29 replies to this topic

[mozilla]

How hard.

[Athena]

I think it depends on your skill, how often you've done it before and what kind of vid card. Some need extra power, that's probably slighly more tough to 'install'. The words hard and easy are relative, so it also kinda depends on what you compare it to and what you see as easy and as hard. It's harder than replace RAM for example, but whether you find that task easy or not, is up to you.

[mozilla]

ram is really easy it takes 5 seconds to put ram in,but thanks for ur great advice.

[Athena]

Adding RAM does indeed usually not take much time. If you find it easy I think it won't be that hard to replace a graphics card.

[mozilla]

I just fear fing up my whole computer.

[Athena]

fing up?
Anyhow, if you're careful enough and have enough knowledge, read the manual that comes with the vid card, nothing should happen to your computer. In any case you can back up your files before starting on this.

[Mig Eater]

If your running XP you basically take the old one out put the new one in & the computer will do the rest for you...

[Ash]

Not necessarily, MiG. I tried installing a GF4MX440 to my old computer a long time ago following that method. It wouldn't work no matter what I did. I ended up taking it to the shop to get them to do it.


Rate it at a seven, to answer your original question, because sometimes it can be a piece of piss, and other times it can be a complete shit.

Advice: If you've got an integrated onboard, it's harder than if you have an actual card.

[Hrod89]

Did you uninstall your previous drivers before even putting in the new one?

[Komataguri]

If your running XP you basically take the old one out put the new one in & the computer will do the rest for you...

Unless you are going from a ATI to an nVidia card, or nVidia to ATI.


then you have to run driver cleaner to get rid of all the residual driver files before installing...since the two driver packages don't like each other and usually run poorly if the competitors drivers were uninstalled incorrectly.

[Hostile]

If your running XP you basically take the old one out put the new one in & the computer will do the rest for you...

Unless you are going from a ATI to an nVidia card, or nVidia to ATI.


then you have to run driver cleaner to get rid of all the residual driver files before installing...since the two driver packages don't like each other and usually run poorly if the competitors drivers were uninstalled incorrectly.

I agree, I definately found this out the old fashoined way, sheer experience. These two driver sets conflict whenever possible. I'm sure it's not by accident.

[Athena]

I went from an Nvidia to an ATI card and there were no problems. I installed the ATI drivers from the CD-ROM and it went fine.

[Komataguri]

I went from an Nvidia to an ATI card and there were no problems. I installed the ATI drivers from the CD-ROM and it went fine.

You probably just are not performance oriented enough to notice.

[Athena]

I went from an Nvidia FX 5200 128 MB to an ATI Radeon X800 pro 256 MB. Damn well I noticed it. Just to name an example: I used to run UT2003 at 640x480. Now I run it at 1024x768 max settings (it'd probably run higher but the screen's refresh frequency will go down). There is not that much performance issues if you know what you are doing, in this case it looks like you are not performance oriented enough.

[-ReLiX-zZ-]

I always worry about installing a new video card so when the time comes, I will probably buy a new computer seen as this is getting close to 5 years old. I'm not that handy outside the computer.

[Komataguri]

Since I change my video cards so infrequintly, I just do a format [ since I'm generally needing one by the time I change cards anyway ].

Then clean install all my new and latest drivers

[Tom]

To install a new graphics card you need the following:

Male Logic -> Understand how to use a screw driver and remove/replace a screw
Understand how to take out a graphics card (by pulling it out)
Understand how to put in the new graphics card (by pushing it depending on what slot it is and clipping it)

Thats about it, oh and installing drivers

[Carnivean]

Installing a graphics card is quite simple. You only have a right to complain about being difficult if you say... have no arms.

[Komataguri]

Installing a graphics card is quite simple. You only have a right to complain about being difficult if you say... have no arms.

Or if your AGP video card won't fit in your PCI-E motherboard.


Then you have the right to complain...while we laugh at your idiocy.

[Blodo]

Hey - dont you be laughing. Operating a screwdriver is hard!