Will this older Win7 system handle a GeForce GTX 750?

Britton30 said:

Yeah it may be easier to use the old case and move parts between them. The picture isn't my case, I found it with Google. The part I had to cut was where the power cable enters the PSU because the standard ones have it in a different place. Then I had to drill a hole to get the 4th mounting screw in.

Well this restores my faith: I actually have an older 400W PS sitting hanging around that I never used. An ATX12V 2.2 compatible. Works perfectly---tested it. So long as I can remember not to accidentally throw the mechanical on/off switch on the back by accident when I reach behind the machine.

Now I only need to get a video card that will:

1. work with Crazy Machines 2 (not easy----needs older Aegis Physx---not onboard card---and older openAL). And this might mean geforce only. Arrrrgh.

and

2. Is single slot. None of the geforces of any ability seem to be single slot. The Radeon HD 7750 seems to be a semi-thumper (according to passmark), but I'm unsure of the compatibility nightmares I might get. I'd rather spend $100 on a card I can potentially use later if I upgrade rather than a junk $60 card that will never make us happy.

(Though, nearly anything is better than the Geforce 6150 LE I got in there now......OYE....)

Britton30 said:

It may defeat your purpose in rebuilding an old machine, but a new case would help a lot, some ideas:

Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!

Point well taken. In fact, I didn't know I could get a case that cheaply that included the PS.

I would but I'm worried about something: the Dells always seem to have their CPU's carefully positioned with a custom venting hood that tunnels toward a back opening. I'm worried about something overheating.

So typical that a nwe case and videocard exceed the value of the existing system as a whole. :-/

In any case I ordered a single slot ASUS GTX750 that my 400w should handle (hope). The only question when it arrives is whether or not I can shoe-horn it in.

Britton30 said:

Well I forgot about the silly Dell motherboard too, it wouldn't work in a normal case.
As for the CPU cooler, they are available after market.
There should be a listing for the 750's minimum PSU required.

Yeah, no kididng, Dell is one royal PITA when it comes to stuff like this. Don't know if the other big manufacturers are any better.

The card will be coming soon. If it's too big to fit, have you had any luck using those right-angle PCI-e riser cards? There's no exterior venting needed with this card.

Britton30 said:

No I haven't tried one of the right angle adapters.

I think maybe Dell has went to standardized parts in the last couple of years. They did buy Alienware who has always used them. I have 2 older (2006) Compaqs which used a normal mATX board.

Well the card fits upright, but just barely. Presses against the heatsink of one of the mobo chips. I haven't tried moving the heatsink at all....perhaps I will. Interestingly, the card is bent, possibly from having been rammed in previously into a very similar slot. (It's an Amazon Warehouse thing).

It fired up once ok on the 305W PS, but it didn't the 2nd time, so I swapped out the PS for the 400watter and it seems good to go now.

Now there's a problem involving Crazy Machines 2 that keeps resurfacing that I found a solution to, but that'll go into the gaming forum.

Thanks for all your help man!