need suggestions for older video card

[keakar]

I have an old computer that does fairly decent with amd 3800 64x2 cpu and is maxed out with 4gb of 3200 ram

the problem is this is an old ms7184 board with pathetic generic integrated onboard video which cant handle a big monitor (over 17") without needing to run 800x600 resolution.

so I put an old GeForce 9400gt with 512mb ddr2 ram in it
see specs here: http://www.geforce.com/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-9400-gt/specifications
and it runs 24" monitor fine now but it stutters with limited frame rates when testing an old game called air raid and the game specs for it are

• Minimum Requirements

• Win 98/2000/Me/XP

• 266MHz Processor

• 32MB RAM

• 4MB Video Card

• 100MB HDD Space

the computer specs are

amd 3800 cpu 64x2
350 watt power supply
msi ms-7184 motherboard
4gb (4x1gb) ddr2 ram pc3200u
running windows 7 64 bit OS
NVidia GeForce 9400gt 512mb ddr2 pci-e

this isnt a game that needs much of a video card so I am thinking it must be a ram limitation causing it to get that herky jerky stutter like freeze ups for a second when you move quickly so im looking at getting a better card with maybe 1gb ram for it but my budget is $25-$35 so im looking for used cards on ebay.

I am asking for the best card to look for to match such an outdated system and I want it to have at least 1gb onboard ram (not using system ram to inflate its specs) and be able to run on the 350watt power supply (not sure of amp output but its a generic hp pavilion PS so its probably not a lot) and not need extra video card power plug connectors.

I know its hard to know with so little info but I am hoping for confirmation that my thinking is correct, and that its just a pathetic old weak video card that needs replacing, but if not, I am happy to hear any comments if something else might be going on with it and if it may not be a video card limitation but I don't think it can be a cpu processing limitation can it?

 

[Mr.Scott]

GT 200 series. 210 or 220 w/ 1GB of vram.

Realistically, I don't think it's a vram issue. The card you're using should be fine. Try an older driver.

 

[keakar]

GT 200 series. 210 or 220 w/ 1GB of vram.

Realistically, I don't think it's a vram issue. The card you're using should be fine. Try an older driver.

please explain?????? I just let windows update the driver through updates, is that the problem?

anyway I will go to NVidia and get their driver for it

 

[Mr.Scott]

Newer drivers are optimized for newer cards. Find a driver that was out when your card was current.

Try this one.
http://www.nvidia.com/object/win7_winvista_64bit_197.13.html

 

[keakar]

ok but how can I stop windows from reinstalling driver 341.44 ?

every time I uninstall it windows reinstalls it from the win 7 default driver directory.

im assuming I cant install an older driver if a newer one is still installed, or will it?

 

[GelatanousMuck]

With that old of hardware you should be running WinXP on that machine not Win7, as Win7 is only going to allow you to go back so far without problems.

 

[redeye]

Uninstall all NVIDIA drivers, then run DDU... and remove all graphics drivers including AMD ... then delete the NVIDIA/AMD directories at root.


If it has a pci-e slot you probably can get away with any card that does not need and external power connection.
(Gt610,gt630, gt 710, gt 720) I would suggest a 730 or a card with gddr5... Gt640, or I think gt720. A gt630 will work but it is slight slower that aa i3-6300 skylake gt2

 

[keakar]

ok well I guess you can install older drivers over newer ones

I tried driver 334.89 first, just to see, and that was as far back as I needed to go.

it works fine now and it uninstalled driver 341 when it installed so im all good now and it works perfectly now

thanks for the help

im so used to just letting windows do its own drivers because I never had issues with it before, although I never was installing such outdated hardware either lol

 

[keakar]

With that old of hardware you should be running WinXP on that machine not Win7, as Win7 is only going to allow you to go back so far without problems.

not my choice, the guy wanted win 7 "minimum" and I realize with only 4gb system ram, its very limited, but he did not want xp, so it is what it is, and it runs pretty damn good and fast as long as you don't try multi tasking with it

 

[redeye]

You you could get a "free" system after 5 years, due to power savings, by getting a new "core" for the box...

For under 200 dollars you could replace that system with a g4500,h110,8GB 2133ddr4 (92,55,45) and it will blow the doors off of that system... (Anything below an Nvidia gt630 ddr3 will be slower)