PCI Express HELP, have I missed so much? Urgency

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publiusdiamond

New Member
OK so I have an eMachines which I bought about this time last year. I've upgraded it quite a bit, but a new upgrade is about to come up so I can play Oblivion with more than 3 frames per second.
Need a new GPU. This computer has no AGP Slot. And, as far as I'm concerned, it doesn't have a PCI-E slot, but I am not sure. What does a PCI Express slot look like? Is it the same as a PCI slot?
OK, lets put a different way. May last year I bought an XFX GeForce 5200. It's a PCI card...it doesn't say anything about PCI-Express on the box. Someone please confirm for me that this IS a PCI card and not a PCI-Express card.
Also, I have a very very small slot in the PC...its brown/black...what is this?
Finally, can a PCI-Express card go in a PCI slot? Are any cards still available (such as a 6800) in regular PCI format?
If all else fails...Can I just buy a new mobo?
 
publiusdiamond said:
OK so I have an eMachines which I bought about this time last year. I've upgraded it quite a bit, but a new upgrade is about to come up so I can play Oblivion with more than 3 frames per second.
Need a new GPU. This computer has no AGP Slot. And, as far as I'm concerned, it doesn't have a PCI-E slot, but I am not sure. What does a PCI Express slot look like? Is it the same as a PCI slot?
OK, lets put a different way. May last year I bought an XFX GeForce 5200. It's a PCI card...it doesn't say anything about PCI-Express on the box. Someone please confirm for me that this IS a PCI card and not a PCI-Express card.
Also, I have a very very small slot in the PC...its brown/black...what is this?
Finally, can a PCI-Express card go in a PCI slot? Are any cards still available (such as a 6800) in regular PCI format?
If all else fails...Can I just buy a new mobo?
Click to expand...
take a pic of the inside of ur mobo andpost it here...
 
publiusdiamond said:
What does a PCI Express slot look like? Is it the same as a PCI slot?
Click to expand...

its longer than a PCI slot, and more slender too......a standard PCI slot is usually white (depending on manufacturer, but your emachines will be white), whereas a PCI-E slot will usually be black (depending on manufacturer, but your emachines will be black)

publiusdiamond said:
May last year I bought an XFX GeForce 5200. It's a PCI card...it doesn't say anything about PCI-Express on the box. Someone please confirm for me that this IS a PCI card and not a PCI-Express card.
Click to expand...

its either PCI or AGP, there is no PCI-E Geforce 5200

publiusdiamond said:
Also, I have a very very small slot in the PC...its brown/black...what is this?
Click to expand...

Your prolly talking about PCI-E 4x or 1x (used for expansion cards, similar to PCI, but faster :D )

publiusdiamond said:
Finally, can a PCI-Express card go in a PCI slot?
Click to expand...

no

publiusdiamond said:
Are any cards still available (such as a 6800) in regular PCI format?
Click to expand...

there are some, and theres always the GS versions of some of the GPU's that are available in PCI

publiusdiamond said:
If all else fails...Can I just buy a new mobo?
Click to expand...

always :D
 
my mobo

mobo003.jpg

That at the bottom left is the "mysterious brown slot"
You'll have to excuse my lack of knowledge, I've been in a coma since last June. Only recently got back into computer upgrading.
Another thing I found, cards with interfaces like this look like they would fit in one of my PCI slots.
 
mobo003.jpg


this is where a PCI-E or AGP (cant tell from the pic) would be if you had one

i cant tell from the picture, maybee if you take out the video card and then take a picture of it....
 
Thank you Sloth. I suppose the brown slot is really irrelevant as I've never seen a video card that would fit that.
A standard PCI version of the 6800 GS would be excellent...Are there any particular model names you could give me and or link me?
Thanks for your help.
 
publiusdiamond said:
I suppose the brown slot is really irrelevant as I've never seen a video card that would fit that.
Click to expand...

yeah there isnt one thats mainstream (there are some quatros), i think its going to be used to replace the PCI slot, similar to when ISA was replaced by PCI....but idk...


publiusdiamond said:
A standard PCI version of the 6800 GS would be excellent...Are there any particular model names you could give me and or link me?
Click to expand...

the highest thing i could find on newegg was geforce 5500...



just a thought.....i would highly recommend just buying a new mobo, that supports the processor and ram that you have now, and then you can buy a faster video card.....

what CPU do you have, and what kind of RAM, i can find one for you
 
Last edited:
The 5700LE is the highest-end card for PCI, the 6800GS would be incompatible with your computer.
 
Motherboard

Video Card




with the 478 cpu, you have a hard time finding a motherboard with PCI-E unless you wana spend like 150 bucks lol

i found you a 6600GT OC to make up for the AGP, but that card would be like amazing compared to what your running now

*EDIT* that motherboard is the best 478 for the money, its still got the intel 865pe chipset without the intel price :) *EDIT*
 
yes, you just have to find an AGP card

omega makes a good point, you would either have to buy a new ATX case, or find a micro-ATX one
 
Wow guys, so many answers! I think what I'm gonna do is get a new motherboard. Hell, maybe even a new case. And a PCI-E video card. and a new PSU (which I'll need anyway, mines only a 300W)
Biiiig job ahead of me!
Also, I don't think my case is a Micro-ATX...
 
publiusdiamond said:
Also, I don't think my case is a Micro-ATX...
Click to expand...
Do you have two or four 5.25" external drive bays? (Big rectangle things on the front of your case ;)).
 
My case isn't small though, its average size...but it's still a mini? OK, fair do's lol.
How do I know my mobo is a 478? I bought it this time last year so I dunno.
My friend is helping me find a 478 mobo with a PCI-E slot as we speak.
 
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