Installing a new video card.

[Kurisutofaa]

Can someone teach me how to install a new video card?
It's going to be a Diamond HD 4850 512MB on an Intel X38 motherboard.
Correct me if I'm wrong.
1. Uninstall the old graphics card drivers.
2. Shut off the computer.
3. Replace the graphics card.
4. Start the computer and then insert the drivers CD.
5. After installing the drivers, check online for the latest drivers.

Also, what do I do if my computer doesn't automatically detect the new graphics card?

 

[erocker]

1. Download the latest drivers from ATI: http://ati.amd.com/support/driver.HTML

2. Uninstall old drivers

3. Turn off system, replace old card with new card

4. Boot up, install the drivers you downloaded.

 

[psyko12]

You should follow erocker's guide for installing/re-installing gfx drivers found in my siggy, IMHO it's the best guide I've used and kept on using for the long run. Thnx erocker happy new year guys

 

[Kurisutofaa]

1. Download the latest drivers from ATI: http://ati.amd.com/support/driver.HTML

2. Uninstall old drivers

3. Turn off system, replace old card with new card

4. Boot up, install the drivers you downloaded.

The CD is not needed?
Also, would getting the drivers from Diamond be better or it wouldn't matter?

 

[Widjaja]

The CD has the drivers which were available from ATi at the time which are not usually the latest.
Personally I have found the 8.12 drivers to run awesome with the HD4850.

Something which has not been spoken about.
Do you currently have a nVidia card installed?
If so you may encounter odd issues even after you have unistalled the nVidia GPU drivers and installed the ATi ones.
Reminants get left behind from nVidia drivers which can make your system act weird after installing the ATi card.
If this happens I would reformat and reinstall windows.

Your system WILL detect the video card, if it doesn't the card has a problem.

But if you are replacing an ATi card then follow as erocker suggested.

 

[Kurisutofaa]

The CD has the drivers which were available from ATi at the time which are not usually the latest.
Personally I have found the 8.12 drivers to run awesome with the HD4850.

Something which has not been spoken about.
Do you currently have a nVidia card installed?
If so you may encounter odd issues even after you have unistalled the nVidia GPU drivers and installed the ATi ones.
Reminants get left behind from nVidia drivers which can make your system act weird after installing the ATi card.
If this happens I would reformat and reinstall windows.

But if you are replacing an ATi card then follow as erocker suggested.

I currently have the HD 3650 so it should be fine. I really need this upgrade .

 

[Widjaja]

Should be a smooth install then.
Make sure you plug the PCI-E power connector to the card.

 

[Kurisutofaa]

What are the differences between this
http://www.diamondmm.com/4850PE3512.php
and this
http://game.amd.com/us-en/drivers_catalyst.aspx?p=vista64/common-vista64?

 

[Widjaja]

Don't know what you mean.
You showed me a link to the specs of your card and a link to the 8.12 Vista 64-bit drivers.

 

[Kurisutofaa]

Don't know what you mean.
You showed me a link to the specs of your card and a link to the 8.12 Vista 64-bit drivers.

Oh, I'm sorry, click support on the Diamond site.

 

[erocker]

I've always gotten the drivers directly from ATi.

 

[Widjaja]

I see now.
Some manufacturers make put thier own tweaks to the ATi drivers which may increase performance by a margin for thier GPU.

I don't even know if Sapphire does this, but I download from AMD Game anyway only because I always have done.

I had a XFX 8800GT once and they also have tweaked drivers, honestly I didn't find any gains with them over the ones you would get from nVidia.

 

[sprayall]

I'm also installing a new card (ATI 4830-upgrade from integrated X1250) in a few days. Isn't it a good idea to use Driver Sweeper to get rid of any residual stuff from the old card? Then, what about deleting that "ATI" folder off the C drive before installing the new card and it's drivers?

 

[ShadowFold]

If you're going from ATi to ATi you don't need to uninstall anything. Update to the latest drivers tho.

 

[Widjaja]

If you're going from ATi to ATi you don't need to uninstall anything. Update to the latest drivers tho.

+1

What happens is the old reminant driver files get overwritten as they are used in the new driver, just updated.

The ATi folder in C:/ is just a support folder where all the driver files get extracted in preparation for installation.

 

[Aceman.au]

Should be a smooth install then.
Make sure you plug the PCI-E power connector to the card.

Pfft ya dont need that to run the card *sigh* your such a noob

Lol jks

 

[D007]

first download the new drivers you'll need..
leave em on your desktop or somewhere easy to get to.
next uninstall the display drivers for your old card using the "add or remove programs tool"

inside start/control panel/add remove programs.

THEN:
I generally advise using driver sweeper when using new drivers..

http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=1655

but if you screw up with driver sweeper, it will put you in a world of hurt..
it's very easy to use it correctly though..
but if it makes you nervous.. just forget it..
but you should look into it..
it has solved issues for me in the past with drivers that never fully remove themselves.

This is all you have to remember..
MAKE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN YOU REBOOT INTO SAFE MODE BEFORE USING THIS TOOL.

"Hit F8 when you reboot until the safe mode option comes up.. then reboot in safe mode"..

ONLY PUT THE CHECK BOX IN THE "DISPLAY DRIVER" SECTION.
AND ONLY FOR THE VIDEO CARD YOU WANT TO REMOVE DRIVERS FOR.

If you don't know what some of the things in there are..
them don't ever touch them..
you likely need them..
if you do touch them, you could end up rebooting to a bsod or worse.
after you clean the driver..

shutdown and put in the new card.
Reboot normally and install the new driver.

good luck ..