You must have a video card installed in order to complete this tutorial so that you can see the output from your new PC once you turn it on. Installing a video card (or any expansion card for that matter) is incredibly straight-forward and easy.
- Find an expansion slot ideal for your video card. You can consult the bottom right image for a look at the three types of video card slot types: ISA, PCI or AGP. Most video cards in use today are using the AGP slot, which uses the topmost slot (usually brown) on your motherboard. Other cards use the PCI bus, which most motherboards have several of and the slots are usually white. The very old video cards use the larger ISA bus, but it is unlikely you will be using this type of video card unless you are building a PC out of incredibly outdated hardware.
- Remove the case insert that corresponds to the slot on the motherboard. This is usually done by unscrewing, but some cases have punch out inserts. If unclear, what we are referring to by “insert” is the small plate which covers up the rear slots on your case which your expansion cards will emerge from.
- Insert the video card in the slot. You might need to rock the card in, inserting one end first, then rocking the rest of the pins into place. The old ISA cards may be tougher because of their length. You might not be able to rock them. Most of you, though, will not be dealing with ISA video cards anymore. When pushing down, make sure the motherboard does not flex. If the board tends to bend, it may be necessary to place one hand underneath the board to hold it up. Also, in some cases, you may have a problem with the leading edge of the video card’s metal plate hitting the case behind the motherboard. The result is that it keeps you from being able to push the card in all the way. I’ve tried all sorts of weird crap to fix this problem, including taking pliers to the card and actually bending it. Sometimes, you can grab a flat-head screwdriver and pry the hole wider that the card’s lip protrudes into. But, in most cases, just playing with it for a bit will do the trick. It might also be worth noting here that AGP video cards are typically installed “upside down”, meaning the circuitry side of the video card will face down. ISA and PCI cards are usually installed “right side up”.
- With the video card inserted into the correct slot, it will probably sit there with no support at all. It is still, though, necessary to tighten it in using a screw. The card’s metal plate will have a notch for a screw and it will line up with a screwhole on the side of the expansion hole on the rear of the case. Just insert a screw into that hole and tighten it.
- Double-check your work. Make sure the card is securely in place and, if your video card has a cooling fan on it, make sure no ribbon cables or power leads are getting into the fan blades.
I have purchased an “nvidia GeForce” 8800GT graphics card for my Vista PC and I can’t get it to work. I know I should connect it to the power supply but I am not sure about the mechanics of this and also I see my power unit is 450watts, which perhaps needs upgrading to 500watts. Can anyone enlighten me please?
A 450 Watt power supply is sufficient for the 8800GT.
Ok, I have built computers for a while and I would need to know the rest of your computers specs and whether or not it was a “off-the shelf” or custom built..Ok and the Card is MOST LIKELY “PCI-E 16″ OR “pci E 2.0″ I’m assuming its the first one so it does need its own power supply. If your PSU only has MOLEX connectors and not PCIe16 connector(s) you need to either buy an entierly new PSU (power supply unit) or just get an adapter for molex to pcie16 (you need two empty molex connectors though)
If you could reply to this (gimmi specs
) i could determine wether or not U need a bigger PSU but bigger is SAFER (only when price is higher…NEVER cheap out on PSU’s if they fail everything connected to it is at risk…so buy carefully)
Thanks.
-Clay
Well i ran into a few of the same problems with graphics cards before and one thing i didn’t do the first time i built my own computer was NOT INSTALL THE DRIVERS!!!! so i ended up spending about 6 hrs trying to figure out what was wrong. so if you didn’t install the drivers, try that!!
I think this article should mention that some mobo’s have integrated graphics.
I think nearly everyone building their own PC is going to opt for a graphics card over integrated graphics, though.
The biggest problem I had, was getting the card into the case…I used a 9800GTX, which is much bigger than I thought. It kept catching on the 3.5″ cages when I tried to put it in. I eventually got it though, but it’s a very tight squeeze.
My advice is to make sure that the case is actually big enough to take some of the larger cards. If the cages were a couple of millimetres bigger, the card wouldn’t have been able to fit in!
If the cage is removable then remove it if you dont use a floppy.
Ok this is my very first attempt at building a computer and I’m lovin it but, now I’m stuck. I have a MSI P45 platinum Motherboard. This is off the MSI website:
PCI-Ex16 2
PCI-E Gen 2.0 Gen2 (1×16, 1×8)
PCI-Ex1 2
PCI 2
I bought this card from Newegg:
EVGA 01G-P3-N959-TR GeForce 9500 GT 1GB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card .
Problem 1, the card is way to wide to fit thru the expansion slot.
My idea was to take the metal bracket off and put the card in thru the back side then replace the metal bracket. The card fit perfect into the pci-e slot. the problem then was the card sits so high that the bracket cant be screwed back on.
I thought I was doing good by matching stuff up: PCI express 2.0 x16, DDR2 all that good stuff but as usuall I guess I was wrong. I looked at the MSI website for what fits but that just lost me even more.
Can somebody explain to me what I did wrong and tell me exactly what I can use. I dont need a high end card. I’ll get all that fancy stuff for my next computer (after I learn from building this one). I’m using the 530 watt PSU that came with the Raidmax case so I would like to keep the amps this card takes low if possible. PSU says 20 Amps at 12Volts
Thanks.
-Chuck-
Update, I wasnt wrong. I just listend to the wrong person about installation. After tons of coffee and a lot of searching on the internet the card is in and fits like a glove. I live 200 miles from any kind of computer store so I’m on my own with this project. This website is the best I have seen for a first timer like me. I’ve learned a lot from it and, the questions and answers posted by others.
Thanks. I’ll post again when it’s fired up and running.
Ok i did a new build, and it worked great. That is until i was playing nwn online and it locked up! I had to turn it off, and reboot it now i get no vid output to my mon. Can any one please help me as i have no idea what to do. Thanks!!!
Wow, this page is really outdated… ISA? I’ve never even heard about a slot like that, neither have I heard about video cards in regular PCI slots… AGP are now outdated, too, PCI Express is what video cards use, and unfortunately there’s no mention about them here… Though their installation is the same as described here with other slots.
I second this.
ISA slots are so old, they don’t even manufacture the plastic part anymore, let alone put them in boards.
PCI cards… I have a few, but they are pre-21th century.
AGP. The predecessor to PCI-E. AGP is now a thing of the past.
Yes, installation is the same.
AGP is NOT a thing of the past. I just put an ASRock 4Core Dual-SATA2 board in my box and I am running a Radeon HD3850 AGP card in it. It is good enough to play Fallout 3 on ‘high’ setting with no problems what-so-ever. That company did a good job of combining old technology with new.