Video Card

[mr.magoo]

Where is it? What's it called? And how do I update it?

Sorry for the general nature of the questions, but I work so hard I have little time to learn anything new.

Sorry, I'm on a site called Roll20 where I'm trying to upload a docx file, two pages, and it is taking forever! I recently upgraded my connection speed to 15 Mb/sec so I don't think it's that. My box is less than a year old but I'm not sure of all the gizmoes and gadgets in it.

I have Team Viewer and if I could get a trustworthy mechanic inside....

 

[Nibiru2012]

The video card or more correctly called the "graphics card" is usually an add-on card which plugs into the PCI-E 16X slot on the motherboard.

Here's a good example of one card:

The other type of graphics is called "on-board" graphics chipset, these reside on the motherboard itself. Usually though they're not that good of graphics quality and have limited memory capacity.

I hope this helps.

 

[TrainableMan]

Maybe I'm confused here but are you hoping a new video card will make uploads go faster? A video card would have absolutely no effect on upload speed (nor download speed for that matter).

15MB/sec might be your download speed but your upload speed may be much less. When you are not downloading nor uploading anything, go to http://pingtest.net/ That will tell you both your download speed and, important for sending your Roll20 DOCX file, your upload speed.

 

[mr.magoo]

OK, did the ping test.

I've attached the results. Have no idea on how to improve it. Oh, and the problem I was having was because I was trying to upload a doc instead of a graphic. I'm still subject to a lot of confusion sometimes.

 

[TrainableMan]

Sorry I linked the wrong thing. You need Speedtest.net (which is also linked to at the bottom of Pingtest)

 

[Nibiru2012]

orry, I'm on a site called Roll20 where I'm trying to upload a docx file, two pages, and it is taking forever! I recently upgraded my connection speed to 15 Mb/sec so I don't think it's that. My box is less than a year old but I'm not sure of all the gizmoes and gadgets in it.

The issue is probably with the Roll20 website. It's probably due to their servers on the upload end of receiving data. Since you have a 15 Mbps download speed your upload speed is probably at least 1 Mbps upload. However that is in an ideal environment on the server end. Your "docx" document is probably no bigger than 1 Mb, if that, so don't freak out. Just sit back and wait for the upload to finish.

It has really nothing to do on your end at all, it's the servers at the Roll20 website.

 

[m1r2hud]

The other type of graphics is called "on-board" graphics chipset, these reside on the motherboard itself. Usually though they're not that good of graphics quality and have limited memory capacity.
your correct there Nibiru, AMD told me chipsets are modified by the manufactures to prevent us from updating driversfrom their site.

 

[mr.magoo]

Here's the test. It recommends downloading Chrome and I tried that some time ago but just couldn't get used to it. Tried IE and it was too busy, too much crap on it, so I've stuck with Firefox. I have a lot of trouble these days adapting to anything new. I recently tried to upgrade to Windows 8, but Microsoft kept shutting me out because of a complication with an email address I don't use.

 

[TrainableMan]

You can disregard the chrome thingy - they probably get paid by Google to recommend it - it's just an advertisement.

What is important is the numbers: almost 18MB/S down and over 4 MB/S up. That is pretty good. In fact you get more Up than I can even get down on my DSL here in rural BFE.

Anyway, doesn't look like the problem is your upload speed. And as I said, changing the video card would not affect that at all.

Like Nibs said, it's either at the Roll servers or the file you were uploading would have to be about a gigabyte (1GB) to take more than a minute at your speeds.

 

[clifford_cooley]

your correct there Nibiru, AMD told me chipsets are modified by the manufactures to prevent us from updating driversfrom their site.

Chipsets can be modified for specific reasons but preventing the use of standard AMD drivers is not one of the reasons OEM makers modify chipsets.

 

[m1r2hud]

Chipsets can be modified for specific reasons but preventing the use of standard AMD drivers is not one of the reasons OEM makers modify chipsets.

i must have accidently deleted email from AMD support stating that chipsets are modified on laptops. but if you do a clean install of win7, in the updates opt out on installing the microsoft compatability driver, you can download direct from AMD and install it without any issues. thats what i recently did after a BSoD, i have drive version 12.6 and havent had any issues.

 

[TrainableMan]

m1r2hud, Clifford isn't saying they are not modified, because they of course are. He is saying they don't do it for the purpose of preventing you from using the generic drivers, it is just the result. The wording of your post makes it sound like it is the primary or even the sole reason and that is not accurate.

They also modify the motherboard BIOS. From what I have seen, they tend to modify the BIOS to include their boot logo/info at POST and to remove extra features that I guess they don't want customers to have or they don't want to support in their OEM machines.

 

[Nibiru2012]

Yes, graphics chipsets are sometimes modified in notebook computers, but you still can download the specific graphics driver from the chipset maker such as AMD Radeon, Intel or nVidia.

I have used drivers from both the OEM graphics chipset makers and from the notebook maker's driver page. Never had any conflict or problems with either one.

Personally I prefer to use the driver supplied by the OEM chipset makers.

 

[servicetech]

as a service tech at acer in temple texas, m1r2hud is right about our laptops. we do modify the chipset and for the software to work from amd's website on his and any others, we need to download them and modify it to work properly. evidently he figured out how to by pass our modifying and install from their website. his aspire 5515 was discontinued early in 2009, we carried that line of laptops into the emachines e620.
i been following his post on here. i like to see how he did it when we tell them that we have to do it.

 

[clifford_cooley]

as a service tech at acer in temple texas, m1r2hud is right about our laptops. we do modify the chipset

I was not saying you don't modify chipsets. I was saying you don't modify chipsets for the sole purpose of keeping people from using drivers directly from AMD or nVidia.

 

[servicetech]

I was not saying you don't modify chipsets. I was saying you don't modify chipsets for the sole purpose of keeping people from using drivers directly from AMD or nVidia.

but we do. how do you think we make our money.

 

[TrainableMan]

selling a good product and generating customer loyalty with repeat business and word-of-mouth might be a nicer approach ... it's just a thought.

 

[clifford_cooley]

but we do. how do you think we make our money.

I honestly don't know what to say to that.

If I knew for a fact that you wasn't lying, I would pledge never to purchase Acer products. Adding unnecessary problems to a product is not the way to sell a product.

 

[The_UX31E_Guy]

Uh... You think upgrading your graphics card will increase your speed? Nope! It's probably their servers.