Can You Help? I Need Some Expert Advice.?

I'm Planning some upgrades to this decktop.



The upgrades are: 1. I want to install a video capture card %26amp; internal modem card for a broadband connection, But as there is only 3 internal slots %26amp; 1 is obstructed by the already installed graphics card. Q. Is it possible to change the position of the graphics card [ to another slot ]without causing major headaches?

And if so do all the drivers need to be reinstalled or will the computer simply act the same as when you change a devices USB port?



2. I want to add an extra internal hard drive [ as the external hd is filling fast %26amp; the internal is already near full ] as a slave drive. Q. Will I need to change my power supply %26amp; if so how do you work out what size is needed, also is there any special drivers needed to run the additional hard drive as a slave drive, am I restricted to the size of the additional hard drive by the size of the existing hard drive?



Hopefully there is someone out there who can answer these questions or at least point me in the direction of someone who can.

Or a website with the answers will do.Can You Help? I Need Some Expert Advice.?
Well, the best idea is to get an EXTERNAL broadband modem from your service provider (like COMCAST or VERIZON, for example). That way, you don't need to switch things around internally.



To answer the question a different way...your motherboard must be SLI or Crossfire in order to have two or more X16 PCIe ports. Most of the time, a single X16 motherboard will also have a second X4 PCIe port. So if your motherboard is not SLI or Crossfire enabed, you probaby have a X4 slot which you could switch your graphics card to, but the fact is, it will work at 1/4 of it's current speed! This is why I suggested the first suggestion - get an external modem. All you have to do then is to use your motherboards NIC connector (like gigabit, for example), run a CAT4 NIC connector from the motherboard NIC to the external modem. It's that simple. Then, you don't need to mess with your PCIe slot(s) or PCI slots.



Secondly, hard disks take up very little wattage...somewhere between 5 - 10 watts per hard disk. So I seriouslly doubt you will need a new power supply just for that alone. You may need one if you have a very small psu and your video capture card pulls some heavy duty watts. I don't know what watts video capture cards pull. So check that out.



You will not need to %26quot;slave%26quot; or %26quot;master%26quot; the hard disk if you have SATA ports on the motherboard. SATA is single channel and does not have dual master/slave like IDE does.



There are no special drivers needed for IDE drives, but you will need your SATA drivers if you intend to use SATA drives. If you already have a SATA drive installed, that means you already have a SATA driver. If your computer is one of those whith both an IDE port(s) and SATA ports, then leave your IDE settings as they are, and buy a SATA drive and use an avaiable SATA port. You can either download the SATA driver for your motherboard from the manufacturer of the motherboard or you can download a SATA driver from the hard disk manufacturer. Check it out before you buy. You will need to confirm if you have a SATA port(s), and where to get the drivers for SATA for your motherboard or computer. If IDE, then you will not need any special drivers, they are already part of Windows.



You are restricted to size of hard disk, in XP, BEFORE SP1, you could not access more than 133 Gigs. AFTER SP1, it became 3 Teribytes. I don't know what W2k, ME or 98 are limited to but I do remember running 120 Gig disks under W2K. I think under ME and 98, you are limited to 33 Gigs Max.Can You Help? I Need Some Expert Advice.?
Answer 1) You motherboard only has 1 PCI express x 16 slot so the graphics card must remain where it is.



Answer 2) Adding an additional hard drive is easy. If your computer has an extra power plug for another hard drive then no new power supply will be required. There are things called jumpers in the back of some hard drives and the instructions provided with the new hard drive will give you directions on how to set it for slave. No new drivers need be installed, but hard drives do come with a cd for easy formatting and setup of the new drive. They are very user friendly if you just follow the steps provided. You can also opt to buy a new hard drive and a



I am shocked that there are newer motherboards out there that have ethernet ports, but lack onboard modems. For broadband you don't need an internal modem though. If you're getting DSL then you will be provided a modem by the service provider. If you're getting cable internet you can purchase a cable modem from Newegg.com, Best Buy, Walmart, and possibly even the service provider. The reason you won't need an internal modem is because the phone line connects to your external broadband modem and that modem is connected to your computer via either ethernet cable or usb cable. If you still want a dialup modem you can get an external usb modem from Newegg.com leaving your extra PCI slot free for your video capture card. There are also video capture devices that connect through usb. Below are a few links of product examples. I have not used these products so am not endorsing them. Hope you find this helpful.Can You Help? I Need Some Expert Advice.?
Sure, you can probably move the graphics card. I've done it several times. You may need new drivers but I doubt it. The hard drive should be fine. You should have all of your old space and the additional space of the new hard drive. Just make sure the pins in the back are set correctly for slave.