Need information on a power supply up-grade.

[Mike_08]

Hello,I have an IBM Thinkcenter desktop, model 8183-21U. I recently added a graphics card. It does not work. The factory installed power supply is 200 Watts. My graphics card needs 250 Watts. Will a AcBel CFX/300W Part # API5PC63 fit and function properly?
Also, the graphics card is an ATI Radeon (VisionTek) 3450 PCI 512M DDR2 (3450PCISFF5). There is a very small 2 pin male connector on the top of the graphics card. Do I need to plug in a 2 pin female power supply wire or not?

 

[shadow187]

The HD3450 should just just fine off of the 200watt powersupply. The card itself draws barely any power, probably 20 watts. And yes you need to connect any and all wires to the graphics card that it requires.

 

[jedi940]

I would guess that the 2 pin connector is just for a fan if there is one on the graphics card. It shouldn't need to be connected. The 200W should be fine as that card doesn't draw much power.

However that is not your problem. It appears that you bought a PCI express card and your system has an AGP graphics port. The two are not compatible. You will need to purchase an AGP graphics card for it to work. You listed it as PCI but I was unable to find a PCI HD3450. Also PCI is different than PCIe.

Try this HD 3450
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814139053

EDIT
I was able to find a PCI 3450 graphics card after some additional searching but 99.9% were PCIe. Please confirm that yours is PCI, not PCI express (PCIe). Also please confirm you inserted it in the correct slot. PCI slots will be white and closer to the bottom of the Motherboard while AGP ports are usually brown and closer to the Processor.

 

[Mike_08]

Problem Solved. All I needed to do was to go into the BIOS and switch the start-up video from integrated to PCI.

 

[jedi940]

Always nice when its something simple

 

[Mike_08]

Best answer selected by Mike_08.

 

[Mousemonkey]

This topic has been closed by Mousemonkey