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admin answers:

Http://www.emachines.com/products/products.html?prod=W3644

The power supply in an Emachines W3644 is a Bestec model ATX-300-12E. It’s nominally 300 watts, but that’s not any help, because it only has 15A (180 watts) on a single +12V rail. That’s too low to support any video card upgrades reliably. (Bestec power supplies are crap. If you try to overload it, it will just burn out.)

For example, the recommended power supply for a common GeForce 9800GT video card is at least 400 watts, with 26A available on the +12V rails. Even a low-powered card like a GeForce 9500GT (DDR2 version) recommends a power supply with 350 watts, and 18A on the +12V. The 9500GT DDR2 won’t run reliably on your stock power supply –and it’s not even a fast enough video card to bother with.

If you only have $100, and your goal is to make an Emachines W3644 run games as well as possible, your shopping list could include these two items:

Biostar VA4673NH51-B, Radeon 4670 512MB, $63,

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814141114

Antec EarthWatts Green EA-380D, $40,

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371033

Keep in mind, even though the video card will be a big improvement, the CPU will still be too slow, and will become the main bottleneck in gaming (that, and the 1GB RAM).

Note also, the reason the Antec EA-380D is better is NOT because it claims to have 80 watts more in the name –talk is cheap –but because it’s a legitimately good quality power supply, with 28A amps (336 watts) combined available on the +12V rails.

For future reference, the motherboard in an Emachines W3644 is a WinFast MCP61SM2MA-RS2H.

Http://www.e4allupgraders.info/dir1/motherboards/socketam2/winfast_MCP61SM2MA-RS2H.shtml

(The picture in the above link is probably incorrect. The Wally World version motherboard apparently only has two RAM slots, as shown below.)

http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?id=en-us0000310

There’s a good chance this CPU will work on your motherboard (i.e., an Athlon 64 X2 AM2), but you definitely want to install the latest version BIOS code first, before you install any newer CPU.

AMD Athlon 64 X2 5600+ (Brisbane 2.9GHz), $59,

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103279

BIOS,

http://www.foxconnsupport.com/download.aspx?models=en-us0000310&category=C000000001&series=en-us0000007&keywords=&sort=BIOS

Even with the upgraded CPU, the combination would still run well on the Antec EA-380D power supply. (The X2 5600+ is a CPU with 65W TDP, and the Radeon 4670 draws about 70 watts under load.) The combination wouldn’t be super fast, but it would run most games well at medium settings.

Damn, I almost forgot you still need to add RAM. And it’s unfortunate that you only have two RAM slots (which means you need to remove existing RAM, to put in more).

A-DATA 2GB (2 x 1GB) DDR2 800 (CAS5, 1.8V), $41,

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820211066

That’s $203 (not counting shipping) for the video card, power supply, CPU, and RAM. I guess this just shows that buying a computer for $299 at Wally World doesn’t necessarily save you money –not if you plan to correct it’s shortcomings later. 🙂

(Also note, if you spent just $60 more, you could replace the motherboard too, and have, basically, an entirely new computer. A newer motherboard would allow you use a more up-to-date CPU than the X2 5600+.)

admin answers:

Hey Erik,

HP has a good reference over at partsurfer, your power supply is reference here http://partsurfer.hp.com/cgi-bin/spi/main?sel_flg=partlist&model=GC671AA&HP_model=GC671AA&modname=HP+Pavilion+a6130n+home+PC+(GC671AA)&template=main&plist_sval=Power+Supply&plist_styp=subcat&dealer_id=&callingsite=&strsrch=&keysel=Power+Supply&catsel=%3F
as part# 5188-2622 „Bestec ATX-250-12V“ similiar to this one:

http://www.affordablesurplus.com/ps-250-12z-nsr-power-supply.asp

Which is a standard ATX unit size so any unit should fit without much pain. You system specs, according to http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01050235&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=ca&product=3436817〈=en&printable=no is:

X2 5000 (2.6g), 2 x ddr2 / 1 x sata / 1 x dvdrw / 3 x fan / 1 x card reader

…For a minimum requirement for my fave psu calc http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp

I get about 247W so that is quite a close shave, and if your current unit has a single +12v@14A/168W definitely replace it with a unit that can handle at least 247W on the +12v combined power alone.

A quick search for some good deals on the ‚egg here is a good minimum requirement that will last

Antec Basiq BP-350B 350W http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371013
$20

This unit OEM is FSP (Fotron Source) so it is one of the few units at this price range that can live up to it’s rated power and last you a few years and can handle +12v@276w so it fits the bill nicely (label courtesy of newegg http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/productimage/17-371-013-06.jpg )

Going up the price scale, this unit is an excellent choice as well

SeaSonic SS-300ES 300W http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151055
$38

SeaSonic has excellent quality and reputation, this one is rated for +12v@288w and has 80+ efficiency excellent specs (label pic @ newegg http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/productimage/17-151-055-04.jpg )

Well I hope that gives you some ideas

cheers

admin answers:

Well a quick thing to check is open up the side case and check for a light on the motherboard. If there is no light that means you have a power supply or motherboard problem. If there is no actual light on the motherboard or LED to give off a light then just replace the power supply.

On a long shot i am guessing your power supply went out. Even if the light is on the motherboard there is still a chance your power supply is giving off insufficient power. So go to your local retailer that carries power supplies and buy a 350/500 watt power supply and just replace it. And yes power supply’s can go out just like that, manufactures by tons of generic power supplies from companies like Bestec and they are all pretty mediocre.

Well I hope the new power supply resolves your problem if it does not you have more serious problems. Since you said you checked the cable and everything else was plugged in thats my only guess. After that if you under warranty send it to the manufacture.

admin answers:

You’ll be hard pressed to find a 250w PSU … But that’s ok you can use a 350w or even a 450w .. The motherboard will self regulate … Easiest way is to take your old PSU out and compare it to the one you’re going to replace it with … Physical size will be your biggest problem with an older Compaq tower …. I’ve had to modify some older boxews to get new power suplies to fit … But the last one I had to modify only had a tiny 150w PSU …. The other thing to check is the power connectors … All should be ok … Don’t worry if you have some spare connectors …. Not ALL of them need to be connected

admin answers:

Looking at the specs, I like the Pavilion p6720f quite a bit for $570.

Http://partsurfer.hp.com/Search.aspx?type=PROD&SearchText=BV532AA

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883147693

However, because it uses a 95 watt X4 CPU (a Phenom II 840), one has to accept that the stock 250 watt power supply was intended to be used only with the integrated video chip, not for upgrades. This is another example of a manufacturer using the cheapest possible power supply, to keep the price down.

The power supply is a Bestec ATX-250-12Z (HP code name Zinfandel). It’s not just 250 watts. It’s kind of a piece of junk. It only supports only 14 amps on a single +12V rail. That’s 168 watts.

The TDP rating on a Radeon 4670 is 70 watts. Add that to a 95 watt X4 CPU and you would really be pushing your luck on the stock Bestec power supply. I wouldn’t do it. (Normally, the recommended power supply for a Radeon 4670 is 400 watts or larger.)

The HP Pavilion p6720f uses a standard width micro ATX form factor case, and normal power connectors.* So, it should fit any standard ATX power supply you buy.

(*You’ll notice, if you zoom in on the Newegg pics, the Foxconn motherboard is compatible with 20 or 24 pin main power connectors –the Bestec uses a 20 pin example –and uses a 4-pin connector for the 12V CPU power.)

These are a very good deal at $40 (normally $60), Antec NEO ECO 520C. (These are made by SeaSonic, and the same as a S12II 520 Bronze inside –40A on the +12V.)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371030

If you’re going to replace the power supply, you may as well get a somewhat more powerful video card too, like a Radeon 5770.

Http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150462

„Compare ATI Radeon HD 5770, ATI Radeon HD 4670,“

http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/2010-gaming-graphics-charts-high-quality/compare,2458.html?prod[4572]=on&prod[4611]=on