How do i know or find out if i have a PCI slot?

Blunet600 · Nearly there... Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Karma :

I am thinking about buying a new graphics card as my one is shit and want to run black and white 2. I found the reciept and it says i have a "Integraed (which im guessing means its internal) NVIDIA GeForce 6150 LE GPU (1xVGA)"
It doesnt mention how many PCI slots I have is there any way of finding out without opening the computer? As it has a years warrenty on it at the moment and dont want to risk invalidating it.
Cheers.

Charlie · World Chat Champion Joined: 27 May 2007 Karma :

For new graphics cards you are going to want to have a PCI-express slot. You will have just PCI or AGP or PCI-express. PCI-express have cards that are better for the money AGP tend to more pricey.

If you take the side off you computer towards the bottom left as you look at it will be some slots, should be a few, normally the top one is your graphics card one, the rest are just PCI slots and no good for graphics cards.

If you look really close on the motherboard will be printed AGP or PCI-express around the slot.

I am sure you can find out using some software but I can't think of any now.

Of course I could have remember all of this wrong and I am chatting bollocks.
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stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

Doesn't control panel > system > Hardware tell you all that kind of stuff?
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Burnside · Spanner Monkey Joined: 29 Sep 2007 Karma :

If opening the PC will invalidate the warranty, then you'll do that anyway when you go to install the card.

What make of PC you got? Most of the big manufacturers (hp/dell/packard bell etc) will have details on their website about the motherboard installed in each model
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iooi · Super Spammer Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Karma :

Try SiSoft Sandra Lite

Think that will give you a list of whats on the motherboard.

Failing that google for the motherboard type, should be in one of the books you got with PC and see what comes up.
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Rookie · World Chat Champion Joined: 09 Feb 2005 Karma :

I'm sure that taking the side panel off your case would'nt invalidate your warranty. Unless there's a sticker saying so somewhere, I'd just whip it off. You should be doing it every few months anyway to give everything a dust off. From thereon in you should be able to see what you've got, and I'm guessing at 2 of 4 PCI slots being taken and a free AGP slot, which is what I'd use.

Itchy · Super Spammer Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Karma :

warranties bleh....

whats worse is the fact that some companies superglue the unused PCI slots and things on the mobo to prevent you from doing stuff to your own PC.
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Blunet600 · Nearly there... Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Karma :

What does this info in the picture tell me? does it show that i have a spare PCI slot for a good graphics card?

CaNsA_old · Nova Slayer Joined: 06 Dec 2007 Karma :

nopes Dude, it shows all the bits n bobs that make up your pc.

Have you got the make and model of your computer? eg dell xxxx etc?
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Blunet600 · Nearly there... Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Karma :

its a dell inspiron i believe.
What graphics would i need to buy - one that goes into a pci slot, or a pci express or a agp slot?

Finglonga · World Chat Champion Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Karma :

Marcg868 · World Chat Champion Joined: 20 Jan 2005 Karma :

Just whip off your side panle, or hell if it has a vent on the side panel, shine a torch in.

The majority of PCI - E Slots are either Blue or black and some come in green.

By the looks of it on your system fashiznuts, you have a Nvidia Nforce Mother bored of some sort, and if its a newish machine, as in made in the last 18 months its going to have 1 PCI - E slot ( Black on my Mobo) and 3 normal pci slots.

So what you want to be looking for is Stuff like Nvidia Geforce 7600, 8600's which are cheap and cheerful but powerful enough to run Black and white 2 i imagine.

But just to be 100% sure, your best off taking the side panel off having a look at what colour slot you have or taking a picture for me so can confirm for defo what you need.

If its fairly new tho, you'll have a PCI -E slot. Mine does and i bought it in 2005.
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Burnside · Spanner Monkey Joined: 29 Sep 2007 Karma :

You can view the manual for your PC on the Dell website - just enter your Service Tag onto this page and look for 'Inside your PC'

The Service Tag number will be on a small black sticker on the front or top of the PC.
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Blunet600 · Nearly there... Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Karma :

I was looking at buying this or the 512 which is £40. Would this not work on my computer then?
https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=150199608367&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=005
I will open her tomorrow and take a picture. cheers.

Marcg868 · World Chat Champion Joined: 20 Jan 2005 Karma :

If its a pci -e slot on your computer then it will work, but if you dont have one it wont work obviously. Just whip the side off the computer and take a clear photo and then can advise you on what cards you can get.
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Blunet600 · Nearly there... Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Karma :

Ok - here is a picture of the inside of my computer. Hope its clear enough. So - What card can i get? Would that GB one i linked above be ok on my computer?
cheers.

Jamie. · World Chat Champion Joined: 27 Dec 2005 Karma :

That's PCI-Express you have. And yes, The card you linked to will work. But it wouldn't be my choice of card. Can't recommend another tho, I'm sure someone else will.
Thumbs Up

Blunet600 · Nearly there... Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Karma :

Wicked cheers mate. ...........which slot is it i would put the card in though? whcih slot is the pci E slot? lol I dont know much about computers.
And - What Graphics card do people Recommend? cheers.

Marcg868 · World Chat Champion Joined: 20 Jan 2005 Karma :

The large black one is your pci express slot mate.

Whats your budget for a card?

As with most things the more you spend the better performance.
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Blunet600 · Nearly there... Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Karma :

Dont really want to spend more than £60 for one. Any ideas?