Member Avatar for KeithMcL

Hi folks,

The day before last my Compaq wouldn't boot up :( After much troubleshooting I believe I have found the problem; a dead graphics card.

I put the graphics card from my DELL into the Compaq and it did actually boot up (albeit with a terrible display resolution). So I'm fairly confident that all I need is a new graphics card.

If I do need to buy one, I want to buy a good one. I was thinking of the GeForce 8800GT 512MB or the Radeon HD3870 512MB. The thing is, I'm not sure if the power supply in the Compaq can handle these. The current power supply is a 300W one (300W MAX according to the sticker).

So, if I need to buy a PS, what kind of Watts should I be looking at? Bear in mind that at some point in the future I'd possibly like to have more than one graphics card in the Compaq.

Also, if a get a more powerful PS, will my motherboard be able to handle it? According to EVEREST Home Edition System Report my current mobo is as follows:

Motherboard Name: Unknown
Motherboard Chipset: ATI Radeon Xpress 200

Motherboard Properties:
Manufacturer: Hewlett-Packard
Product: Asterope2
Version: 1.0

Any and all advice is welcome and much appreciated :)

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by ScudRunner50

Dani AI

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Good troubleshooting so far — a couple of focused checks before you buy will save time and money. As noted, the power side is the likely bottleneck: each card has a vendor minimum and usually needs a native PCIe power plug. Many 8800 GT and HD3870 reference/retail cards expect a 6‑pin PCIe connector and vendors/reviews commonly list ~400–450W as the minimum for a single‑card system (also call out required +12V amperage in the spec sheet). ()

If you plan to run two cards later, plan for substantially more headroom. Multi‑GPU setups require a motherboard certified for SLI/CrossFire and a PSU that exceeds the combined system draw; manufacturers explicitly list CrossFire/SLI motherboard and PSU requirements, and dual‑card systems often push total consumption into the 600–800W class (or higher depending on the cards). Confirm multi‑GPU support in the board manual before buying a second card. ()

Practical next steps: 1) Look up the exact card model you’ll buy and note its required PCIe connector(s) and recommended PSU. 2) Open the Compaq and inspect the PSU — OEM HP/Compaq units are often proprietary or lack native PCIe plugs, and a “300W” sticker can be a limiting factor; if the unit is proprietary you’ll either need a compatible OEM replacement or to swap the case/PSU for a standard ATX unit. 3) When replacing, choose a reputable brand, 80+ certified unit with strong +12V amperage and native 6/8‑pin PCIe cables, and allow ~20–30% headroom above the card maker’s recommendation. Avoid Molex‑to‑PCIe adapters as a long‑term fix. If you post the PSU label details and the exact GPU model you choose, the numbers can be checked precisely. (h30434.www3.hp.com)

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Member Avatar for ScudRunner50

We'll need to know what else you're running in your box to say for sure, but I'm going to say you'll need at least 500W probably 750 or 1000 if you want have multiple GPUs and be safe

Member Avatar for KeithMcL

The other items are the usual; dvd&cd writer, network card, RAM. The only exception is it has 2 HDD's.

Member Avatar for ScudRunner50

yea, you're definitely going to want 750-1000W

commented: For helping me out :-) +4
Member Avatar for KeithMcL

OK, thanks for replying.

I won't need a new mobo as well then no?

Also, am I right in thinking that a PCI-E 2.0 card will work in a normal PCI-E slot?

Member Avatar for ScudRunner50

Here is a link to the specs for

As far as power goes you need to know that your system uses an ATX 24pin connection. -you shouldnt need a new mobo

Yes, you have a PCIe x16 connection and 2.0 is fully compatible with 1.x and vice versa

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