Have a Gateway GM5478, need GPU help please!

[seanm999111]

As I said I have a GM5478 which has an Intel G33 "Schroeder" Chipset MoBo in it,

I have:

Vista Home Premium 32-bit
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Processor
Corsair TX-650 watts
4 gigs of ram
Vista Home Premium
Nvidia GTS 250 (currently)

I have tried upgrading to 2 different cards, one was the 550 TI and the other was a 560, after a full week of diagnostics, the man working on it handed me my deposit back and said "its not compatible"...

I assumed he meant my MoBo was incompatible, so I'm still gunna try a gtx 460, and maaaaybe an ATI but I dont like their Driver Problems...

Any suggestions for GPU's or possibly even why this may be happening?

I really do love this computer! Thanks

 

[COLGeek]

What ATI driver problems are you referring to? Just had to ask.

So, your GTS 250 works just fine, but neither a 550Ti or 560 would work? That seems odd and there is no reason that either of those GPUs won't work. Was any explanation, other than what you posted, given?

 

[seanm999111]

Well, I've just ALWAYS loved the consistency of nvidia, even tho the price and detail could be worse than a lot of ATI's cards...

I will have to resort to ati if a 460, another try at a 550 TI or a 560 dont work

I had two different people install them, the first person knows wut hes doing but when i would start the pc it wouldnt even recognize the evga 550 ti,

the asus 560 was recognized immediately but wouldnt get to the login screen, we tried different versions of nvidias updates cuz i heard there were some problems but other than that this pro basically said the 560 was incompatible with my setup, which is so vague its ridiculous

but my mobo in this gm5478 is from like 08 so, i dunno?

 

[COLGeek]

Just to verify. Your help did connect the external power connectors to the new GPUs didn't they?

 

[seanm999111]

yes, do all the newer cards 6870 or 550 and above need both connected to work properly?

I'm packing up this beautiful nvidia made card today and taking it back to try and hopefully install a 6870,

anything i should know before?

cuz i REALLY know nothing about ATI, especially switching over from nvidia

 

[refillable]

Well, I think you should update your BIOS from the manufacturer's website and see if GTX 460 1GB will work since you like nvidia (fanboy I can say :lol:, joke apologize). I'm just going to say good luck for you .

 

[seanm999111]

Heh, I understand, I guess unless the 4 series is somehow made differently than the 5 series I cant see it working either for some reason..

so ATI here I come! but if that doesn't work, I will literally go office space on this thing

 

[seanm999111]

No go, its this MoBo...

I will have to build or go to fry's for a pre-built pc now but i've been out for so long i dunno which is cheaper...

any suggestions?

 

[refillable]

Pre-Build? CyberBowerPC I guess...

 

[COLGeek]

yes, do all the newer cards 6870 or 550 and above need both connected to work properly?

I'm packing up this beautiful nvidia made card today and taking it back to try and hopefully install a 6870,

anything i should know before?

cuz i REALLY know nothing about ATI, especially switching over from nvidia

If a GPU has 2 PCIe power connectors, then YES, both must be connected to the power supply. Also, both your 4 (or 8) and 24 pin power connections must be made from the PSU to your motherboard.

Otherwise, there is no technical reason that the 4XX/5XX series GPUs won't work on your system. Even though it is a Gateway, it is actually a fairly generic computer.

It really sounds like your power supply (PSU) may be the limitation.