I know that yours cost more but I have had better luck with GeForce cards on HP products!

I think they make a 8400 GS that is PCI with

512MB DDR2, PCI, DVI, VGA, HDTV

You might take a look!

/wrists

That's two iterations behind the times man, trying to play modern games on a pci only computer is a real hard luck story.  Oblivion just is not going to work out on that computer at all.  The 8400gs is a craptastic card as well.

A 9400GT is available (also a 1GB flavor) and might be a good idea, but I'm personally wary of Sparkle.

Alternatively, there's the 2400pro, but I'm not sure how much of a step up from a X1300/X1550 that is.  However, my understanding was that the X1300/X1550 were, for lack of a better way to put it, bastardized cards, and so they may not have full driver support.  (This was the case with my old PCI Geforce 6200; no driver release ever specifically supported it, to my knowledge.  As such, it ran like crap.  But it did run.)

Your other options are even worse.

Your not going to get any real performance useing pci, that is really old school. Save your cash for a mb that will bring you up to speed.

gmc2, according to the system specs

your best bet is to just buy a new system rather than trying to upgrade to play the games you want.

The tech has quadrupled since your system. everything your running is 2 technology jumps behind.

even though there are a few cards with newer GPUs like the 9400 that Sole Soul linked, PCI interface is just not fast enough to utilize that GPU, the bandwidth just isn't there. a card like this is just a waste of money. Yes it may improve upon what you have a little but it is not going to solve your problem.

todays game require more than just a better faster video card, you have ot consider the RAM and CPU also. according to the system specs you only have 512mb RAM (unless you have upgraded it) that is going to hold you back too, as well as even though you CPU is a 3.2Ghz, a newer 2.6 will still be faster in data processing because of the processing technology/newer architecture.

all in all a new video card, more RAM and a new socket 775 800Mhz FSB CPU such as one of the e series here  will help you out a little but you would have to upgrade all 3 to see much difference/play without crashing. These upgrades would probably get you Oblivion and game of the same era, but you will hit a wall with game put out in the last couple years and have the same problems. all after spending about $200 in upgrades.

If you buy a new motherboard as Brickhead suggested (not a bad idea) but you will still have to upgrade your CPU, RAM and Video.

as well it looks like that system only has a 300W power supply, which means it too would have to be upgraded if you buy a new motherboard, that power supply just isn't big enough for newer motherboards, cpus etc....now your looking at $300+ in upgrades. you can get a new system for about twice that.

save your money until you can afford a new system. You'll be much better off putting that $$$$ toward a new system than upgrades. Sorry M8 but you just can't upgrade that system enough to be worth it without completely replacing everything.

After looking up the specs on your rig -- seems the out-of-box configuration of an HP a820n only came with just 512 MB of memory. Assuming that still the case for you (as you didn't list any other system specs), then you might consider a memory upgrade by adding two 1 GB PC3200 DDR (184 pin) SDRAM DIMMS at an average cost of $50 (USD) per stick.

Another consideration is that, while you can still find some high end PCI video cards, your HP a820n might not have a power supply capable of providing enough watts to support them. So, when adding a new video card, you may also need to add a new power supply to you rig as well. An under powered video card can cause the issues you noticed.

In any event, unless you are first willing to add more RAM and upgrade your power supply -- the best video card for your system is the one it came with. That ATI card you installed may just be starving for more power and memory resources.

I was cringing when I posted this. I kind of knew where this would be taking me but I was hoping. I don't mind purchasing a new computer they are fairly reasonable and with RAM now above 2Gig (I have 1.5 now) and access to more powerful processing (although this one clocks at 3,2) and better graphics capeabilities is enticing. My main stubling block is the reinstalling of programs and new OS, (I have XP, SP2 and regardless have been pretty pleased) not to mention removing content prior to giving this one my 8 year old and reestablishing all of my accounts (what was that password again). the transition will be daunting and a royal pain in prep and execution.

Just discussed this with my wife and she has given me the go ahead for a new cpu. I'm going to start a new thread for suggestions on what I should look for.

thank you all for responses.

P4 @ 3.2 ~= C2D @ ~1.8-2.0. 

Seriously.