swapping graphics cards

  • Thread starter Thread starter Lol
  • Start date Start date
L

Lol

I have one box running XP with a geforce 9600GT, and a more recent build
with windows 7 has a geforce GT430

I want to swap the graphics cards over - can I do that without any driver
complications

looking for advice, as although I have been building pcs for many yearsI
don't know everything and things do keep changing!

many thanks,
lol
 
Lol said:
I have one box running XP with a geforce 9600GT, and a more recent build
with windows 7 has a geforce GT430

I want to swap the graphics cards over - can I do that without any driver
complications

looking for advice, as although I have been building pcs for many yearsI
don't know everything and things do keep changing!

many thanks,
lol
Click to expand...

I would think if you do a check to see if your power supply meets the
standards of the graphics card for the system you're changing to and there
are drivers available for the cards for the OS then there shouldn't be an
issue. Uninstall each card first from the device manager to unload the
drivers before you shut down to change the cards Additionally there may be
ancilliary programs that are associated with each card that you might want
to uninstall even before going to the device manager.
 
Jan said:
I would think if you do a check to see if your power supply meets the
standards of the graphics card for the system you're changing to and there
are drivers available for the cards for the OS then there shouldn't be an
issue. Uninstall each card first from the device manager to unload the
drivers before you shut down to change the cards Additionally there may be
ancilliary programs that are associated with each card that you might want
to uninstall even before going to the device manager.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'd recommend uninstalling the graphics driver, then shut down, change
cards, and it should come up in 640x480. Then install the driver. The reason
for doing that, is fewer surprises, than if you just leave the Nvidia driver in
place.

The power consumption of a GT430 is quite low. No worries there.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/graphics/display/gigabyte-geforce-gt430_4.html#sect0

The 9600 GT in the table here, is around 68.7W max.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/graphics/display/gf-gt240-1gb_4.html#sect0

For safe powering, there's probably a 2x3 on the end of the 9600 GT card, like this.
The GT430 shouldn't need that connector, as power is much lower. The GT430
draws +12V and +3.3V from the slot.

http://images10.newegg.com/NeweggImage/productimage/14-130-328-07.jpg

Paul
 
I have one box running XP with a geforce 9600GT, and a more recent build
with windows 7 has a geforce GT430

I want to swap the graphics cards over - can I do that without any driver
complications

looking for advice, as although I have been building pcs for many yearsI
don't know everything and things do keep changing!

many thanks,
lol
Click to expand...

You'll probably have residuals, registry entries and so forth. Some
are notoriously difficult to totally clean once installed, and may
involve a FAQ for helping with that end. Lately been swapping around
a couple ATI boards, 7xxx w/ 9xxx series, including throwing in a
curve with a NVIDIA MB vidchip. I had to dig out a few unneeded ATI
residuals loading up beside the NVidia, but other than that either one
the included drivers or website drivers wasn't loading, which I fixed,
for nothing much more drastic than a basic display. Anything but
older games, of course, and it would probably croak out a nasty fart
of protest before sending the system belly up.
 
Lol said:
I have one box running XP with a geforce 9600GT, and a more recent build with windows 7 has a geforce GT430

I want to swap the graphics cards over - can I do that without any driver complications

looking for advice, as although I have been building pcs for many yearsI don't know everything and things do keep
changing!

many thanks,
lol
Click to expand...

I agree with the others' method of uninstalling the old first. I do the same, except when you boot up the first time
with the new card, if the 'Found new hardware' wizard comes up (and it probably will), cancel out of it and use the
Nvidia setup program. It seems to be a cleaner, less troublesome installation that way, plus the other parts of the
driver suite (such as PhysX) get installed and updated at the same time.

My method is:
1) uninstall the current driver;
2) shut down and replace the card (be sure to unplug the PC from the wall. Otherwise there is still power to the MB);
3) boot up. Cancel out of the 'New hardware wizard';
4) reboot;
5) install the new driver and reboot a final time.

The reason for #4 is to let the system "settle" with the basic VGA driver. I've had a couple of swaps go bad by skipping
that step. I don't know if it was because of residuals from the old driver or what, but it's just a couple more minutes,
and seems to make things go a little smoother in the end.
 
I agree with the others' method of uninstalling the old first. I do the same, except when you boot up the first time
with the new card, if the 'Found new hardware' wizard comes up (and it probably will), cancel out of it and use the
Nvidia setup program. It seems to be a cleaner, less troublesome installation that way, plus the other parts of the
driver suite (such as PhysX) get installed and updated at the same time.

My method is:
1) uninstall the current driver;
2) shut down and replace the card (be sure to unplug the PC from the wall. Otherwise there is still power to the MB);
3) boot up. Cancel out of the 'New hardware wizard';
4) reboot;
5) install the new driver and reboot a final time.

The reason for #4 is to let the system "settle" with the basic VGA driver. I've had a couple of swaps go bad by skipping
that step. I don't know if it was because of residuals from the old driver or what, but it's just a couple more minutes,
and seems to make things go a little smoother in the end.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't bother uninstalling the drivers in this case. Both cards
are Nvidia and they use unified drivers.
--
(\__/) M.
(='.'=) Due to the amount of spam posted via googlegroups and
(")_(") their inaction to the problem. I am blocking some articles
posted from there. If you wish your postings to be seen by
everyone you will need use a different method of posting.
 
Mark said:
I wouldn't bother uninstalling the drivers in this case. Both cards
are Nvidia and they use unified drivers.
Click to expand...


And you may or may not have any problems. I went from a 9800GT to a GT 240 without uninstalling/reinstalling and had no
problem at all. But I went from the GT 240 to a GT 520 (mistakenly thinking it was an upgrade), was sorely disappointed
in its performance, and put the GT 240 back in without uninstalling/reinstalling. What a mistake. The 240 now ran as
slow as the 520, even though device manager and Nvidia control center picked it up as a 240. After following my usual
method, I got it back up and running the way it should.
 
very many thanks to everyone for all that advice

I'll probably follow the simplest, then get complicated when it goes wrong
Lol

"Lol" wrote in message
I have one box running XP with a geforce 9600GT, and a more recent build
with windows 7 has a geforce GT430

I want to swap the graphics cards over - can I do that without any driver
complications

looking for advice, as although I have been building pcs for many yearsI
don't know everything and things do keep changing!

many thanks,
lol
 
"Mark" wrote in message
I agree with the others' method of uninstalling the old first. I do the
same, except when you boot up the first time
with the new card, if the 'Found new hardware' wizard comes up (and it
probably will), cancel out of it and use the
Nvidia setup program. It seems to be a cleaner, less troublesome
installation that way, plus the other parts of the
driver suite (such as PhysX) get installed and updated at the same time.

My method is:
1) uninstall the current driver;
2) shut down and replace the card (be sure to unplug the PC from the wall.
Otherwise there is still power to the MB);
3) boot up. Cancel out of the 'New hardware wizard';
4) reboot;
5) install the new driver and reboot a final time.

The reason for #4 is to let the system "settle" with the basic VGA driver.
I've had a couple of swaps go bad by skipping
that step. I don't know if it was because of residuals from the old driver
or what, but it's just a couple more minutes,
and seems to make things go a little smoother in the end.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't bother uninstalling the drivers in this case. Both cards
are Nvidia and they use unified drivers.
--
(\__/) M.
(='.'=) Due to the amount of spam posted via googlegroups and
(")_(") their inaction to the problem. I am blocking some articles
posted from there. If you wish your postings to be seen by
everyone you will need use a different method of posting.

was hoping someone would say that!!
 
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