Hello,

As you may have already seen I'm new here, so firstly I would like to apologize that my first post is one where regrettably I am hopelessly asking for help. A few numbers to start:

Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (6.1, Build 7601) Service Pack 1 (7601.win7sp1_gdr.110408-1631)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: LENOVO
System Model: Lenovo H420
BIOS: LENOVO BIOS Rev: 1.0
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i3-2120 CPU @ 3.30GHz (4 CPUs), ~3.3GHz
Memory: 4096MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 3944MB RAM
Page File: 1637MB used, 6249MB available
Windows Dir: C:\windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
User DPI Setting: Using System DPI
System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
DxDiag Version: 6.01.7601.17514 32bit Unicode

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Card name: Intel(R) HD Graphics Family
Manufacturer: Intel Corporation
Chip type: Intel(R) HD Graphics Family
DAC type: Internal
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_0102&SUBSYS_361617AA&REV_09
Display Memory: 1760 MB
Dedicated Memory: 128 MB
Shared Memory: 1632 MB
Current Mode: 1600 x 900 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: AOC 2036
Monitor Model: 2036
Monitor Id: AOC2036
Native Mode: 1600 x 900(p) (60.000Hz)
Output Type: HD15


The problem:

Today my old Dell desktop's monitor gave in and died, it was very dramatic, colour ran all down the screen as if it were crying, anyway the computer itself was pretty much dead regardless of the monitor dying, therefore I quite hastily went to the shop to buy a new one. I could hardly beleive my luck when I found this nice shiny Lenovo H420, screen/mouse/keyboard included all for an amazing price, so stupidly I purchased it, came home and set it up as one does etc. Once the machine was up and running, I decided to try out a new game, Oblivion: Skyrim, which I had purchased a week back but had not been able to play due to the old Dell being ancient, anyway this was a complete disaster, it was almost like a huge pixelated blur.

Up until the point of me realising Skyrim was not going to work at all even on minimum graphics settings I had ASSUMED this new PC would have some form of new, realiable graphics card, after a quick dxdiag I was shocked to see it had the same graphics output as laptops?

This is a huge problem for me, so naturally I ran to Ebay, hunting for a nice new graphics card to slot into it, I found what I thought was a suitable card, decided to read all the small print this time "400W minimum power supply required", oh but of course! It was at that point I remembered GPUs require certain amounts of power, so I checked the power output the Lenovo H420 has... 280W :/, what started out as a dream bargain PC, quickly declined into a 'Omg so thats why it was so cheap' scenario...

I wish to rectify this machine, in order to do so I beleive I first need to buy a better power supply, followed by a viable graphics card, I'm completely clueless in both of these fields and fear I would blow the machine up if I were to do it unguided, oh, another problem is, my budget is almost completely gone, not looking too great at all...

I seek advice concerning... Which PSU to buy, 400? 500?, could anyone suggest a cheap yet 'worthy' graphics card to accompany the suggestion of PSU? Another thing is... The case for this new machine is considerably smaller than the old Dell's, I hope a better PSU would be able to actually fit?

Side note: I'm a curious person, I took the old Dell's graphics card out (Radeon 1350/1550) and slotted it into the Lenovo H420, fired it up, started up a game and none of the characters within the game had faces ~sigh~ so I assume the integrated graphics of the Lenovo H420 is more powerful than the old Dell's card.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated on this matter, I feel like... Like I've spent £100,000 on an amazingly 'fast' car and its been delivered without an engine?

Thanks in advance,
Sorry for the wall of text

Link to computer in question:
LENOVO H420 Intel Core i3 PC with 20" monitor at cheap prices | PC World (Thats the exact web page I purchased the machine from)

Enjoy your days/evenings!

how much are you willing to spend. If you have £150 Spare then you can get these

Asus GTX 550 Ti 1GB GDDR5 VGA DVI HDMI PCI-E Graphics.. | Ebuyer.com

OCZ Stealth Xstream II 500W PSU - 3x SATA 1x PCI-E | Ebuyer.com.

The power supply looks a little expensive, but i always pay extra for the brand name. As they normally have better quality. You don't want a psu going wrong taking the whole computer with it.

If you Need to go a little cheaper, we can

The GTX550ti should be able to play Skyrim quite happily. It has a Gb of Vram, which skyrim is quiet heavy on.

Skyrim Fully maxed GTX 550ti Gameplay - YouTube

This guy seems to run it Full1080p with every maxed out. Will probably be around the 30/40 Frames Per second Mark.

You might be able to get away with a 400watt power supply. I always like to have at least 100watts of extra power than what recommended from this tool.

eXtreme Outer Vision - eXtreme tools for computer enthusiasts

I plugged in your specs to it with the 550ti and it said you needed at least 305watts.

I should be able to rustle £150 up, really like your suggestions, I also agree with having more power than required, interestingly you say the minimum required is 305, the old Dell's one is 305... Tempting

Only worry now is the ever so tiny case this new computer has come in, I've seen larger hand bags...

Thank you very much for taking the time to respond, very helpful

I've solved a lot of problems via these forums but never had to actually post haha.

Problem solved! (Assuming the new power supply fits, if not then I give up with all forms of computing)

are you able to show a picture of the tower unit. I cant seem to get a definitive size of the case. There are two versions of the case on the website. Is yours the really slim version or the short and stumpy case?

If it's the slim one, we have a problem. You will need a Mini ATX powersupply, and slimline graphics.

If it's this shape
LENOVO H420 Desktop PC at cheap prices | PC World
we should be fine. You may have to jiffle the hard drives around to fit the graphic card in.

Also make a Note of what power cables you take out so when you put the new one it you do the reverse order.

Earth yourself to the case. (normally you need to get a wrist cable, but i never use it)

Keep the power supply plugged in, but switched off at the plug. Then press the power button on the pc, it wont turn on but it will discharge the power supply and motherboard. This create a ground on the case and motherboard. When you switch the unit over, try not to touch any of the components on the motherboard or graphics card. Then place the new power unit in and then plug it into the power cable (Make sure it turned off on the wall still) then do the reverse order that you noted down.

The graphics card will have instructions when you install it, so follw them. You will need to turn off the onboard Graphics chip when you install it. To do this you need to enter the BIOS. This will be either Del or f4 normally. It will tell you on the Bios screen when the pc starts up in the corner.

You want to go through the chipset features and find disable onboard video, or disable VGA. something along those lines.

Once you have done that, save the bios and restart (it's an option in the bios).

Then once windows has restarted, let it install the generic windows drivers.

Then download these drivers from the nvidia site.

Drivers - Download NVIDIA Drivers

You want geforce, 500 series, then what ever version of windows you use.

Install them and then restart.

Then you should be all ready to go.

Hey,

Thanks for the reply HaRdLoCk - The tower is not the slim version, it is the short stumpy one, so should be fine?

Unfortunately I had less finances than previously anticipated, so I've ordered slightly cheaper yet almost same spec hardware:

PSU - eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace

Graphics Card - eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace

Stuck with the 500W and DDR5 recommendation, hope they are suitable?

They shall arrive in 1-2 days, thanks for the guide of how to activate it over the integrated, I'll post an update here when they come and I have installed them.

OK I've been looking more at the pictures of the unit, and I'm worried that it's a Micro atx powersupply. (it's smaller than a normal unit. Are you able to measure the dimensions of the supply unit.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/500W-Micro-...YSOC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323355514&sr=8-1

or

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CiT-500W-...upplies_EH&hash=item25665cddb1#ht_2024wt_1148

Give us a post if you have any trouble. And when you get your graphics card get the drivers from here. If you get them on Ebay and the power supply isnt correct, put is back on ebay. If they are an Ebay shop they might take it back. Fingers crossed :S

ATI Radeon

Hey again

Everythings going wrong, yesterday I think I missed the PSU being delivered due to being out and the graphics card has arrived as a DDR3, when it specifically states on eBay that it is a DDR5 so I've contacted the company about it.

I just measured the current PSU inside this computer (Measurements assuming PSU is standing upright) 150mm x 140mm x 85mm (DxWxH). I also just measured by old PSU from the Dell, it came in at 150mm x 140mm x 97mm. :/

I checked those links to micro ones you posted, the dimensions on them seem to be: 100mm x 125mm x 63mm (D x W x H) - So I assume I don't need one?

Hopefully the eBay company takes back this DDR3 card and sends me the DDR5 version and the PSU actual turns up

Yes Make sure you get the GDDR5 Version. Don't let them get away with sending your a GDDR3 version for that price.

As for the power supply after the measurements you have given me they look like a Standard ATX size. Which is good news.

If the psu is Laying down/mounted in the top of the computer. The back plate, where the plug goes in and the switch is, should measure 85mm x 150mm. The depth/Length that it goes into the computer doesn't matter. It's just the back plate size that matters where is screws in.

Hi again,

I havn't been ignoring this thread, merely waiting for components to arrive lol. What with the first graphics card turning up being a DDR3, that had to go back and I ordered a DDR5, that came, so did the 500w PSU, however the PSU did not have a 6 pin cable to plug into the new DDR5 gpu, so I had to order yet another 600w PSU, this did have the cable, then I realised my monitor is a vga one and the gpu only had dvi-i outputs, so had to order an adaptor and wait for that to arrive... ~Sigh~

Anyway, the adaptor arrived today! I put the psu/gpu in as you said, whacked the adaptor on, turned the machine on, done all the drivers, opened Skyrim and O.O everything on maximum, 0% lag, smoothest thing I've ever seen, looks incredible.

Thank you very much for taking the time to help me with this matter HaRdLoCk - really appreciated!

=)

Your Very welcome. Hope you have many hours of happy gaming. Always happy to help.

Can now be marked as SOLVED.