Article Number: 000150722
A graphics card function is to simply provide a method for computing graphics information and relay this to a display such as a flat panel LCD monitor. Simple graphics controllers may be integrated onto a system board to support basic graphics for everyday use with an OS (Operating System) and applications. Higher end graphics cards that may be added to an AGP or PCI-Express slot provide support for many more features including:
Features vary from card to card and would be part of the cards specifications.
Components on a graphics card include:
There are an number of reasons why you may wish to upgrade your graphics card:
The performance of graphics cards has been more than adequate for office based applications for some time now. Performance has only been an issue for users who are using multimedia applications – such as video editing. What’s really driven graphics technology in recent years though is the phenomena of 3D gaming.
If you’re planning on replacing your integrated video with a separate add-in graphics card, the first thing you must do is check your system motherboard User Guide as this will have instructions on how to disable the integrated video, either via a small switch or jumper or by disabling it in the system’s BIOS. In some cases this is not always a simple process so please make sure that you have all of the information you need for your system before attempting the change. Your guide should also give important information on the specifications of your system to assist you with making an upgrade decision.
Here are some general steps to help with the upgrade process:
1. While your old video adapter is still installed and working, click the Start button at the lower left of your screen. When the menu appears, locate Computer, and click on it with the right-hand mouse button.
2. Use the left button to click on Properties.
3. Under the heading of Control Panel Home at the upper left of the Properties screen, left-click Device Manager.
4. Locate the Display Adapters heading, and click on the triangle to the left of the name to expand the category.
5. Double click the name of the display adapter to bring up its properties list.
6. Click the Driver tab of the properties list. Locate the button on that list labeled Disable and click it. By doing this, you deactivate the settings in the Windows registry that enable the driver for your old video adapter.
7. Exit out of the Driver tab by clicking the OK button at the bottom of the Driver window. Close out the windows you have opened and Shut down the computer. Once the computer has completely shut down, unplug the power cable from the computer and remove the cables to your peripherals.
8. Open the computer, and if you are replacing an older video card, remove it from the PCI-e X16 slot. If you are using on-board video, simply install your new card into the slot using the instructions from the service manual.
9. Close up your computer, and attach the appropriate video cable to the monitor and the new video card. Video adapters and monitors are continuing to evolve; you may find that you need to attach a VGA cable to the video card or the monitor, or maybe to both. Some devices have multiple connectors available, DVI, HDMI, VGA, or Display Port. If both your card and monitor have DVI connectors, use a cable for that interface. If one of your devices has only a VGA connector, you will need to use an adapter to convert from DVI to VGA. Such an adapter is frequently provided in the video card box, but not always.
10. Reconnect the cables for your keyboard and mouse, but nothing else until you have completed your video card installation, including installation of the video driver.
11. Lastly, connect the power cord to the computer. Start the computer and verify you have a working display. Since the driver has not been installed, the display may not appear as you have become accustomed to seeing. Wait until the computer has finished booting and observe the screen. You should get a message at the lower right stating that new hardware has been found. Cancel out of the installation wizard, instead using the CD/drive or downloads information containing the drivers for the card and allow it to autorun. You will wish to install the driver for the card, and probably also the control panel for the card.
Desktops & All-in-Ones, Laptops
21 Feb 2021
3
Solution