Hi everybody, today we are going to discuss the steps involved in replacing a video card in your computer. Most desktop systems come with a stock onboard video card that is usually ample for surfing the web and doing most basic operations. If you do gaming or other graphic intense projects this stock card will most likely not be enough. In other cases, it is possible that your old video card has a bad fan or maybe just is not delivering what it used to. In either case, an upgrade is in order and fortunately you have lots of options.
The first thing to consider is brand. There are two major brands of cards that are used in most of today’s computers. Nvidea and ATI are usually the brands you will find preinstalled on your system. Usually I recommend sticking with the same brand if you are going to do an upgrade.
The next thing you need to determine is what type of card to get. If you have an older computer you will most likely have the older AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) interface on your motherboard. This card slot is usually colored differently from your other card slots on the board. Until recently, this was the fastest interface to use. On a newer system, the PCI express interface is the best way to go. This interface is faster then the AGP and is the most widely used interface used on recently built systems. Once you determine what type of card you need, you can go shopping to get the best match for your needs.
If you plan on only using one monitor you will probably just need a standard card with an analog output on the card. If you want better graphics and you plan on using two monitors, get a card with dual Digital Outputs. Digital outputs will help give you crisper and clearer video on your monitor. Please be sure your monitor supports Digital before purchasing a card.
Before purchasing your new card you will have to check one more thing, your power supply. All video cards have a minimum requirement for the amount of power they consume. Please be sure your computers power supply is ample for the card of your choice. Most stock power supplies will have to be upgraded before you install your video card. Replacing a power supply is not that difficult. It is a matter of removing 4 screws and just be sure you reconnect all the cables the same way that they were taken off.
Now that all the above has been checked and completed, you are almost ready. First, it is usually a good idea to remove all the old software for your existing card. Not to worry, the raw windows drivers will ensure you have video. Once removed, turn off your system and unplug it before removing the side panel. Disconnect the monitor cable. Depending on your case, some cards will be retained with a screw while others will have clips. Remove the old card if you are replacing or simply add the card if you are up grading from an onboard card. Once the new card is installed, you will have to open your BIOS settings if you were previously using an onboard. Usually this is done by pressing F2 at startup. You will have to find the entry that allows you to disable the onboard card and allow the PCI card. Save changes and restart. Your card will only be running on stock drivers until you install the drivers that were supplied with the card. Once you install the drivers you might have to adjust the resolution to the native setting suggested by your monitors manufacture. You are now ready to go! Enjoy your new card.
Author: Joe Zelenak, Staff Writer
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