Ok. New video card procured and in the mail:
SAPPHIRE 100217L Radeon HD 2600PRO 512MB 128-bit GDDR2 AGP 8X HDCP Ready Video Card
This should do the trick for now. I am not interested in building a gaming machine…I only play occasionally. Of course the “Trinity” had to get me interested in the game that demands the most bang out of a machine. I hope this gets me to where I need to be.
Will report back. Thank you everyone for your input.
Beware if you have a Vista machine. The operating system really hoses up the system security, meaning that you may receive an Error 6000. If that happens (and this makes me cringe to say it because I am a security engineer), then you can disable your spyware and anti-virus software. It works after a few starts.
Gods, I love Vista! What a WONDERFUL operating system.
Thanks for the heads up. They will tear my copy of XP Professional from my cold dead hands.
If you have the hardware it is we’ll worth it even if you have the 360. This game is beautiful.
I had problems at first with Vista. After I turned off User Account Control it worked just fine.
i have it on my pc and have been experiencing issues with my video card recently. it might be as the result of the game but i’m not so sure
Make sure you have the lastest version of video drivers! That helped my machine when I first installed ME.
To clarify…you are experiencing issues with your video card when you are not playing ME and you have only started having the issues after installing the game?
I do agree with spatterson’s advice…definitely check that you have the latest video drivers. In fact, the game will do the analysis for you. I am doing this from memory…but on the opening screen, (the screen that comes up after clicking the icon) there is a button which I think says “Configuration.” This brings up a new application which at the top level will immediately tell you if you need to update your drivers.
I am playing ME on a PC with Vista. Just wondering what all the “issues” are as I am having trouble with crashes. I can play for hours with no problem and then “crash”. OR, I crash and crash and crash… Never sure what to expect. The transport at the citadel is the worst.
I love this game but sometimes I want to throw the computer across the room. I havn’t had any crashes for the past week (knock on wood) but the dh gave up the game during the same week as he couldn’t get anywhere on the Citadel without crashing.
As posted before I would make sure your drivers are up to date. You could also try running in compatibility mode. My only other suggestion is to turn off the User Account Control. I couldn’t even get ME to boot without it off.
Thanks for the advice. I will have to get DH to give that a try. So far, I’m happy happy with no crashes in over a week (knock on wood). ME still likes to frustrate DH just to prove it can.
ME? As in…Windows ME? Holy crap. How many times have you lost the entire contents of your hard drive…THIS YEAR?!
Oh wait Mass Effect
I get it. I’m dumb. I’m not worthy. Cymbeline…Cymbeline…Cymbeline…Cymbeline
Much confusion understandable only by those of Generation Me. Of course, if me was playing M.E. on a Me, this could explain me crashes. Me have headache. Me call M.E. 
Anyone played this new content? I just finished it and it’s not bad. Someone similar to other missions, but not bad!
[spoiler]The asteriod thing is kinda wierd but I enjoyed the “voice from somewhere” of the scientist that talks to you as you turn off the thrusters. Pissed me off though - I was being “renegade” so they whacked her. :([/spoiler]
I played it through as a goodie and badie. It was better than your average side quest.
Hi! This last podcast the GWC crew were talking about Mass Effect and I listened to some other episodes and they mention it two and I looked it up onlin it’s like $50 and I am wondering is there a Free Demo I can play to see if I like it, I would love to play it but dont want to spend $50 if I end up liking it.
Hey Lara, I am not aware of any playable demo for ME. If you have a Xbox360 you could rent from a local video store and try it out. You could also get a good idea on how the game play is and looks if you watch some of the Youtube videos. Just use caution because there could also be spoilers.
Here is a nice one to give you an idea
//youtu.be/0OQYTQ3o5Rk
$50 is very high for this game now. Amazon has it at $16.99 and Best Buy has it for $19.99. These are links for the PC version which is what I assume you would be getting but there is no reason you shouldn’t be able to find the Xbox 360 version for $20 also.
I can’t recommend it highly enough. Just remember, play as a female. 
i liked playing as a man. it meant my neck wasn’t overlong.
really fun game its been awhile since i played it, one of ten my top games you have to play it.
Yea its one of my top 5 games of all time. i played it thru like 3 times and have started a 4th. That is alot of hours.
if you are worried about the cash you do get alot of hours out of it. I paid the 60 for it when it came out and it came down to less than a dollar an hour paid to play for me.
I have gamefly it would be the best way if you don’t wait to buy you can keep it as long it take you to beat it.