I have a computer problem that I need help with please.



I just purchased a PowerSpec PC from MicroCenter. It is the 8731
model, 2.4 G Pentium 4.

I was recommended an Asylum GeForce graphics card, not sure on the
model #, it is 64 MB and a slightly older card (I believe it is older
than the 4600 and 5200). If it matters, all I am currently using the
PC for is playing Diablo II, which is an online game that came out a
few years ago, so it is not very demanding on a newer computer.

I installed the graphics card and drivers, and I started getting
random blue-screens (memory dump).

I have returned this PC two times now to have it troubleshooted
(troubleshot?). The specialists there took out the graphics card and
put the card in a new PC, and sure enough, it blue-screened on them
too. So, the solution was for them to give me a new video card (same
make and model), assuming the video card was faulty, since it should
be compatible.

Note: In device manager it showed all drivers working properly.


My question?

1) Is the PC that I got basically a piece of crap, or does the brand
name not matter? I would assume (although I don't know, hence I am
asking) the PC would be fine.
2) If the answer to the above question is "Yes, it's a piece of crap",
can someone recommend a retail store where I can purchase a PC at a
reasonable price? I would prefer not going online for the purchase,
and I am in the Minneapolis, MN area.
3) Should I just get a new video card of a different make?
4) Why would the video card box say that it is compatible with XP,
when clearly there is a problem?


Any help you could provide would be much appreciated. I would like
advice from a source outside of MicroCenter.


Note: When this PC works, I enjoy it and it is much better than what
I was running. If it is just an incompatible graphics card, I would
prefer to replace.


Thank you,
Pat Umphrey
email any advice to Pat.Umphrey@genmills.com

X-No-Archive:Yes

Here are my personal ratings based on Performance, Quality, Tech Support
and compatibility. 10 = Best, 0 = DO NOT BUY (even if free):

Dell ................. 8.1
Micron ............... 7.9 (inflexible and pricey)
IBM .................. 6.8
Gateway .............. 6.0 (fails in Customer/tech support)
Compaq ............... 5.6
Acer ................. 5.3
Sony ................. 4.5
AOpen ................ 4.2
EMachines ............ 3.0
HP ................... 2.9
NEC/Packard Bell ..... 2.0
Daewoo ............... 0.2 (anything from them)

Shop/Custom built machines are impossible to give a general rating
because they are all different and vary daily, although it is here that
you find the ratings of 9's and 10's..

Pat Umphrey wrote:
>
> I have a computer problem that I need help with please.
>
> I just purchased a PowerSpec PC from MicroCenter. It is the 8731
> model, 2.4 G Pentium 4.
>
> I was recommended an Asylum GeForce graphics card, not sure on the
> model #, it is 64 MB and a slightly older card (I believe it is older
> than the 4600 and 5200). If it matters, all I am currently using the
> PC for is playing Diablo II, which is an online game that came out a
> few years ago, so it is not very demanding on a newer computer.
>
> I installed the graphics card and drivers, and I started getting
> random blue-screens (memory dump).
>
> I have returned this PC two times now to have it troubleshooted
> (troubleshot?). The specialists there took out the graphics card and
> put the card in a new PC, and sure enough, it blue-screened on them
> too. So, the solution was for them to give me a new video card (same
> make and model), assuming the video card was faulty, since it should
> be compatible.
>
> Note: In device manager it showed all drivers working properly.
>
> My question?
>
> 1) Is the PC that I got basically a piece of crap, or does the brand
> name not matter? I would assume (although I don't know, hence I am
> asking) the PC would be fine.
> 2) If the answer to the above question is "Yes, it's a piece of crap",
> can someone recommend a retail store where I can purchase a PC at a
> reasonable price? I would prefer not going online for the purchase,
> and I am in the Minneapolis, MN area.
> 3) Should I just get a new video card of a different make?
> 4) Why would the video card box say that it is compatible with XP,
> when clearly there is a problem?
>
> Any help you could provide would be much appreciated. I would like
> advice from a source outside of MicroCenter.
>
> Note: When this PC works, I enjoy it and it is much better than what
> I was running. If it is just an incompatible graphics card, I would
> prefer to replace.
>
> Thank you,
> Pat Umphrey
> email any advice to Pat.Umphrey@genmills.com