Moo is having some problems

[MooMan1]

I need a graphics card for my family Dell Dimension (what looks to be) B110, and I can't figure out what fits it. I don't know how to find the bus type (?) or whatnot of my motherboard, so I can't accurately get a card to fit. Can someone tell me how to find that information out? The slot looks to have (from the back of the computer to the ftont) ~50 pins, then a small gap, then 11 pins. It's a Celeron D processor, if that helps. I'm new to computer hardware, so any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Now, to jackhammer the F5 button like it will save my life.

[Bobbias]

From my rather limited googling, it sounds like you're practically fucked from the start. No AGP or PCI-E, which limits you to regular PCI (IE: WAY outdated), and some somewhat limited and difficult to find video cards: http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1005350

[MooMan1]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010380048+1069609642&Configurator=&Subcategory=48&description=&Ntk=&SpeTabStoreType=&Order=BESTMATCH&srchInDesc=
Any suggestions?

[Spectere]

This is about the best you can get as far as NVIDIA goes: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814139033.  I'm not even sure how to read ATI's naming scheme, so I'm not sure if they have something better.

It's not going to be ideal.  You'll probably be able to run games up to about 2005-ish without a problem, but it's definitely going to choke on newer stuff.

Saving up for a new system would be your best bet.

[MooMan1]

This is a family rig, so it doesn't need to run anything fancy. The most it needs to run would be Sims 2 and VisualBoy.

EDIT: This is a picture of a PCI card, but this is the port on my computer. It doesn't look like it would fit in the port. Is Newegg getting the picture from the non-PCI version of the card, or do I have an even more hideously outdated port?

EDIT EDIT (EDIT): I motion that this become the generic tech questions thread, seeing as how my problem took like three posts tops.

[Spectere]

Nah, that's fine.  There are several different keyings for PCI cards, as can be seen here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:PCI_Keying.png

That particular card is keyed like that because it's designed to work in both 3.3V and 5V slots.

[MooMan1]

So yeah, on to a different problem. Anyone well-versed in PS2 tech? I got a $20 one from a rummage sale, expecting to have to do some work to get it to run. I went through this tutorial to fix shit, but it only ever ran PS1 and PS2 bloo discs. I could never get silvers to run. Any suggestions? I'm at the point where I want to start farting around with the pots, but without an oscilloscope or a laser-reader-thing, I run a good chance of fucking it forever (of course, that didn't stop me from doing that with the Cube...).

EDITSVILLE: Derp derp, the model number is SPwhatever-30001 - U0, making it the second model of PS2 released stateside.

[OmegaOmni]

Thats still the giant brick correct?

[Bobbias]

Yes, it's a brick.

But really, compared to the xbawks the ps2 is still slim.

[Spectere]

So yeah, on to a different problem. Anyone well-versed in PS2 tech? I got a $20 one from a rummage sale, expecting to have to do some work to get it to run. I went through this tutorial to fix shit, but it only ever ran PS1 and PS2 bloo discs. I could never get silvers to run. Any suggestions? I'm at the point where I want to start farting around with the pots, but without an oscilloscope or a laser-reader-thing, I run a good chance of fucking it forever (of course, that didn't stop me from doing that with the Cube...).

Based on what little I know about pre-v7 PS2s that might be your only option if adjusting the laser position doesn't work.

You should be fine as long as you are very careful and adjust it in tiny increments each time.

EDITSVILLE: Derp derp, the model number is SPwhatever-30001 - U0, making it the second model of PS2 released stateside.

Woo...good luck with that one.

But really, compared to the xbawks the ps2 is still slim.

The reason why the Xbox is so big is obvious when you gaze inside of one.  The CD drive is a full 5.25" drive and the hard drive is a full 3.5" one.  The rest of the system is pretty much a magnetic shield slash heatsink.

Something that people don't realize: the Xbox 360 is as large as the original Xbox.  The reason it looks smaller is because the system is curvier.  First thing I did when I got my 360 was to compare its size to that of the Xbox.  It's startlingly close.

[MooMan1]

So I cleaned the lens better and cleaned off the rails the lazor slides on. The result is that it's not nearly as clicky. It still doesn't read silver PS2 discs, leading me to be almost certain that it's a pot problem, given that the disc spins every single orientation as if it's about to read the disc. Wish me luck. If this doesn't work, I'm just going to send it in and be done with it.

EDIT: Where are the pots, and how do I get to them? I've heard the underside of the laser, but I can't figure out how to get at it. I'm working on it, wish me luck.

[Bobbias]

Hopefully it works. I'm kinda amazed my PS2 is still in working order, actually, considering how old it is.

And yeah, now that you mention it, I remember seeing an Xbox and a 360 together and seeing that they're actually pretty close.

[MooMan1]

UPDATE: I think I fucked it. In my haste, I put acetone on the lens, which fucks it pretty bad. It still can read stuff, but I have a feeling that they won't read shit again. Should I try my hand at installing a new lazor assembly? I can disassemble PS2's pretty well now.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and a friend gave me a more recent PS2 that I fucked, so now I've got two bricks. Joy!

[Spectere]

I'm guessing the acetone does nasty things to the coating on the laser?

But yeah, I'd try transplanting the laser and see if you can revive it.  Might as well get one working one out of the two.