Graphics Card...PCI or AGP question

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Tsiphon

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Recently, i got a new computer. It is a Compaq SR1230NX, and it has a VIA/S3G Unichrome IGP. It has trouble running Doom 3 (wont run) Tribes Vengance (wont run) and Farcry (lol...wont load map). Framerate drops very often while playing Counter-Strike CZ.

This is computer specs

If your to lazy here:


AMD Athalon XP 3200+

160 GB HDD

512 RAM

VIA/S3G UniChrome IGP

"Integrated AC97 audio, six channel configurable" - If you want to suggest a audio upgrade

Under motherboard and chipset:
ASUS name: A7V8Z-LA

and "chipset" is Via KM400A


I have been looking at CompUSA since my bro gets a discount.

The techs said with my setup i should get a Radeon 9600 XT or 9800 128 mb Pro, or some sort of nVidia cards (i lost the paper my bro wrote the name down on).
Also they recommended getting a 512 mb RAM stick, brand PNY.

My specs say i have 3 PCI slots, and 2 are avialible, so i think that means my IGP is located on a PCI slot. I have 1 AGP 8x slot open, and 1 DIMM (whatever those are....memory sticks right?).

I don't know if having a PCI based IGP means I must get a PCI card, or can i get a AGP 8x card (like the Radeon 9800.

Normally a Radeon 9800 Pro is 250, but i can get it for 200.

Uhh....please put some input on what you think about my graphics card choices (based on about a $225 price max), and recommend other upgrades (audio, stuff like that).

The problem with FarCry is a "Critical Exception", heres a link:

clicky

Apparently alot of people have this problem, but i read somewhere its a memory process problem, a "RX55" is supposedly shutting down memory after it is overloaded or something. I don't know if this is a mobo or Graphics problem, but i cant play Doom 3 or Vengance, so i am getting a new graphics card no matter what.

If you guys could help me search for answers on my problems with the Farcry demo, mobo, IGP, and other stuff, that'd be great...i am getting kinda fed up with all this VIA crap.

Thanks.
 
You dont put video cards into PCI slots. You put it in the AGP slot, I think most motherboards only come with 1 of these. The AGP slot should be the lone slot next to your PCI slots. If theres something in there take it out and put in your new video card, make sure you buy an AGP video card and not a PCI express.

I think what I said is right, correct me if im wrong somebody.
 
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