Upgrade computers - Installing a graphics card

Installing a new video card is an easy upgrade that most anyone can tackle in about 5 minutes, even if it’s your first time.

If you need a new video card to install, whether you are building from sratch, or, performing a simple upgrade. You can find some top cards with low pricing online.

Before installing a graphics card

Unplug the monitor

There are several scenarios that you might encounter. You might want to have two video cards for two monitors, you might have one on the motherboard built-in. If there is an actual card that is bad, locate it by following the monitor signal cable and unplug the monitor from the card. Unless it is DVI, it will look like this picture below.

Unscrew the card and remove it. If it is in an AGP slot, you’ll have to unsnap a connector that locks the card in place like the photo. Otherwise, just unscrew it and pull it up.

If the video is built onto the motherboard, just find a free slot and remove the slot cover, then install your new card. For AGP cards, you’ll need an AGP slot, otherwise, any free PCI slot is fine. In rare instances you’ll have to go into the BIOS to disable the on-board video card, but most likely the motherboard will switch over automatically just because you have a monitor plugged into the new card. The picture below shows pci slots and an agp slot.

After installing a graphics card

To get the full benefits of your new card, especially if it is a 3D accelerator, you need to install the drivers that came with it and even check the company’s website to see if they have any updated drivers. Plug everything back in and power up to make sure everything is working OK.

If you don’t get any video, power down and reseat the card by removing it and plugging it in again. If you’re going from a 256-color card to a snazzy new 3D 64+MB video card, prepare to be dazzled!

That wraps up my installing a graphics card article, happy installing.

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