Updating video card driver to play a game?

[flobadob]

We have a Dell Dimension 3100 PC with intel(r) 82915g/gv/910gl express chipset family video card, and we use Windows XP 86, but don't ask me what I'm on about cos I don't know, I think that is correct.

Anyway, my son is trying to play Minecraft on the PC but it will not load and it says we need to update video card.

I've had a look around with no luck, apparently it is up to date. Can anyone help or is it just not possible. We have a laptop which he has been playing Minecraft on with no problems, it is just when i tried to get it going on the PC that we had the issue.

[VHG]

The problem is not the DRIVER (that is just the software that helps Windows to use the graphics card).

The problem is the graphics card itself (the HARDWARE).

All games need a graphics card (HARDWARE) of a certain power, and it seem the graphics card in your laptop has enough power, but the one in our Dell does not.

The graphics detail you listed (82915g etc) came out in 2005 and that is pretty old in graphics cards terms.

Most "basic" computers only have powerful enough graphics to run office type software and the most simplest of games. To run more demanding games you need to buy a new graphics card.

While you may be able to buy a graphics card for your XP box it may not be worth it. I wont bore you with the technical details but buying a card for an older PC box like that may not be cheap and for a computer that old it is just not worth it.

[ChuckFickens]

Although it's hardly going to break the bank to put a graphics card in it that will enable him to play it...

Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

[ChuckFickens]

Or this one may be a safer bet for working, as it's PCIe 2.0 rather than 2.1

Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

[VHG]

Chuck, I was not sure if it is was a PCI slot or an AGP slot, or had they stopped doing AGP slots by then?

[VHG]

Just looked it up on the Dell web site. It says

Your Dell™ computer provides the following slots for PCI and PCI Express cards:
a) Two PCI card slots
b) One PCI Express x1 card slot

[ChuckFickens]

I did check :)

PCIe 2.0 cards should be backwards compatible with PCIe 1.0 slots, they jut run at the reduced bandwidth (250MB/s as opposed to 500MB/s)

[flobadob]

Thanks very much for looking into it guys, I appreciate that. However, I've never really messed about with the innards of a PC and I don't think I should start now or I could banjax the whole thing. He can stick to the laptop methinks. Thanks again.