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installing a graphics card for the first time

V

Vegasus

Member
I ordered a graphics card online and expect it in a day or two. This will be the first time I have installed a graphics card in a PC.

While waiting, would it help for me to download and install its drivers now? Will my computer be damaged or misbehave to have drivers for a graphics card that isn't present?

After it's working, I'm considering removing the graphics card and putting it back in its box until Christmas. Will the PC work OK without it after it has been in? Will I have to do anything different to put the card in a second time?

If it helps you answer, my PC is a desktop with an i5-6400 and Windows 10 64-bit and the card is an MSI RX 480 Gaming 8 GB.
 
I would download drivers now, but I wouldn't install them.
I would uninstall the AMD drivers after I took the card out.
I would then install the Intel drivers.
 
Don't install any new drivers before the hardware is present. Insert the card, Windows will automatically install a whql driver. Then you can decide if you want the newest beta driver or not (in this case, probably not until christmas at least).

You don't have to do anything different if you insert the card a second time. Also, don't bother about uninstalling the AMD drivers, they will just take up some HDD space until christmas. Same for the Intel drivers after you have installed the new card, they'll just stay deactivated.
 
Honestly I wouldn't spent the time to install and then remove it. Most places you order from will have extended return periods because of christmas anyway. It will take a good hour or so to do the install the first time as you'll have to unhook everything, clean out the computer case (it will be dusty, use compressed air to clean it), move power cables and such around.

After all that work you won't want to take it out a few minutes later 😉

So either install it and leave it in, or wait imho. For those of us who are comfortable taking parts in / out of the PC its easier, but it's still time consuming overall.
 
Is this an OEM system and what card did you order? I assume you made sure the psu was powerful enough and has the proper connectors and you have plenty of room in the case. If so, it should be very simple to install the card, but I dont really see the point of installing it and then taking it out again.
 
i know when i went back and forth between an amd r9 380 and the intel integrated graphics the catalyst while troubleshooting a boot problem the catalyst control panel would complain about how it couldn't find an amd card but i just left the amd drivers. it had no other effect beyond that and when i put the 380 back in it was fine.
 
frozentundra123456 said:
Is this an OEM system and what card did you order? I assume you made sure the psu was powerful enough and has the proper connectors and you have plenty of room in the case. If so, it should be very simple to install the card, but I dont really see the point of installing it and then taking it out again.
Click to expand...

This is an Asus M32CD (DDR3 version).

Update: I bought a Seasonic 550W PSU to replace the 350W that came with the PC. I bought an MSI RX 480 Gaming X 8 GB card. First I installed the PSU, then the card, then the card's drivers. I've played a few games with it and it's all working fine so far.
 
Vegasus said:
This is an Asus M32CD (DDR3 version).

Update: I bought a Seasonic 550W PSU to replace the 350W that came with the PC. I bought an MSI RX 480 Gaming X 8 GB card. First I installed the PSU, then the card, then the card's drivers. I've played a few games with it and it's all working fine so far.
Click to expand...
Enjoy you new system!!
 
If you have Windows 10, you should go into the control panel > System > advance system settings > Hardware tab > Device installation settings > and select 'NO' to prevent W10 updating the drivers
 
SolMiester said:
If you have Windows 10, you should go into the control panel > System > advance system settings > Hardware tab > Device installation settings > and select 'NO' to prevent W10 updating the drivers
Click to expand...

What goes wrong if it updates them? Also, it mentions that it updates "apps and icons", not drivers. Does it do more than it says it does?
 
If you use your dedicated card for gaming, you wont want Microsoft updating your drivers, they arent as new and tend to brake features. Yes, W10 updates drivers as it says on the tab!
 
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