Installing Devices - Video Card

Home > Hardware > Installation: Video Cards

Installing the video card

-Installing the Video card is not much different from anything else. First you need to determine which bus the card uses such as PCI PCI-express or AGP. The most modern is PCI-express, but with near no performance advantage over the same card in AGP, its not essential to change your whole motherboard just for PCI-express. This guide is for AGP cards.

	The video card
	Back of card and its connection

-Now lets get it in the computer and installed.

-Unplug computer, and ground yourself.

-We need to remove the case cover first.

	Unscrewing the case
	Slide case panel off the case

-Locate slot type you need. The AGP is usually a brown colored slot close to the CPU. The PCI is a slot very similar to the AGP except it is white in color.

-Some motherboards have a lug at the back of the AGP slot, this lug has to be pushed down to allow the AGP card to fit in the slot.

	AGP lug closed. Card cannot be installed.
	AGP lug open. Card can be installed.

-Install Card into slot. Push firmly from both side and evenly, the lug should pop up, it might not pop all the way up so just move it up manually if it doesn't. If the card is having a hard time getting in simply push in a little from front then to back. If you are still having problems, loosen the motherboard so you have some play in it. This can be a real help at times, especially in a new installation.

Installing an AGP Video Card

-Now with card in lets tighten it down. If you loosened motherboard make sure and tighten it up after securing card.

Card installed. NB: This motherboard is not in a case for review purposes. Make sure you screw the card to the chassis.

-Now close case and reboot computer.

-Windows should detect card especially if it is plug and play.

-You will be asked for a driver for this card. Make sure you have the installation disk ready. (or see below)

-If its an Nvidia or Ati card (which it most likely is) press the cancel button when prompted to install drivers for your card. Download and install the latest drivers from the manufactures website or simply install the driver provided on the CD. Make sure any old drivers are removed before install new/updated drivers, this is done via add/remove programs in control panel.

-That wasn't so bad was it?

-If you ran into problems with installation try going to start, settings, control panel, and then add/hardware icon. If you need a more detail lesson in installing a Device Driver click here.

Videocard Terminology

Back To Hardware Guides