Installing an expansion card is very simple.
- Turn off the computer, unplug it, and take the case
off. - >Find the slot that your new card will fit into.
If you are installing an AGP card, then spot the AGP slot, usually
the shortest slot and is brown. If you are installing a PCI card,
then find a PCI slot, usually white and a tad longer than the AGP
slot. An ISA slot is black and the longest on any modern
motherboard. - Remove the dust cover on the back of your computer
that is next to the slot you want. Don’t lose the screw; you can use it to hold the card
in. Push the card into the slot you chose. You may need to rock it
into place. Be careful not to damage the board by pressing two
hard on an improperly supported motherboard. You may bend it. - Be sure of a few things. Check the card’s manual
for any jumper settings or other information. This might save future trouble. Also, make
sure that the shiny end with the connector faces toward the back of the computer. Don’t
force it in. You might have to play with it a little, but when the card goes in, you’ll
know. It will be snug in there. Make sure the card doesn’t touch any other cards. That can
cause electrical problems, as you might imagine. - Secure the card in place with the screw.
- Plug the computer back in, turn it
on. - From here on, the procedure
varies from card to card. The general idea, though, is that
assuming the card is plug-n-play, Windows will detect the new
hardware and open the Hardware Installation Wizard. Follow the
prompts and have the driver disk ready.
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