Member Avatar for Darren Orloff

Hey this is my first post and i was wondering if anyone can tell if my computer is graphics card compatiblehere is my system (all the info i know im pretty sure theres more that i dont know about)

its about 2 years old....Dell (Optiplex gx 150,is the make...i guess )
Windows 2000 pro
1.2 Ghz
259mb ram

the reason why i ask is because i got a graphics card with the cd (it was given to me.) I dont know where to plug it in. I did take out 1 of the 2, 4-5 inch chips from its slot and it wouldnt fit....im lost,,,,
please help me i would really really welcome all advice

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by thumjocky

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Quick answer and correction: many OptiPlex GX150 boards include one AGP video slot plus PCI expansion slots, and the small form‑factor (SFF) GX150 uses a low‑profile (half‑height) AGP slot. , the card you were given very likely failed to seat because its physical bracket or bus type does not match your chassis/motherboard (full‑height vs half‑height, or AGP vs PCI/PCIe). was right to think in terms of AGP vs PCI, and is correct to warn against PCI Express — PCIe cards will not fit these older boards. (doczz.net)

Short, safe checklist (no assumptions): power the PC down and unplug it, open the case, and look at the expansion slots. The AGP slot is usually the single slot closest to the CPU; PCI slots are the longer white/beige ones. If the supplied card has a full‑height metal bracket but the case is SFF it physically will not fit; if the card uses a different bus standard (AGP vs PCI vs PCIe) it is electrically and physically incompatible. Match the card’s connector/bracket style to the slot before attempting to seat it. (britannica.com)

Next practical steps and options: read the card model printed on the PCB (or the CD’s model string) and check whether it is AGP, PCI or PCIe; seek a low‑profile AGP card if the GX150 is SFF, or a standard AGP/half‑height replacement if not. Consider a RAM upgrade first (GX150 supports up to 512 MB) for much better overall responsiveness on Windows 2000, and confirm driver availability for the chosen card since Windows 2000 is long out of support (extended support ended July 13, 2010). If the card is PCIe it cannot be used in this machine. (kingston.com)

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Member Avatar for Jodo901

If it's a newer Video card it's probably for an AGP slot. AGP comes in AGP4 or AGP8, but you need to check the specs for the card to be sure. From the specs on your computer (http://support.dell.com/) you only have PCI slots on the Optiplex gx 150. I'm pretty sure AGP slots have to be build into the motherboard, so there's no way to use a plug/adapter to convert it in any way. But if you do want a video card for you Optiplex you can get ones that you can use in a PCI slot..they should run you about $60 or so. I would also recoment checking out your specs for RAM, I would think you can at leats double the ammount that you've got. This will make your PC run much better and faster and RAM for it shouldn't be too costly.

btw my first post too :D good luck

Member Avatar for thumjocky

I agree but you also need to make sure you dont get pci express slot.
A pci slot is good for upgrading intergrated graphics cards.

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