Member Avatar for raiderkiller

hi every one!
i recently put a post about building my own pc for average-high gaming and had some
good advice but come to think of it upgrading my pc could be cheaper.
im coming here due to the good advice and lack of information on my pc- Dell XPS 210
all i know is this-
dell XPS 210 Viiv core duo E6400 proccesor(1.23ghz 1066 Mhz FSB 2MB cache)
320GB 7200rpm SATA hard drive

and i alo know it cost around £900!
sorry for the lack of info on the pc
and the stupid drivercard keeps crashing(it sais it stop responding and this is stoping
me playing minecraft) thats why i want to upgrade the pc

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by caperjack

Dani AI

Generated

A short, practical primer that builds on the replies already here: the problem reported is most likely either a software/driver fault or a hardware limitation caused by the slimline Dell chassis. and are right that RAM and the video subsystem are the cheapest starting points; ’s caution about slimline PSUs and card size is important, and ’s experience moving parts into another case shows that a transplant is possible but requires checks.

Diagnostic checklist (low cost, in this order):

  • Backup important data.
  • Look in Device Manager and Event Viewer for graphics-related errors (for example the common “display driver stopped responding” message).
  • Do a clean GPU driver reinstall (uninstall current driver, boot to safe mode for a full clean if needed, then install a stable driver from the GPU vendor).
  • Monitor temperatures under load (GPU/CPU) and clean dust; reseat the video card and power connectors.
  • Run a memory test (Windows Memory Diagnostic or Memtest86) to rule out bad RAM.
  • If possible, test with a different GPU or the onboard video to separate driver problems from failing hardware.

Upgrade / transplant considerations:

  • If diagnostics clear drivers and RAM, a matched RAM upgrade and a compatible low-profile GPU (if keeping the case) is a low-cost path.
  • Before moving components to a full ATX case, verify motherboard mounting pattern, the I/O shield fit, and whether the Dell PSU/motherboard uses standard ATX connectors—some OEM slim PSUs are nonstandard. Replacing a proprietary PSU with a standard ATX unit often simplifies future upgrades.
  • If the goal is long-term gaming value, a modest new build (as suggested) often gives the best price/performance, but start with the diagnostics above to avoid unnecessary spending.

Recommended Answers

All 7 Replies

Member Avatar for mjdodd

you mention driver card and that I assume is the video driver. The spec for the PC is not bad and perhaps a memory upgrade and a new driver card (if video) would do the job.
M

Member Avatar for bryann

It would be cheaper to upgrade but if i were you i would just build a new one at a modest price. It will be better value for money in the long run.

Member Avatar for raiderkiller

how do i do a memory upgrade? thanks for your replies

Member Avatar for Rik_

I say forget the dell. It's in a slimline case so you can only fit low profile graphics cards in it which will limit what you can fit in there. Also the slimline PSU won't be very powerful and will cost an arm and a leg to upgrade. Slimline cases are also bad for heat so any graphics card that runs a bit hot will make the whole machine overheat badly.

Member Avatar for raiderkiller

i could move all the components into a bigger case?

Member Avatar for manojrea

I'd like to suggest, Change your memory and card may works good, if not then you can upgrade all with latest version.

Member Avatar for caperjack

i could move all the components into a bigger case?

yes you could ,only problem i see would be the back plate ,the dell has it built into its case ,this is not a serisous problem ,just leaves the back open a bit more ,and allows a bit most dust to get in to case ,i done it a few time when i never had correct back plate

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