I have a leveno ibm  think centre 8212 with a p4 3.4 ghz ht i like evrything about it. exept i want to add a pci express video card but its only got a 225 watt power supply. the problem is that the case is small and so is the power supply. I looked for an external power supply online but none in stock is there any other way of getting this done? Do you know of a compatible bigger case for an easy switch?

at at the risk of being obvious, moving your motherboard to a new case with a new power supply does involve considerable work and some minor risk. Given the low prices in the marketplace you might be better off buying a "bare-bones" computer with a more up to date processor and motherboard and shifting your peripherals to the upgraded system. check out the following URLs.

http://www.newegg.com/Store/Ca.....&Tpk=bare%20bone

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_tlc.asp?CatId=31

http://www.pcguide.com/buy/req/buyingBarebones-c.html

You may want to install a new power supply. One thing to look for is whether the size of the mounting area for the power supply is large enough for a power supply with sufficient capacity. You can get the dimensions of the new power supply from the listing on the vendor's site.

Second, Look on your motherboard for a 4-in auxiliary power feed, either at the end of the main power socket or off to the side. The newer power supplies have an auxiliary feed that powers the PCIx. If you have a PCI express slot, your motherboard should have one.

I recommend you look for a power supply that is quiet. I installed a CoolMax 450W quiet power supply to replace a noisy one, and the difference is worth the $40 to $50 cost (in my mind - noise level is a source of fatigue).