Once you have the hardware, the process of getting rid of your old video card and installing the new one is relatively easy. You just need to know what pitfalls to watch for and keep the documentation that came with your computer, monitor, and video card handy.

One thing to keep in mind during the installation is static electricity. Video cards are a complex collection of delicate components. They come packed in an antistatic bag because even a small jolt of static electricity in the wrong spot is enough to fry a vital component and render the card useless. Consider buying a wrist strap from a computer shop that keeps you grounded as you work with the card (and the rest of your computer), and if that’s not an option, at least be sure to touch a grounded metal object to discharge static electricity before working in the computer’s case or handling your new video card.

Step 1: Uninstall The Current Video Card Driver

Drivers are software that let hardware and Windows communicate with one another. Hardware manufacturers update video card drivers regularly, adding new features, improving performance, and fixing bugs, so using the latest driver can save you from a lot of troubleshooting due to incompatibilities.

Before installing the new card and drivers, however, you should get rid of any video drivers already installed on the computer. In Windows XP click Start, click Control Panel, click Add Or Remove Programs, click Add Or Remove Programs again, and click the entry for your Nvidia or ATI driver. Click Change/Remove, click Yes, and follow the prompts to remove the driver from the computer.

If you have Vista, click Start, click Control Panel, click Uninstall A Program, and click the Nvidia or ATI driver entry in the Uninstall Or Change A Program list. Click Uninstall and follow the prompts to complete the uninstallation.

Step 2: Check For New Video Drivers

Drivers are specific to both the computer’s operating system and the video card, so be very careful when downloading them so that you don’t accidentally end up with something that won’t work on your system. Before checking the manufacturer’s site for updates, click Start, right-click My Computer (or Computer in Vista), and click Properties. Write down the exact name of the operating system that appears in the System section in WinXP or the Windows Edition section in Vista.

Because you are installing a new video card, you can get its exact model number from the packaging. Armed with that information, visit the Web site for your video card and download the latest drivers for your particular operating system and video card. You can also get drivers from www.nvidia.com if you have an Nvidia-based card or at tinyurl.com/3vrxsw if you have an ATI-based card. If you are prompted to reboot the computer, don’t. Shut it down instead.

Step 3: Remove The Old Video Card

With the computer turned off, discharge any static electricity from your body, unplug the computer, and open the computer’s case. You may need to disconnect some wires from the back to accomplish this, so use a digital camera to take some pictures of the current cable arrangement, so you can easily reconnect everything later.

Many computers have integrated video cards, meaning the video hardware is baked directly into the motherboard and there is no standalone card to remove. If the video cable from the monitor does not connect to a standalone card, remove the monitor cable from the computer’s video output port and move on to the next step. If there is a standalone card, remove the monitor cable from the card and release whatever restraining mechanism secures the video card to the motherboard. In some cases, this is a screw, but newer PCs often use a restraining bar or other device that can be opened without using tools.

Look near the bottom of the card to see if there is a plastic clip also holding the card in place. If there isn’t, grasp the card at the top with both hands (being careful to touch only the silicon portion of the card) and lift it straight up until the card releases from the slot. If there is a clip, you’ll often need to hold it open with one hand while you pull straight up on the card with the other hand.

Step 4: Install The New Video Card

Once again, discharge any static electricity that may have built up during the previous step and then check the video card slot for dust or other debris and use compressed air to blast it out. Never use paper towels, cloth, or solvents as they can leave fibers or residue behind that cause even more problems than the dust.

Remove the card from its antistatic bag, grabbing only the metal plate on the front of the card where all of the video output ports are located. Line the card up in the slot, place both thumbs on the top of the card, and press straight down until the card is fully seated. You can check by looking at the metal contacts on the bottom of the card and making sure they all stick out a uniform distance from the slot instead of some sticking out more than others (which indicates the card is sitting at an angle in the slot). It doesn’t take a lot of pressure to fully seat the card, and pressing too hard can crack the motherboard or cause you to put sideways pressure on the card, which can damage the slot or snap off the contacts at the bottom of the card.

Once the card is fully seated, secure it using the same locking mechanism you opened earlier and then connect any power cables the card may require. If you are using SLI (Scalable Link Interface) or CrossFire equipment (see sidebar) connect any other cables they may have come with so the two cards can communicate with one another. If you had to move any cables out of the way during installation to accommodate the new card, make sure they are still seated securely in their respective ports and then close the computer’s case.

Step 5: Connect The Card To Your Monitor

Most new video cards have more than one output port on the back, using some combination of VGA (Video Graphics Array) and/or DVI (Digital Visual Interconnect). If your monitor supports DVI, use that connection as it is all-digital and provides far crisper output than the analog VGA output can muster. You may need to purchase a DVI cable if your old video card didn’t support DVI output, but the expense is well worth it.

Step 6: Check The BIOS

If you had to remove a standalone card before installing the new card, you can turn on the monitor, turn on the computer, and skip this step. If your computer relied on integrated video before you installed the new card, you may need to tell the computer’s BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) to disable the integrated hardware so that the new card can do its job. To do this, check the computer’s manual to see how to access the BIOS before Windows loads. Generally, you must press a key such as F2 or F8 immediately after turning on the computer.

Be very careful when modifying BIOS settings, as changing the wrong one can prevent your computer from booting or even damage certain hardware. If you are ever in doubt, exit the BIOS without saving your changes and start again from scratch. You need to navigate to the setting that disables integrated video, turn it off, save the changes, and restart the computer. The procedure for doing this varies based on the type of BIOS installed on the computer, so if you don’t have the manual, you may need to call technical support and have them walk you through it.

If you use CrossFire or SLI, you may also need to enable it using the BIOS, so check the documentation that came with your computer.

Step 7: Install The New Video Card Driver

When Windows boots, it detects the new hardware and in most cases will install a generic driver so the new hardware works with minimal functionality. In some cases Windows will ask you to locate a driver, and you can point it to the driver software you downloaded earlier, but often you must let Windows load, cancel any driver requests, manually double-click the driver software you downloaded earlier, and follow the Wizard instructions to set it up. This process requires a reboot, after which your new hardware is fully installed and functional.

Step 8: Check The Settings

When Windows is running, right-click an empty area of the Desktop and click Properties in WinXP or Personalize in Vista. In WinXP, click the Settings tab and use the Screen Resolution slider to select a value that is ideal for your monitor. In Vista, click Display Settings and adjust the Resolution slider. If you use an older CRT (cathode-ray tube) display, the ideal value is a matter of personal preference, but LCD users should select a value that matches the native resolution of the display (which is listed in the manual). Make sure Color Quality is set to Highest (32-bit), click Apply, and enjoy the speed improvements provided by your new video hardware.

Final Tweaking

Depending on the type of video card you installed, there are likely a number of additional settings you can adjust to improve performance or video quality in games or other 3D applications. Check the video card’s manual to see how to access these settings and what they do. Check for new video card drivers every month or two to keep your card running smoothly.

by Tracy Baker