I want to boost my graphics card

Hope you mean upgraded ram to 8 GB 8 mb is not much ram to run a computer.

To upgrade your computer's graphics card, unfortunately you can't just simply purchase a card and install it to your computer. Before purchasing a card, you must first confirm what is compatible with your motherboard. Graphics cards use either AGP or PCI Express technology. Many older computers use AGP. AGP cards can vary in version and bandwidth, whereas PCI Express cards can vary based on their lane . Moreover, the card itself is not your only consideration when looking to upgrade your computer's graphics. You must also consider the strength of your computer's power supply as well, since most newer cards use a lot of power. Download, install and run SiSoftware's Sandra (see link Below) to find out information on your motherboard. http://download.cnet.com/SiSoftware-Sandra/3000-2086_4-10556571.html Click the "Mainboard Information" icon, then write down the information next to "Manufacturer" and "Model." Navigate to the motherboard manufacturer's website. If you are not sure of the website's URL, enter the manufacturer's name into a search engine to find the company's website. Go to the support page and enter your motherboard's model. Download the motherboard's manual or review the specifications. Search the manual or specifications for "Expansion slot," "AGP" or "PCI Express." If the expansion slot uses AGP, note the version (AGP comes in 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0), as well as the bandwidth (1x, 2x, 4x or 8x). If the expansion slot uses PCI Express, note the amount of lanes (x1, x4, x8 or x16). Search the manual or specifications for "Power," "PSU" or "Power Supply." Write down the power supply's voltage (3.3V, 5V or 12V) and amp rating (designated by "A"). Not all manufacturers list the amp rating in their documentation, so you may need to contact the manufacturer for more assistance. Compare the graphics card you want to buy to the motherboard's expansion slot. AGP cards won't work in motherboards using PCI Express, and vice versa. Similarly, AGP 3.0 cards won't work in motherboards using AGP 1.0. A PCI Express x8 card will not fit in a PCI Express x1 slot. Check the voltage and amperage of the video card to the voltage and amperage on your motherboard. A video card that requires a higher amp rating requires a powerful PSU. Hope this helps.

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The MSI K8N NEO 4 Platinum Edition mobo, has an AGP graphics expansion slot. (Accelerated Graphics Port)

It uses AGP graphics cards that are either 4X, or 8X. (Supports 1.5 Volt AGP graphics cards, hence 8X)

http://www.msi.com/product/mb/K8N-Neo-Platinum.html#/?div=Detail

Click on the Specification tab. Look under the bold - Slots - subheading.

(Overview, { Which is the tab it automatically opens to}, Specification, Download, Support, News and Awards, Where to Buy )

This is Evga's version of the Nvidia GeForce GTX 550,

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130625

Click on the Details tab. (Overview, Details, Feedback)

Under the bold - Interface - heading, and to the right of the subheading - Interface, we see the interface is - PCI-Express 2.0 x16.

Tells you a lot right off the bat, if you know what you are looking at.

1) The graphics expansion slot you need on your motherboard, is a PCI-Express x16 slot.

You have an AGP graphics expansion slot. (That uses either 4X, or 8X AGP graphics cards)

2) The PCI-Express technology used is PCI-Express 2.0

Therefore the answer is No, Stephen.

[ More info on AGP graphics technology, and PCI-Express technology,

1) AGP:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AGP

2) PCI-Express:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCI_Express

Now if someone asks you, why the GeForce GTX 550 graphics card will not work on your motherboard, you can explain why in detail, instead of just saying some dude/dudette on FixYa, said it will not work.

Are you sure some 'Mom and Pop' computer store will not trade out, a decent AGP graphics card, for the Nvidia GeForce GTX 550 you have?
Always worth a shot. Just MHO.

Regards,
joecoolvette

[ For additional questions please post in a Comment ]

The AsRock P4I45GV revision 5.0 motherboard uses an Intel 845GV motherboard chipset.
There is one AGP slot on the motherboard, used for a graphics card.

http://www.asrock.com/MB/overview.asp?Model=P4i45GV%20R5.0

2) Information on the Intel 845GV chipset,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_intel_chipsets#Pentium_4_chipsets

Looking down the column on the left side until we come to - 845GV, and looking across, we see under the heading Graphics that Integrated Graphics is supported. No mention of AGP support.

But AsRock has implemented it's own technology of A.G.I. at an 8x speed.
(For the Intel 845GV chipset)

A.G.I.
AsRock Graphic Interface,

http://www.asrockamerica.com/AGI8x.htm

This means that graphics cards that use the AGP 8X technology, or AGP 4X technology, can be used. (AGP4X/8X)

Advanced Graphics Port,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AGP

Using Sapphire's version of the ATI Radeon 6850 as an example, we can see this graphics card uses the newer technology - PCI-Express

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102908

(Doesn't natter WHO makes it, the graphics card is still based on the ATI G.P.U.
Graphics Processing Unit. Or in slang terminology; the graphics chipset)

It also uses the newest version of PCI-Express, the PCI-Express 3.0 technology.

Information on PCI-Express,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCI_Express


Short answer to your question?
No

Your AsRock motherboard is set up to support AGP graphics cards that use either the AGP 4X technology, or AGP 8X technology.

Does not support graphics cards based on the PCI-Express technology.

For additional questions please post in a Comment.

Regards,
joecoolvette

The video card is either on a riser card from your motherboard or integrated into your motherboard.
you can easily find out as it is the place your monitor plugs into your computer usualy with a blue 15pin D shaped plug.
or a larger white plug.

Hi,

The ATI Rage XL 8MB PCI video card is a very old and low power video card.

PCI graphics cards are not as fast as AGP graphics cards so if your motherboard has an AGP slot (it's the slot closest to the CPU and is usually coloured brown) then that would give you better performance.

These days AGP has been superceded by PCI-Express but since your motherboard does not have a PCI-Express slot then the best graphics card for it would be something like this one:

http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/4-/5416296/Sapphire-ATI-Radeon-HD-3850-512MB-DDR3-AGP-8X-Graphics-Card/Product.html

Hope this helps, please rate my answer :)

Chris

Tell me the exact modle of your srm mother board .is the vga interface agp or pci or pci express? by the way, some vga card need extra power surply.

Hi there.
I'm working on the assumption that the graphics card is a PCI Express card.
Remember that if you are swapping from on-board graphics to a card you have to go into the BIOS and tell the machine that the primary graphics adapter is AGP/PCI Express.
Plug the VGA cable into the on-board graphics port, start the computer and enter the BIOS, tell the computer to use the AGP/PCI card as primary, press F10, save the changes and exit the bios.
The computer will try and restart so let it boot to post and turn it off, then put in your card and try to boot again.
Please post back if you need more help or advice.

Good luck and thanks for choosing FixYa!!

From what i can find, it doesnt have a agp (like you said) or pci-express slot so you cant install a pci express graphics card.
You could use a pci craphics card but wont be very good,

If you go for a pci card make sure it isnt pci-e

sir, you cant replace it with PCI E from AGP, unless your motherboard can handle either PCIE or AGP. cause there is a motherboard which is compatible with the two interface video cards slots but in your case i dont think so. Better to check your motherboards manual for this.

thank you for using fixya
CHARCOIS

that might be pci express new style wont work with what u have ok