You've decided that the graphic card in your computer just isn't good enough anymore. Your only option is a video card installation. Whether you are running the latest games or video editing software, you need to upgrade your system. You might still be using integrated graphics or a dedicated video card but it's time for something new. Depending how old your system is you have to find out what kind of video card your motherboard will support. Older systems will more than likely have an AGP slot while newer models will support a PCI Express board. You will need to refer to your motherboard documentation to find out what type of video card installation it will support or you may be able to go to the manufacturer's website to obtain the information. Research different video cards to find one that matches your pocket and what you expect to receive in the way of a performance upgrade. Then you can move onto the video card installation. 1. Power down your PC and unplug it from the wall. Remove all cables from the rear of the PC. 2. Remove the screws holding the left-hand side of the case on and carefully slide off the panel. *While it is ideal to use an anti static strap while working inside the PC case not many people keep one at home. As an alternative you can touch the frame of the computer while working inside your PC. Static electricity can spell death to a computer and what is worse is that the component suffering from the static discharge may degrade over time giving you intermittent problems that are nearly impossible to pinpoint. 3. Before you can begin with your video card installation. If you are upgrading or replacing an older graphic card, you will need to remove it by loosening the screw holding the backing plate to the case and carefully sliding the card out of the slot. * You may also have to undo a clip near the back of the video card depending on the design of your motherboard. * If you are upgrading from integrated graphics and your computer does not have a separate video card already then you will have to undo the screw holding the cover plate on the back of the PC. It will be the cover plate nearest the video card slot. 4. Remove the new card from its anti-static bag and line the card up with the slot. AGP slots tend to be brown and set back from the PCI slots, whereas PCI-E slots (most cards today are PCI-E) are longer and tend to be black. Push down on the card until it sits firmly within its slot. Push the plastic catch up on the slot to further secure the card. 5. Using the screw from the previous video card or the cover plate, firmly fasten the backing plate of the video card to the case. 6. Check whether or not your new card requires an additional power source. Some PCI-E cards have a square four-pin power connector slot, located on the front end of the board, so you may need to purchase an additional cable to convert a Molex connector if one hasn't been bundled with your graphics card. 7. Replace the sides of your case and reconnect the cables to your machine. * When reattaching the video cable connector to your PC make sure to plug it into the video card installation and not the original motherboard socket. Click Image to Enlarge 8. Boot up your PC and make sure that the Windows splash screen is displayed. This verifies that your video card installation was installed correctly and functioning. *If the display does not show first power down and recheck your video card installation steps. 9. Once Windows has started, you may be prompted to install drivers for your new card. However it is usually best to cancel this process and run the installation program on the driver CD that came with your card. * Once you have installed the new drivers and rebooted, you should be able to reset your desktop resolution by going to the desktop, right clicking, selecting properties and then choosing to the Settings tab. You should also visit the manufacturer's website and check for the latest drivers, as these will offer optimum performance and iron out glitches with previous driver versions. DVD Drive Replacement by PC Apprentice 2009 - 2017 There are 10 types of people in this world:  those who understand binary and those who don't.  ~Author Unknown Click Image to Enlarge