would like to upgrade/change my Graphics Card but do not know what will be compatible with my system components. The main reason for upgrade is for using with various 3D design software. Below I've included my system report, hope it was not to lengthy, because I didn't know what really to include.

Thanks in advance. Awaiting a response.

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System Information Report

General
Operating System Microsoft Windows XP Professional
System Type 32 bit
Central Processor Turbo 4000+ Comb (K8M80-M7A and Sempron 2500+)
User Name
Graphics
Video Adapter VIA/S3G UniChrome Pro IGP
Video Memory 64.00 MB
Screen Resolution 1280 x 768
Video Adapter LogMeIn Mirror Driver
Video Memory Unknown
Screen Resolution NULL x NULL
Storage
Total Memory 1.44 GB
Free Memory 454.26 MB
Total Hard disk 149.05 GB
Free Hard disk 54.00 GB

Operating System
OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Professional
OS Version 5.1.2600
Service Pack 3.0
Product ID
System Up Time 5/22/2012 8:49:45 AM
Internet Explorer Version 8.0.6001.18702
Microsoft DirectX Version 4.09.00.0904
OpenGL Version 5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-0845)

Memory Resource
Total Memory 1.44 GB
Used Memory 1014.41 MB
Free Memory 456.01 MB
Memory Usage 68%
Physical Memory
Memory Bank Bank0/1
Description Physical Memory 0
Device Locator A0
Capacity 512.00 MB
Speed NULL Mhz
Manufacturer NULL
Data Width 64 bit
Memory Type Unknown
Form Factor DIMM
Physical Memory
Memory Bank Bank2/3
Description Physical Memory 1
Device Locator A1
Capacity 1.00 GB
Speed NULL Mhz
Manufacturer NULL
Data Width 64 bit
Memory Type Unknown
Form Factor DIMM

Central Processor
CPU Name Turbo 4000+ Comb (K8M80-M7A and Sempron 2500+)
Code Name Model 12, Stepping 2
Manufacturer AuthenticAMD
Current Clock Speed 1399 Mhz
Max Clock Speed 1399 Mhz
Voltage 1.5V
External Clock 200 Mhz
Serial Number
CPU ID x86 Family 15 Model 44 Stepping 2
Socket Designation Socket 940
Internal Cache 128 KB
External Cache 256 KB

Motherboard
Model K8M800-8237
Manufacturer
Serial Number
BIOS Name Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
BIOS Vendor Phoenix Technologies, LTD
SMBIOS Version 6.00 PG
BIOS Date 9/26/2005
BIOS Features
ISA is supported Yes
PCI is supported Yes
Plug and Play is supported Yes
APM is supported Yes
BIOS is Upgradable (Flash) Yes
BIOS shadowing is allowed Yes
Boot from CD is supported Yes
Selectable Boot is supported Yes
BIOS ROM is socketed Yes
EDD (Enhanced Disk Drive) Specification is supported Yes
Int 13h - 5.25 / 360 KB Floppy Services are supported Yes
Int 13h - 5.25 /1.2MB Floppy Services are supported Yes
Int 13h - 3.5 / 720 KB Floppy Services are supported Yes
Int 13h - 3.5 / 2.88 MB Floppy Services are supported Yes
Int 5h, Print Screen Service is supported Yes
Int 9h, 8042 Keyboard services are supported Yes
Int 14h, Serial Services are supported Yes
Int 17h, printer services are supported Yes
Int 10h, CGA/Mono Video Services are supported Yes
ACPI supported Yes
USB Legacy is supported Yes
AGP is supported Yes
LS-120 boot is supported Yes
ATAPI ZIP Drive boot is supported Yes

IDE Controller
Name VIA Bus Master IDE Controller
Manufacturer VIA Technologies, Inc.
Status OK
IDE Controller
Name Primary IDE Channel
Manufacturer (Standard IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers)
Status OK
IDE Controller
Name Secondary IDE Channel
Manufacturer (Standard IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers)
Status OK
Video Adapter
Name VIA/S3G UniChrome Pro IGP
Video Processor VIA/S3G UniChrome Pro IGP
Manufacturer VIA/S3G
Video Architecture VGA
DAC Type Internal
Memory Size 64.00 MB
Memory Type Unknown
Video Mode 1280 x 768 x 4294967296 colors
Current Refresh Rate 60 Hz
Driver Version 6.14.10.0227-16.94.44.10
Driver Date 6/9/2005 10:30:52 PM

[ShyguyXPC]

Um... wow...


Here's the problem, your using onboard video.

also no mention of the software being used.

And with a lot of 3D rendering type software, unless its some of the newest stuff, most of that lies heavily on CPU power, with GPU only used for Preview renderings as you work on things.

Your running Windows 32-bit which will limit you to 4GB max of System memory (Which includes not only RAM, but Video card RAM and other Cache memory in the system).

Your running a Lowly AMD Sempron Single Core CPU with a low 1.4GHz Clock speed (an under powered CPU).

This is your Motherboard: Biostar USA


Any worth while video card upgrades you do will be 8x AGP Slot cards, which are hard to find these days and will cost MUCH MUCH more than is worth, since they are outdated.

no brand makes AGP anymore and hasn't for years.

Nvidia Stopped making them with the Geforce 8 series, and ATI/AMD Stopped with the Radeon HD 5000 series.

We'd need to know the Software requirements that you are using to give any suggestions.

We'd also need to know what your Power Supply specs are, not just the over all wattage, but the Brand, and Model of the PSU, and the +12V Amp rating on it, all of which should be found on a sticker or label on the PSU.

Should also note, that your Motherboard can only use a max of 2GB of RAM, and you already seem to have 1.5GB of RAM.

in order to max it out you'd need to remove the 512MB stick and place in a 1GB stick, but to be honest on a system this old, it really wouldn't be worth it. None of these upgrades would be unless you could get the parts dirt cheap.

[tantum4]

Thanks my friend, I think I will get an all new up to date system all together.

[ShyguyXPC]

yeah, that would be best IMO.

Especially when dealing with 3D rendering software, a much more powerful and Faster CPU will be very beneficial, same with a decent video card and plenty of RAM.

As it is these days, $50 can get you a nice 8GB Chunk of DDR3 RAM.

I currently run the hardware in my Sig above, and my newer system is very similarly spec'd with slightly faster RAM and a slightly faster Core i7 quad core.

i7 920@2.66/Corsair H60//MSI X58 Platinum//6GB DDR3 1333//GTX 470//GTX285 For PhysX//HTO Striker 7.1//Corsair 750TX//CM 690 II Advanced//Win7 64//250GB, 2x250GB RAID 0, 500GB, 500GB

Posted the sig specs above, since I'm going to be changing them to my new systems specs LOL, forgot to do that.

but I run some 3D software on occasion, most of it Daz Software (Daz Studio 4 Pro 64-bit, Carrara 8 Pro 64-bit, Bryce 7 Pro, etc)

and sadly sometimes I still run out of CPU resources when running and using large complex Mesh models, and often have Carrara or Daz Studio Crash on me... just not enough CPU and RAM resources sometimes.