I'm Having a PROBLEM *SOLVED*

[dodicat]

I think we both have similar machines.
The low form factor requires the half height card (low profile), and I think the card you bought is suitable for the Dell model.
Hopefully you'll get the Win 10 drivers on disk with the card to save you googling for them.
All the opengl software should be included with the driver software.
You might have to disable the existing on board graphics via the device manager once you get up and running with the new card.
So, thanks for keeping us informed.

[Boromir]

@datwill310
My motherboard is an Optiplex 760 which would be SFF except that I installed the motherboard into a dimension E310 case(which took a lot of hammering and tearing of the metal on the back of the case).
One thing to note when installing a graphics card is that you psu has enough watts to power your new card, because you could end up with a ruined motherboard. I had to install a new psu for my card to obtain the required 300 watts. The card you're getting seems to require 300 watts too.
My card is an EVGA nvidia geforce 210. It's not as good as the one you're getting but it can handle everything I throw at it including some fancy games.

[datwill310]

Hopefully you'll get the Win 10 drivers on disk with the card to save you googling for them.
You might have to disable the existing on board graphics via the device manager once you get up and running with the new card.
So, thanks for keeping us informed.

You're welcome! So do I hope that I will get the drivers I need (instead of Googling them: we all know that I can't be trusted with drivers!). Will keep this in mind.

One thing to note when installing a graphics card is that you psu has enough watts to power your new card, because you could end up with a ruined motherboard. I had to install a new psu for my card to obtain the required 300 watts. The card you're getting seems to require 300 watts too.
My card is an EVGA nvidia geforce 210. It's not as good as the one you're getting but it can handle everything I throw at it including some fancy games.

Sounds both reassuring and worrying XD. The packaging for the card should give any details. I'm trusting in my dad and Plasma here.

[datwill310]

I had to install a new psu for my card to obtain the required 300 watts. The card you're getting seems to require 300 watts too.

I've taken a look at the Amazon pages...

You're right...

I can't believe I didn't pay more attention to this.

So, if I want this card I just bought to work, I'm also going to have to buy myself a new PSU... I can't imagine they would be cheap. And regardless, it means I have to somehow navigate the mass of cables in my current PSU and reconnect everything. Nah, I ain't doing that.

Which means I will have to somehow return the one I just bought, and the search continues. I don't know HOW I'm gonna explain this to dad...

[Boromir]

What's the current wattage on your psu?
300 Watts is recommended but if you have 275 Watts you'll probably still be ok. I just wouldn't use a <250 watt psu, that could cause your psu to blow up or just fail and possibly ruin other pc components.

I bought a 420 Watt psu for cheap but now I'm worried it was low quality because I'm beginning to see symptons of psu failure, such as my pc powering down without notice even when the pc is perfectly cool.

[datwill310]

What's the current wattage on your psu?
300 Watts is recommended but if you have 275 Watts you'll probably still be ok. I just wouldn't use a <250 watt psu, that could cause your psu to blow up or just fail and possibly ruin other pc components.

I bought a 420 Watt psu for cheap but now I'm worried it was low quality because I'm beginning to see symptons of psu failure, such as my pc powering down without notice even when the pc is perfectly cool.

It's 235W. That's very low, especially to run even a low-powered card.

Basically, me and my dad have had a discussion and are considering buying a new PC which already comes with the graphics. It's gonna be REALLY expensive, but hopefully i can save up.

Why we are doing this is because the Dell model I've got right now is a bespoke design: much smaller than the average desktop PC. This has meant that we can't get any PSU >250W for my PC case. Which means I can't get any graphics card that's useful for me.

As for the card I've got now, we'll get a refund.

Thanks for all your help. Can't wait to get something besides my intergrated potato XD.

[Boromir]

can't get any PSU >250W for my PC case

This is sff, I'm just worried about it's quality. It would fit in your case though.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AR ... _qh_dp_hza

You may be better off buying a new pc that has more upgrade potential.
I'm planning on building a new pc eventually with a core i7 cpu, support for sli graphics and 64 GB of ram. I'm a little greedy. ;)

[datwill310]

can't get any PSU >250W for my PC case

This is sff, I'm just worried about it's quality. It would fit in your case though.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AR ... _qh_dp_hza

You may be better off buying a new pc that has more upgrade potential.
I'm planning on building a new pc eventually with a core i7 cpu, support for sli graphics and 64 GB of ram. I'm a little greedy. ;)

64GB XD that's a lot of RAM!
Your suggestion seems great, but as you say, it's probably better to get a PC with more potential. Does seem a little cheap compared to what we've come across!

[datwill310]

UPDATE

In the end, we've decided to keep the graphics card. By swapping the brackets around, it fits X'D.

Now, we've also bought a new PSU, max. 300W output. This will facilitate my card. It's due tomorrow; we've ordered it today. The dimensions should fit too.

Once we install the PSU, and the graphics card, my search is complete!

Thank you all for your help :D. This forum is great!

[sean_vn]

I'm having a problem too: "Java or FB, Java or FB, Java or FB...............?"

[datwill310]

I'm having a problem too: "Java or FB, Java or FB, Java or FB...............?"

Are you just starting out, or have you programed before (esp. C/C++)?

If you're just starting out, I'd recommend FreeBASIC: easy to learn, can handle graphics well with "built-in" backend, and does support a mild version of Object-Orientation.

If you've already programmed a lot, either one is good IMHO. Java gets complicated easily (as the old saying goes: "INSERT_LANGUAGE_HERE is object-oriented, Java is object-obsessed" ;D), but is very portable (i.e. can run on anything so long as it can run the JRE etc.). Has lots of features easily accessible, however some users of your bytecode may find it harder to work with.
FreeBASIC, almost the opposite: easy to understand, but while it has Windows, Linux, and DOS support, programs running on such OSes have to be compiled on such OSes, whereas with Java, you compile it on your machine, and it should work on most OSes from the jump. Extra features found in libraries are pretty difficult to implement if you don't know what you're doing, but if you're a C programmer, this will be easier to follow. The FB dev have translated many binder header files for you, though. FB gives you an executable: ready to run with a single click, whereas bytecode can get a touch confusing for users who don't know the mechanics of Java very well...

And not just high-level features like graphics, FB has great support for low-level stuff like dynamic memory allocation, inline assembly (which I don't use, but seems useful!), and has close ties with C and QB: a wide range!

Then there's stuff like: access to help, documentation (both of which are excellent for both languages). Java is one of the most used languages on the planet: you can access help with a simple Google search, many forums available, all sorts of programmers collaborating and releasing their own code for you to use, etc.
Whereas Free BASIC is not used that much. This forum is amazing, but while there are other FB forums out there, this is what you've got. FB does have fourm(s) and a large community, though not as large as Java's, and access to help isn't as straightforward: Google won't be as effective, so a search in FB's doc is one of the fewer sources of info. Forum members are happy to help, though ;D!

After all, it's your choice. Though personally (I have tried both), I prefer FreeBASIC :). Enjoy whichever language you choose!

PS: I've gone into too much detail... Haven't I?

[Plasma]

You shouldn't need a new PSU. The card I linked is only 19W. Your PCI-E slot can supply 25W as indicated on the motherboard. The 300W PSU "requirement" is a recommendation based on a typical desktop computer making certain assumptions. But you have a low-power SFF system, so the power used by the rest of your system is less than average.

Overloading a PSU rarely causes catastrophic damage. Usually you will just see voltage "sag", where the 12V and 5V lines drop below spec. End result is usually a shutdown or reboot.

[Boromir]

You shouldn't need a new PSU. The card I linked is only 19W. Your PCI-E slot can supply 25W as indicated on the motherboard. The 300W PSU "requirement" is a recommendation based on a typical desktop computer making certain assumptions. But you have a low-power SFF system, so the power used by the rest of your system is less than average.

Overloading a PSU rarely causes catastrophic damage. Usually you will just see voltage "sag", where the 12V and 5V lines drop below spec. End result is usually a shutdown or reboot.

This shutdown or reboot is a sure sign your system is either overheating or that it's time to get a new psu. It's not a good idea to use a computer that constantly shuts down because over drawing the psu can, worse case cause your psu to blow up, or more likely fry components of your pc such as motherboard or hard drive.

He mentioned having a 235 Watt psu.
Depending on the other parts in his rig that may or may not be enough Watts(gfx cards are commonly are over generous for they take into account other things such as overclocking)
http://outervision.com/power-supply-calculator

My desktop is a sff motherboard,Core 2 duo 3.16 ghz cpu,heatsink and fan,5 GB ram,1 TB hd,420Watt psu, and graphics card. Despite seeming like it shouldn't use much power, despite this I constantly suffer from psu failure. Perhaps my psu is just low quality because 420Watts should be more than enough.

[Plasma]

Yes, the shutdown or reboot would be a sign the PSU is being overloaded and needs to be upgraded. Your PC is not going to burst into flames if you overload the PSU, unless it is very poorly designed. I have overloaded PSUs a couple times.

As I said before, his system can supply 25W to the PCI-E slot and the card is 19W. That is all that matters.

Here is a user with a similar system running the card with a 240W PSU.

[datwill310]

ANOTHER UPDATE
OK, I wasn't exactly telling the truth that I bought the PSU linked to by a user here (I'm using my phone and it's much harder to look at other posts). You see, I live in the UK, and that PSU only shipped to the US, so I couldn't buy it. Instead we got another 300W PSU. However, it's 24-pin slot is different to my current one (mini). We'll have to buy a converter. We are going to the city today, so we can buy a converter there.

This is all piling up...

But at least the new PSU fits comfortably :D.

Buying the converter should be the end of this.

Thanks again.