How do I actually install a video card?

[hhp5]

I've got an onboard video chip, and it's only 4 Mb. I want to install an external video card, but have no idea how to go about doing it.

Someone have a guideline somewhere, or could give me a few pointers?

Information should be available upon request, for both the computer and the card I want to install (I have a good collection of them XD).

 

[mdawg]

Need the specs of your computer first, does it have an agp slot? PCI-E would be a stupid question to ask so im not going to.

 

[hhp5]

heh, yeah. This board does not have an AGP slot.. there's another HP I have that does, but it keeps bluescreening on me at the moment T__T but anyway.

lemme pull up a report for you.


Short little summary of the following report:

Trigem Cognac Motherboard (HP Pavilion 6735)
Intel i810 633 Mhz Processor
383 MB RAM
188 PSU
Master drive: 6 gig system
Backup drive: 20gig (currently disabled)
DVD/CDROM (unknown speed)


Total Report:

System
Host Name : MDEX-MKV0EPRIMG
User : Jesse
Domain : WORKGROUP

Processor
Model : Intel(R) Celeron(tm)
Speed : 631MHz
Performance Rating : PR757 (estimated)
Cores per Processor : 1 Unit(s)
Threads per Core : 1 Unit(s)
Internal Data Cache : 16kB Synchronous, Write-Thru, 4-way set, 32 byte line size
L2 On-board Cache : 128kB ECC Synchronous, Write-Back, 4-way set, 32 byte line size

Mainboard
Bus(es) : ISA PCI USB i2c/SMBus
MP Support : No
MP APIC : No
Total Memory : 383MB SDRAM

Chipset 1
Model : Intel Corporation 82810 810 Chipset Memory Controller Hub
Front Side Bus Speed : 1x 66MHz (66MHz data rate)
Total Memory : 384MB SDRAM
Shared Memory : 1MB

Video System
Monitor/Panel : hp pavilion mx50
Adapter : Intel(r) 82810 Graphics Controller

Physical Storage Devices
Removable Drive : Floppy disk drive
Hard Disk : FUJITSU MPE3064AT (6GB)
Hard Disk : WDC WD200BB-53AUA1 (19GB)
CD-ROM/DVD : HL-DT-ST DVD-ROM GDR8161B (CD 48X Rd) (DVD 6X Rd)

Logical Storage Devices
1.44MB 3.5" (A : N/A
Hard Disk (C : 6GB (1.6GB, 27% Free Space) (NTFS)
Wxpcorp_en (D : 492MB (CDFS)

Peripherals
Serial/Parallel Port(s) : 1 COM / 1 LPT
USB Controller/Hub : Intel(r) 82801AA USB Universal Host Controller
USB Controller/Hub : USB Root Hub
USB Controller/Hub : USB Composite Device
Keyboard : Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard
Keyboard : HID Keyboard Device
Mouse : PS/2 Compatible Mouse
Mouse : HID-compliant mouse
Human Interface : HID-compliant consumer control device
Human Interface : HID-compliant device
Human Interface : USB Human Interface Device
Human Interface : USB Human Interface Device

MultiMedia Device(s)
Device : MPU-401 Compatible MIDI Device
Device : Standard Game Port
Device : Intel(r) 82801AA AC'97 Audio Controller

Power Management
AC Line Status : On-Line

Operating System(s)
Windows System : Microsoft Windows XP/2002 Professional (Win32 x86) 5.01.2600

Network Services
Adapter : Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI Fast Ethernet NIC



-------------

Yeah, it's a piece of crap. I know. :|

 

[hhp5]

As well, as is what you're probably wanting to know, it's got standard PCI slots. I have 3, ones being taken up by my network card.

 

[65tweet]

It's not worth investing money in that system you are better off getting new equipment. That said if you do still want to buy a video card the best PCI one to get is the ATI 8500 or 9100 (maybe ebay). putting one in is simple. With the computer off put the video card into an empty pci slot (just like the network card) and boot up. Go into your bios and set the card as default video device. Boot into windows and install the drivers and shut down. Now disconnect the monitor from the onboard graphics and connect it to the video card and turn the computer on. you should be good to go from here. If you dont get a picture then windows is still using the on-board graphics. To fix this you will need to connect the monitor back to the on-board graphics. From there right click on and empty spot on your desktop and select properties. Go to settings and were it shows the graphics adapters select the one is your card. After that go to the boxes below and select "Extend my windows desktop..." and " use this device as pri...". Select apply and everything but your wallpaper will disappear. Reconnect the monitor to the video card and you should find everything back to normal and you wil be using the video card now.
Goodluck Jesse

 

[hhp5]

Hey, thank you for your assistance! I have successfullly installed the video card and it's running fine. =D