How do I switch video cards corectly?

[jackslim]

I'm ready to replace a GF2 MX200 32MB W/TV SVHS with a new XFX GeForce MX4000 64 MB video card.

However, the instructions are a bit confusing.

The very first thing the instructions say is

Step 1
• Go to Control Panel - Add/Remove Programs and remove any graphics utilities that may be installed for current/previous display adapters.

OK -- I DID THAT (removed Nvidia driver). However, upon doing that, the PC quickly indicated some problem (I think it involved a Hewlett Packard printer driver) and quickly did an auto shutdown and reboot. Upon reboot, the display settings had changed to 640x480.

So, I did not get a chance to do Step 2 BEFORE rebooting.


Step 2

• Go to Control Panel - Display - Settings - Advanced - Adapter - Change

HOWEVER, THERE IS NO "CHANGE" BUTTON IN WIN XP, BUT THERE IS A "PROPERTIES" BUTTON.

• Click Next to start the hardware wizard.

THERE IS NO WIZARD IN WIN XP.

• Select 'Show all hardware' 'Standard VGA types' and Standard VGA adapter' then click Next.

THIS IS NOT AN OPTION. AGAIN, THERE IS NO "CHANGE" BUTTON
OR WIZARD. THERE IS NO WAY TO "Show all hardware, Standard VGA types, and Standard VGA adapter." THE "PROPERTIES" BUTTON (WIN XP) PROVIDES AN OPTION TO UNINSTALL THE NVIDEA DRIVER (Which is strange, since it was already removed with "Add/Remove Programs", and, it no longer shows up in "Add/Remove Programs")

Furthermore, if I click on the UNINSTALL button, I get a warning message, so for right now I just click CANCEL.

• Click Next to continue installation, and re-start PC if/when prompted.

Then the instructions are about shutting down the PC and instralling the new graphics card.

BOTTOM LINE: I have done Step 1, and don't know what to do next. Do I forget the warning and uninstall the Nvidia driver via the Properties options (BTW, there is also an option to disable)? Do I bypass step 2, and simply switch the video cards as the next step?!!

 

[paparazi]

Really don't get yourself too drawn into this, you are changing an Nvidia card for another Nvidia card which use "the same driver" so you could probably have got away with just swapping the two and chances are it would have just found and used the same.

So don't mess any more with drivers, just shut down, unplug and swap over the two cards.
Cancel the found new hardware (when booting into Windows)and install the new driver once fully loaded.

Possible restart, set resolution and refresh rate, depending on monitor.
Martin

We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.

 

[jackslim]

Well, I did uninstall the Nvidia driver via the Properties options -- then shut down and changed the cards -- never lost the monitor or had any mishaps.

The one frustrating thing that happened upon installation of the new video card drivers is that I got a window that was a warning I guess -- it essentially asked if I wanted to use the older drivers on the install CD instead of the the newer drivers on the PC! But I had deleted the previous NVIDIA drivers and they were for an earlier make!! I clicked "yes" and figure I can get an update if necessary. But why would the drivers for a newer graphics card be "older"? Maybe the PC was was using newer drivers that Windows supplied. Anyway, the graphics card is working OK as far as I can tell.

 

[bf0x]

Yes your right in believing windows wanted to use its video driver instead of the one the CD had. You were right in selecting the older one.

 

[dakota81]

It's best to grab the driver package off nvidia's website & run the setup program from that. It will automatically take care of previous drivers & software, and install the new ones into Windows.