HP says I can't use my new GeForce 6800 Card?
 

I have a HP Pavilion I bought last March. I just upgraded my card to a
GeForce 6800 128mb AGP. I opened the case and discovered that my power
supply is only 250W, and the GeForce needs 300W minimum. I contacted HP
and they tell that I cannot upgrade my power supply because I could
damage some components, and that it is "unsafe" to use the GF 6800 in
this system.
Does this sound right to you??

HP Pavilion a810 model, Athlon 64 3300+

wrote in message
oups.com...
I have a HP Pavilion I bought last March. I just upgraded my card to a
GeForce 6800 128mb AGP. I opened the case and discovered that my power
supply is only 250W, and the GeForce needs 300W minimum. I contacted HP
and they tell that I cannot upgrade my power supply because I could
damage some components, and that it is "unsafe" to use the GF 6800 in
this system.
Does this sound right to you??

Does HP use a standard power supply? Or is it proprietary? If it's standard,
then by all means upgrade it. It won't damage anything. Odds are the quality
of the aftermarket PS will be far better than the HP factory one.

How do you know if it's proprietary?

The physical size of the power supply and the area allotted for it is the
first clue. Next is how it mounts. Finally, the connectors and cable lengths
to the motherboard. Or, you might be able to just ask HP. There is also a
"standard" as to what voltages appear at what pins on the power
supply/motherboard connectors/plugs.

wrote in message
ups.com...
How do you know if it's proprietary?

I really don't know much about this.

The current power supply is a HiPro model HP-D2537F3R.

250Watts

5-15/16" wide
4" deep
3-3/8" tall

From what I can tell it is a common model.

search the net for an antec power supply look at the picture
if the hp doesn't look like the antec it is proprietary
wrote in message
ups.com...
I really don't know much about this.

The current power supply is a HiPro model HP-D2537F3R.

250Watts

5-15/16" wide
4" deep
3-3/8" tall

From what I can tell it is a common model.

"BigJim" wrote in message
...
search the net for an antec power supply look at the picture
if the hp doesn't look like the antec it is proprietary
wrote in message
ups.com...
I really don't know much about this.

The current power supply is a HiPro model HP-D2537F3R.

250Watts

5-15/16" wide
4" deep
3-3/8" tall

From what I can tell it is a common model.


I have an HP Pavillion (a643n) in which I replaced my 250W with an Antec
400W. It' the smaller power supply, I think Micro AXT or something like
that... Go for it and enjoy!

"BigJim" wrote in message
...
search the net for an antec power supply look at the picture
if the hp doesn't look like the antec it is proprietary
wrote in message
ups.com...
I really don't know much about this.

The current power supply is a HiPro model HP-D2537F3R.

250Watts

5-15/16" wide
4" deep
3-3/8" tall

From what I can tell it is a common model.

P.S.- HP is the one who told me my Gig of RAM should be PC2700 and that my
system does not support PC3200... They were wrong (even though I went for
the PC2700 which was more expensive than the deal I could have gotten on the
3200 from Newegg.). I was talking with some boob on the other end of the
line. I don't think they new PC2700/PC3200 from a 2400 Baud modem...

There, I feel better now....

"Benjamin Gawert" wrote in message
...
schrieb:

I have a HP Pavilion I bought last March. I just upgraded my card to a
GeForce 6800 128mb AGP. I opened the case and discovered that my power
supply is only 250W, and the GeForce needs 300W minimum. I contacted HP
and they tell that I cannot upgrade my power supply because I could
damage some components, and that it is "unsafe" to use the GF 6800 in
this system.
Does this sound right to you??

Yes (at least to some extend), but there are other things to consider...

First, Your Pavilion uses a generic PSU (it uses generic components in all
areas). Your Pavilions PSU has 250W. But this doesn't mean it won't run a
GF6800, because the Geforce doesn*t _need_ a 300W PSU. It's however
recommend by most card manufacturers since most standard PSUs aren't very
efficient. There are 250W PSUs that deliver more power than a 350W
el-cheapo power supply. What's more important than the Wattage rating is
how many amps your PSU can deliver on the single rails (12V, 5V, 3.3V
etc).

One very key factor is to verify the 20 pin motherboard plug is compatible
with a standard power supply



If I were you I'd put the card in the computer and ran a few gfx stress
tests (i.e. 3Dmark 2005 in loop mode). If the computer runs stable
everything is fine, if not just get a better PSU...

Benjamin