When you buy a new graphic card how do you install it?

Answer 1

It all depends on whether or not the graphic card is an "AGP" or "PCI" (if your computer is newer: 5 years or newer, you should have an AGP port)the easiest way to tell is if it is an "AGP" card the gold part on the bottom will have 3 segments, where as "PCI" has 1 or 2. Its Very easy to install...first power down your computer, then unplug all the cables on the back (not always neccessary, but to make sure you have no power coming in at all, you can't be too careful) open the access pannel on your computer, if it is a tower, then it should be on the left side looking at the computer. You might have to take the screws off of the back, just look at the left pannel, then look at the back if there are 2 screws (1 top 1 bottom) then you take those out and set them aside. Some brands are different but this is just a basic explanation. If it is a desk top model (lays flat) then there should be 5 screws on the back around the cover to remove. You should have purchased an "ESD" strap from the electronics store where you bought your card, but if you don't have one, then just ground yourself to the chassis before you touch anything on the inside. Make sure that your computer is on a non-conductive surface, I.E. Rubber mat, plastic desk...etc Metal is not a good thing to work on. Make sure that you are not doing this on carpet either...don't want a static charge to zap your new card and everything else you touch do you? Once you have your case open, look for the AGP port. It will be close to the top of the motherboard, usually near all of your onboard stuff...USB ports, Printer Port. This will be a female slot, sometimes brown in color. It will sit slightly farther back from the rest of the slots. Remove the old card (if there is one) if there is no card you will have to take off the protective metal cover off of the chassis. Insert your card into the slot, carefull not to force it. If you have to exert a lot of pressure, then you are doing it wrong. Be sure to apply even pressure to the front and back of the card while you are inserting it. Once it is in securly, use the screw that came off of the protective metal dust cover, (if it had one) to secure the card in place. If you didn't get on off of the dust cover, then the box that the card came with should have one. Leave the case off, and plug only your power cable, keyboard, mouse, and monitor back in. Start your computer up and install the software that came with the card, restart, once your computer comes back up the way it should, shut it down, put everything back together, and enjoy!

Answer 2

In a laptop it is to much hasstle and you might as well get a better laptop. In a desktop you can put a nw graphics card into a free pci card and you will need to install any software that came with it. Once that is done you should have better graphics. I you need some guidence type the question into YouTube and see what happens.

Answer 3

You need an AGP slot on your motherboard, then you unplug the computer and open it up. Unplug the old graphics card, and plug in the new one you bought. Plug the PC back in and start windows, then when it comes up and says new hardware found, you use the disk the card came with to install the drivers.

Answer 4

To be honest, I'm not too sure. If you're really having trouble then ring a computer repair shop. Ask them if they can run you through it, or if they can fax you some instructions. If they say that the only way to do it is to do it themselves then tell them "No thanks". A good computer repair shop will run you through something for free.